dad

there was a time that you have to stay on beat when you dance to place, but now days i guess that it don't matter.
i go and watch dancer compeat and they go off beat bad, not just ever once in awhile but throught the whole song and they still get first. mean while there are some othere dancer a just a good but they get lower place. now i cant get mad a the dancers but come on people when you judge you should look at this and pick the better dancers not the name or who they are.. but this powwow and i guess it's not how you dance but who you know..

Pvt Butter

I'm glad I'm not the only one who notices this too. I see fancy shawl dancers that are beautiful, but can't find the beat let alone hold the beat.

princessrain11

hah yeah for realz its funny to watch but everyone know the winners are usually by their "names" or who they know... its all good tho

__________________

LSS

Just goes to show that not everyone knows what in the hell they're doing out there. People who about the dance and what to look for should be out there.....judging that is.

__________________
To get a true picture of your purpose in life, you only get the whole picture when you listen with your mind, your ears and your heart. This way The Creator has a direct connection with you and only you...no outside interference.

When you follow the will of IT that created you, understanding that your purpose is not for you...but for IT and all that IT has created, there can be no wrong except failure to be obedient. Only then do we jeopardize the gifts we are given.

Its not the final destination that defines us, rather the journey taken!

kneegrow_native

Glad I'm not the only one that feels this way.

I explained to my daughter that the first thing she needed to learn was how to dance in beat, then she could work on the rest.

__________________
It is so sad that a family can torn apart by something as simple as a wild pack of dogs.

Nezbah

LOL......only if there was a perfect powwow world.....

It used to be that if you missed a beat or overstepped a beat that you would have to disqualify yourself or give up like your bustle or something. That was considered the honorable way. But this hasn't been seen in some time. I remember a post from last year that someone was dancing, he overstepped a beat then took off his bustle and honored another younger person with that bustle. And I think I remember in this year's GON in the Men's grassdance special I believe it was Darrell (correct me if I am wrong) that had missed a beat and he removed himself from the contest. But the judges and the committee made him continue to dance, then he won. Even though it was not his fault and to the discretion of the judges/family/committee, it was nice to see a dancer do the 'honorable' way. I remember pointing out to my son, thats how your suppose to be, if you miss a beat you disqualify yourself. Am I wrong? I dunno, that's the way I was taught. I just wish there were more dancers out there that care more about this than 'winning' or 'money'. *S*. Like I said.......if there was a perfect powwow world....LOL

__________________
You have crossed my path, you have touched my heart, you are my friend, You will never be forgotten......

Tiyospaye Yazzie

Nobody does it better than Navajos. I've seen contestant fall flat on their butts and faces and yet still be able to take first. When I judge I score on both songs, if someone messes up during one contest song they still get a lower score even if they did do good on the second(2 + 2 =4, not 1 + 2 =4). I think most -not all- score on the second or last contest song leaving the first, well, scoreless.

__________________
"I Ahula Ula"
Enjoying the ride.
BETA SIGMA EPSILON

vince_j

There was also a time when Judges would print their name and sign their ballots. Then, someone would review the ballots and ensure that everything is on the up and up.

I see Committee folks just enter numbers into the computer and that's that.

What can you do? (rhetoric)

__________________
"We who are clay blended by the Master Potter, come from the kiln of Creation in many hues. How can people say one skin is colored, when each has its own coloration? What should it matter that one bowl is dark and the other pale, if each is of good design and serves its purpose well." ~~~Polingaysi Qoyawayma, Hopi~~~

Pvt Butter

okay, I'll name her by name. *name edited* . She is so beautiful and starts off really well, but is it just my eyes that see her feet can't keep up with the drum? Does she do that on purpose? I'm not hating here...just trying to keep up with the trends. I was taught that that drum is our heart beat and that we dance in sync with its beat. Tell me it's my imagination.

TTMNO

A thread after my own heart.

ccreek10

I was at the Trump 29 powwow last year and saw this one southern golden age lady walk out after their contest song. The drum they were dancing to sang some kind of funky song and all the ladies stopped and the song went on. Some even stopped twice during the song. She did the honorable thing by stepping out but I over heard some of the people tell her that this was a point system powwow and she should have stayed in. Aren't most powwows nowadays on the point system?

jones

It's tough to walk off during a contest when you know you screwed up - even though it's the honorable thing to do. I've done it before with alot at stake. I still placed. I didn't feel any better, but it was the way I was taught.

Wojapi4Me

Don't Crow male dancers dance what we would consider "off the beat"? I'm not saying they can't keep beat, I'm saying that's how they dance isn't it?

Also, not cool to name a dancer publically and say she can't keep a beat. I've seen her dance plenty of times and she's always been in beat. Maybe you caught her on an off day.

__________________
If pro is the opposite of con, then wouldn't progress be the opposite of...lol

billyjoejimbob

Ive heard people say dance to the song, not the beat.

Kakeeya

Please remove my friends name from your post Janell. Or mods can you delete it? Thanks