T. Jude Fox

We've been talking about it for decades...the need to split the Old Style Traditional Grass Dancers from the New Age Contemporary Dancers.

Then the Chicken Dancers re-emerged and start cutting in, yeah they did get their own category here and there but not regularly nationwide, including Canada. So that's happening though SLOWLY.

I know you can prob argue 3 grass cats, way way back, last century and contemporary. Then there are a few pw's that have split for years.

But there is a need to split the categories at every powwow, it's just way too different and Sooooo friggin' hard to judge, man!!

It'll be easier on the Drums as well and which song to wail on.

So let's hear it. Sure it more work for the committee's buuut, oh well, make more frybread eh.

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Nakoda man

It be conveinant, when ur outta shape theres always oldstyle to make you look good.lol when ur feeling in great shape and ready to do battle well switch over to comtemp and do some real dancing.otherwise u'll look bad when ur not in shape and tha guys in better shape kick ur azz. so yeah split tha top gunz from thos who are old or ethier outta shape.no disrespect though,big upz to oldstyle keep it original and contemp for making it look exciting.

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buffalo69

I think everyone is in a big hurry to go nowhere on that dance floor sometimes. Decades?? I only remember old style and contemp being brought up about ten years ago. I just think the judges need to buck up and brush themselves up on some oral tradition or something. Things change but ya gotta be respectful of grass roots. There were guys, and still are, that do it all on the dance floor. You really couldn't coin them as anything but good grass dancers...but should we split something up for the sake of a few who think it is fun to do the robot or play Little Horse with their femmy fan action out there then I say no way man. Grass is grass bro and it has always been the duty of the judges to weed out those who break protocol. Judges need to know what they are doing out there...I know I wouldn't want a judge judgin me not knowin what he is pickin and why...I would jus assume him.her sit down and enjoy the dancing. My answer is a solid no

T. Jude Fox

There is an old style category that's an iron man type dance, because I remember hearing about them and seeing them only a few time literally dancing hard all through the day, 20-30 songs at a time. Knees didnt' touch the ground, there were no fancy acrobatics or hip hop moves.

When your judge'em who do you put, when you have the two best for old style and contemp, for first place.

There's a difference not only in dance, but in regalia and how that matches up with your tribes. Pow-wow is a small world and mostly we know which tribe is which and who's dancing their style or not.

There are lotsa new agers out there kicking it up all hard, but ain't near their tribal ways. Thinking it's all about fun and show and well to many it IS thatta way, but there is a history to this and it comes to respecting where your from and representing that or simply just being who ya are.

Powwow's a small world yeah but it's big enough for another category. I think committees are just being tight.

__________________
...jus put on Mandareeeee....
I use my own name cause I ain't got no time to be anyone else and am too original to use an alias.

buffalo69

I agree that there is a difference out there. I agree that this dance does have a history, which should be respected. It should be respected in a way that only the judges can decide. Judges should be asked on their expertise, not their indeciveness. It has always been the duty of the judge to know what he or she is doing and to make the informed decision. They look at not only the outfit and the dance moves, but the spirit of the dancers as well. I can honestly say that I can tell when a dancer is feeling good out there and when a dancer is feeling heavy. This cuts across all boundaries of style and outfit. Those are the things that should be considered last. The spirit of the grass dance has always been one of healing and making the people feel good. If a dancer is doing this, it shows, contemp or old style none of that matters. That is grass dance. Since this dance does have a long historyis true, that it has this long history, and it is a holy dance, as some consider, then I see it as the duty of the judges to ENFORCE this idea. I hear it all the time from respected individuals that grass dance is a sacred dance, however I do not see those who make a hip hop show out of it taken out of the winners circle. To take them out is to teach them the true way. It will send the message that this crazy way of dancing is not accepted anymore and that this dance is sacred and should be treated no different. It is our duty to show our people the way. If our elders won't do it then who will. To make another category for the crazies is just supporting their behavior.
I agree that this contemporary is athletic and it is artistic but it is not grass dance. This dance was meant to unite people across many tribes and it was prophesized by our elders that this dance would spread across indian country. It has, and if we were to split this dance up and dissect its true nature of uniting the people, we would be doing a great disservice to the dance. Grass dancers must dance together and ignore the $chi-ching$ of other societies. Just because there is $$$ now does not mean we must change our ways to spread the wealth. I do not wish Indian people to return to the way we once were, this would be impossible, but I do wish that they would take into consideration the consequences of deliberately changing the culture.

Babe

I totally agree! Grass was introduced to powwow in it's original style years ago. This style should be held onto without people trying to make it fancier, faster, and without all that jazz. You do see alot of men trying to grass dance with moves that weren't allowed back in the day. Just like Jingle dress, rules are broken during dancing and now it's called 'contemporary'. It is up to the judges to know the right style of the dance to know what the dancer is doing right and wrong.
But nowadays with powwow being such a big market and careers depending on it, there's bound to be a change in categories sooner or later (already has). Not only with grass, but eventually women's fancy, chicken, etc.
When I judge grass, boys that hop, skip, and jump too high are at the bottom of my list. "contemporary" grass dancers look like fancy dancers without the bussel. To me they're in the wrong category!

krazie_engine

I would agree to split the two categories..... and I'm not sayin I'm all knowing. but not nuff people know da difference. theres only a handful of people who truely know and understand ol' style grass. I was lucky nuff to learn alotta bout the history of grass from muh teachers rocco clark and kenny scabbyrobe sr.

WhoMe

Grass dancing has gone through many phases.

Historically the earliest of grass dancers (who participated in ceremony), danced bare chested and bare legged. The leaders of these ceremonial societies wore a "crow bustle." Those who were not entitled to wear this bustle wore real tufts of grass in their belts and moccassins.

If someone came into a powwow today, wearing this type of grass dance outfit and entered the "Old Style Grass category," how many people would accept them as legitimate?

This is how the ORIGINAL grass dancers dressed.

Everything after that IS contemporary and represents an evolutionary phase of the grass dance.

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"Today, recognizing and respecting the origins of powwow aids in our Cultural Survival. If enough people break the rules because they are not satisfied...."We will have no culture."

WhoMe

buffalo69

Hey I read that book too...good one

WhoMe

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buff69,

I only saw the historical photos of grass dance societies from different tribes (Gros Ventre, Omaha and Lakota).



What book did you read?

__________________
"Today, recognizing and respecting the origins of powwow aids in our Cultural Survival. If enough people break the rules because they are not satisfied...."We will have no culture."

WhoMe