All Around Contests. Good or Bad?

WhoMe · 06-07-2006, 03:45 PM

My niece is wanting to enter an all around contest for her division this weekend. She is a champion fancy shawl dancer.

She is not a jingle dress dancer, nor does she traditional dance. She is a competitor, athlete and determined young individual.

After running this morning, she was in my back yard practicing jingle and traditional dancing to her favorite tapes.

In this upcoming all around dance contest, she will be wearing a jingle dress and traditional buckskin dress, in addition to her own fancy shawl outfit.

Do All Around Contests encourage a "mockery" of mixing dance styles and tradition?
(I guess the same question could be asked of switch dancing? But, that will be a different thread).

Are All Around Dance Contests good for powwows? Tradition?

What's your take?

Native 1 · 06-07-2006, 04:47 PM

I think all arounds are great if you want to test yourself in how well you can do in each category besides the one you usually compete in...but you also have to know about how each style has their own songs to dance..such as double beat, crow hop, round dance, etc etc...you have to be able to adapt to each style and dance that style...and if you are a serious competitor than you will have your own regalia for each type of dance...as far as mixing dancing styles and mockery..??? I don't know..I see it as how well an individual can dance in each style and be judged on it...so as an all around contestant you are saying that you can dance all three styles and be good at each one..I don't know that I would compare it to switch dancing though.

**Wojapi4Me** · 06-07-2006, 05:02 PM

I understand your point WhoMe in that you may run into a situation of contestants dancing styles they haven't properly entered into such as jingle. But, in this day and age, anything that can be done to keep Indian youth busy, occupied and away from drugs, gangs, and violence is a good thing. Your niece should be commended for practicing her dancing and not straying into other bad activities.

WhoMe · 06-07-2006, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Native 1

I think all arounds are great if you want to test yourself in how well you can do in each category besides the one you usually compete in...but you also have to know about how each style has their own songs to dance..such as double beat, crow hop, round dance, etc etc...you have to be able to adapt to each style and dance that style...and if you are a serious competitor than you will have your own regalia for each type of dance...as far as mixing dancing styles and mockery..??? I don't know..I see it as how well an individual can dance in each style and be judged on it...so as an all around contestant you are saying that you can dance all three styles and be good at each one..I don't know that I would compare it to switch dancing though.

Oh . . . she's fully used to all these drumbeats you have listed. She also sings behind the drum and travels coast-to-coast to learn different styles of singing and dancing. She has been dancing since she could walk.

She listens to powwow music on her Ipod, plays soccer on two teams and is a friendly kid.

She is not a serious "all around competitor."

She is a teen shawl dancer and does not own her own jingle or buckskin outfits. Like many other All Around Competitors, she will borrow these outfits.

It kind of does relate to switch dancing because it kinda' IS switch dancing isn't it?

nakotagrl · 06-07-2006, 05:13 PM

I think all-around competitions are acceptable..the dancers show their ability to dance in all categories. Only a limited few are talented enough to put on a good performance in this type of a special.

**WocusWoman** · 06-07-2006, 05:17 PM

That's neat if she's able to do that,..............But.... yes "money and competition" does encourage mockery. I'm a ladies traditional dancer; I have danced this way since I was very little. I do not know how to dance any other way. I have family that dance other styles, and they have always stuck to those styles. I guess it all depends on where and when you choose to dance. I was going to throw in the word,"tradition" but we all know that stirs up controversy. So I'll put it this way; does your family have a tradition of dancing at traditional gatherings, is your family's tradition only to compete for money, or is it a mixture of both???

Native 1 · 06-07-2006, 05:17 PM

guess you'll have to explain switch dancing??

WhoMe · 06-07-2006, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Singerdad

I understand your point WhoMe in that you may run into a situation of contestants dancing styles they haven't properly entered into such as jingle. .

Singer,

Yes, this is my main point.

I see all around jingle and straight dancers who have not properly entered the arena .... wearing jingle dresses and straight dance cloths.

In my "opinion" some all around dancers "dishonor the tribes who originated them and continue to honor them in ceremony - by not knowing how to dance these styles, within reason."

Is this valid?

**WocusWoman** · 06-07-2006, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhoMe

Singer,

Yes, this is my main point.

I see all around jingle and straight dancers who have not properly entered the arena .... wearing jingle dresses and straight dance cloths.

In my "opinion" some all around dancers "dishonor the tribes who originated them and continue to honor them in ceremony - by not knowing how to dance these styles, within reason."

Is this valid?

I agree with what you have to say.

WhoMe · 06-07-2006, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WocusWoman

. . . does your family have a tradition of dancing at traditional gatherings, is your family's tradition only to compete for money, or is it a mixture of both???

Wocus,

My family does a mixture of both.

We attend traditional gatherings as well as spiritual ceremonies. We have also been invited to attend traditional gatherings and spiritual ceremonies of other nations (including your state).

We also travel to competitive powwows. In the last month, my niece has placed in New Mexico, Wisconsin and Oklahoma. This weekend she is headed to another state to compete.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Native 1

guess you'll have to explain switch dancing??

Native,

Switch dancing is when a competitor switches and dances in cloths of the opposite sex.

In the nonIndian world they call it...

"dancing in drag!"

*L

**WocusWoman** · 06-07-2006, 07:29 PM

Maybe and I would hope that as a good mentor and uncle; try an reinterate to your niece since this is a competition she has chosen to partake in, it is her responsibility to learn the dance and dance them properly and with respect. And that is out of respect for the dances, the people and her family.

