User:Nedradb1

Fancy Shawl Dancing

History: Fancy shawl originated in the northern part of the Indian Country. The dance was really danced by men, until a few brave women decided to take a stand and dance. Sometimes they would dance in the men’s regalia in competitions and they would beat the men. Although they danced, it was frowned upon because the women were booed and displaced for their efforts by changing the original traditional. It took many years to finally be accepted. Once that happened, the women had their own dance. The fancy shawl dance was based on endurance, fast-paced, agility, beauty, grace, and the response to keep up with beat and tone by keeping pace along with the song.

Regalia: When the women dance, they usually dress in their colorful regalia. The main part of the outfit is the shawl. The shawl is supposed to represent that, of a butterfly. This means, when the dancer dances, their supposed to be graceful, as if they were floating or not touching the ground. The other parts of the clothing are the moccasins, leggings, belt, and flared skirt. The clothes are dynamic so they changed over time with added materials such as sequins, more color, ribbons and fabric.