WhoMe · 06-08-2006, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WocusWoman

Maybe and I would hope that as a good mentor and uncle; try an reinterate to your niece since this is a competition she has chosen to partake in, it is her responsibility to learn the dance and dance them properly and with respect. And that is out of respect for the dances, the people and her family.

Wocus,

She is already a highly respectable young lady.

Can a person "truly" respect these dances if they are only doing it to contest?

Hmmmmmm?

Native 1 · 06-08-2006, 12:38 PM

Hmm, thats what I thought switch dancing was..but no I don't think it compares to an all around special?? I still say you are being judged on your dancing ability for each of those categories with appropriate regalia. As for contest? I guess if it weren't for contest there would be no all around right??? as far as not being properly brought into the arena..hmmm guess it depends on your traditions..on how that would be?? Because a lot of traditionalists consider pow wow as contemporary and yet there are those individuals whom yes dance and yet go to spiritual ceremonies..sooo...its complex and I don't know if you will get a straight and simple answer.

between2worlds · 06-08-2006, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhoMe

Can a person "truly" respect these dances if they are only doing it to contest?

I had a similar question from co-workers when they saw me watching Red Earth this past Saturday (I got stuck having to come in and babysit computers, so while the processes were running.....).

06-07-2006, 03:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
WhoMe PauWau Coordinator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Land of 370 Broken Treaties Posts: 5,559	All Around Contests. Good or Bad? My niece is wanting to enter an all around contest for her division this weekend. She is a champion fancy shawl dancer. She is not a jingle dress dancer, nor does she traditional dance. She is a competitor, athlete and determined young individual. After running this morning, she was in my back yard practicing jingle and traditional dancing to her favorite tapes. In this upcoming all around dance contest, she will be wearing a jingle dress and traditional buckskin dress, in addition to her own fancy shawl outfit. Do All Around Contests encourage a "mockery" of mixing dance styles and tradition? (I guess the same question could be asked of switch dancing? But, that will be a different thread). Are All Around Dance Contests good for powwows? Tradition? What's your take? __________________ "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

06-07-2006, 05:02 PM	#3 (permalink)
Wojapi4Me Kili! Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Tha Rez Posts: 1,515	I understand your point WhoMe in that you may run into a situation of contestants dancing styles they haven't properly entered into such as jingle. But, in this day and age, anything that can be done to keep Indian youth busy, occupied and away from drugs, gangs, and violence is a good thing. Your niece should be commended for practicing her dancing and not straying into other bad activities. __________________ If pro is the opposite of con, then wouldn't progress be the opposite of...lol

06-07-2006, 05:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
WocusWoman N8tiffUmatillaMAMA Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Interior Alaska Posts: 2,737	That's neat if she's able to do that,..............But.... yes "money and competition" does encourage mockery. I'm a ladies traditional dancer; I have danced this way since I was very little. I do not know how to dance any other way. I have family that dance other styles, and they have always stuck to those styles. I guess it all depends on where and when you choose to dance. I was going to throw in the word,"tradition" but we all know that stirs up controversy. So I'll put it this way; does your family have a tradition of dancing at traditional gatherings, is your family's tradition only to compete for money, or is it a mixture of both??? Last edited by WocusWoman; 06-07-2006 at 05:28 PM.

06-07-2006, 04:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
Native 1 Junior Dancer Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 119	I think all arounds are great if you want to test yourself in how well you can do in each category besides the one you usually compete in...but you also have to know about how each style has their own songs to dance..such as double beat, crow hop, round dance, etc etc...you have to be able to adapt to each style and dance that style...and if you are a serious competitor than you will have your own regalia for each type of dance...as far as mixing dancing styles and mockery..??? I don't know..I see it as how well an individual can dance in each style and be judged on it...so as an all around contestant you are saying that you can dance all three styles and be good at each one..I don't know that I would compare it to switch dancing though.

06-07-2006, 05:13 PM	#5 (permalink)
nakotagrl Pow Wow Visitor Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2	I think all-around competitions are acceptable..the dancers show their ability to dance in all categories. Only a limited few are talented enough to put on a good performance in this type of a special.

06-07-2006, 05:17 PM	#7 (permalink)
Native 1 Junior Dancer Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 119	guess you'll have to explain switch dancing??

06-07-2006, 07:29 PM	#11 (permalink)
WocusWoman N8tiffUmatillaMAMA Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Interior Alaska Posts: 2,737	Maybe and I would hope that as a good mentor and uncle; try an reinterate to your niece since this is a competition she has chosen to partake in, it is her responsibility to learn the dance and dance them properly and with respect. And that is out of respect for the dances, the people and her family.

06-08-2006, 12:38 PM	#13 (permalink)
Native 1 Junior Dancer Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 119	Hmm, thats what I thought switch dancing was..but no I don't think it compares to an all around special?? I still say you are being judged on your dancing ability for each of those categories with appropriate regalia. As for contest? I guess if it weren't for contest there would be no all around right??? as far as not being properly brought into the arena..hmmm guess it depends on your traditions..on how that would be?? Because a lot of traditionalists consider pow wow as contemporary and yet there are those individuals whom yes dance and yet go to spiritual ceremonies..sooo...its complex and I don't know if you will get a straight and simple answer.