You Win Some...You Lose Some

Losing by a single shot = not fun.  You've probably guessed my winter basketball season is over. 

Here's how it happened:
* We worked hard all season.
* We made it to the league playoffs. 
* We made it to the final four and got matched with an undefeated team.
* We were up by 1 at half.
* We got down by 4 in the last quarter.
* We scored a 2 but missed the 3 that would have won the game.
* Season over.

Does this affect my hoop dancing? I'm sure it does but I'm not feeling clever enough to understand how (much less explain it.) 

Misconception #2: Every powwow dancer can hoop dance

Not every dancer who participates in Native American powwows can hoop dance. And, not every hoop dancer does powwows.

Powwows are Native American social events where many people (from lots of tribes) dance.  Powwow dancers have a wide range of experience.  They range from the dancers who enter the dance circle once or twice in a decade to the hardcore competitors who hit a powwow every single weekend.

The vast majority of Native American dancers specialize in a single dance style.  There are at least 8 powwow dance styles plus tribal and regional styles, not even counting hoop dancing.  Each style is a living dance; they can evolve drastically over time.  The styles takes a lifetime to master and regularity to keep with the changes.

It is rare that a dance can reach world-class quality in more than one Native American dance style.  It is also rare to find a dancer that can be a champion hoop dancer and powwow dancer.

From my: Top 10 Native American Hoop Dancing Misconceptions

Misconception #3: Native American hoop dancers are only men

There are both male and female Native American hoop dancers.

When American Indian hoop dancing started becoming popular throughout North America, it was assumed by many that only men and boys could hoop dance. Some people think this was supported by the fact that women's powwow outfits (all styles require calf length skirts) do not easily allow for hoop dancing leg moves.  In reality, no full powwow outfit, men's or women's, can really be used for hoop dancing. 

Today, it is widely accepted that women and girls can hoop dance.  The Hoop Dance World Championship, from the start, has allowed females to compete in all division and there has been a number of female World Champions. 

The majority of Native American hoop dancers are still male but the number of females is growing.

From my: Top 10 Native American Hoop Dancing Misconceptions

Misconception #4: Native American hoop dancers are uneducated

Native American hoop dancers are often very educated.

Of all the adult American Indian  hoop dancers I know, every one of them has attended an university.  Of the dancers that have not reached college age, they are growing up in families that emphasizes education. 

I, myself, am an honors student.  Outside of classes, I spend at least 5 times more hours studying per week than practicing my hoop dancing (although I think both are important.)

The nature of hoop dancing requires a lot of concentration, math, memory, multi-tasking, planning, and focus.  These are traits that help people succeed in school too.  It is not very surprising that Native American hoop dancers are often educated.

From my: Top 10 Native American Hoop Dancing Misconceptions

Misconception #5: Native American hoop dancers buy their hoops

Native American hoop dancers do not buy their hoops.

Making Native American dancing hoops is an art.  Dancers (or their families) make each hoop by hand. The hoops are customized by diameter, width, and flexibility. Colors are selected either to match the dancer's outfit or have special significance to the dancer or his/her tribe.

There are two basic ways of making hoops.  "Old style" uses all traditional materials.  "New style" uses modern materials.  There are many dancers that use a combination.

Learning how to make hoops is, in itself, an honor.  If you are interested in the details, ask a hoop dancer.

From my: Top 10 Native American Hoop Dancing Misconceptions

Interesting link: Australian hooping

I guess you caught me - for the past week when I should have been typing for school or blog, I have instead been googling hoop stuff.  This is partly for "research" and partly just me being nosy and wanting to see if this blog is showing up on any search engines.  (So far, it has not.)  But, I am learning a lot of stuff.

It turns out there are three types of "hoop dancers": 1) recreational hula hooping, 2) precision hooping (think Cirque Du Soleil) and 3) Native American hoop dancing.

I think Native American hoop dancing is much more like the precision hooping than recreational hula hooping.  I found this link that describes the two non-Native types.

Australian Hooping Cultures
(great site)

Misconception #6: Hoop dancers only dance

Native American hoop dancers have lives outside of hoop dancing.

Each Native American hoop dancer has a "real life" outside of hoop dancing.  We have homes, jobs, go to school, help our family - just like everyone else.  Hoop dancing is part of our identity but it's not our whole life.

From my: Top 10 Native American Hoop Dancing Misconceptions

Another Year Older...

Today is my birthday. Yay. I had a wonderful day with wonderful people.  Funniest part: seeing my sister freak out in our rental van over a little water (of all things).  She makes me smile because she's one of those people who think everything is a big deal.  Worst part: sitting on a peanut M&M.

No hoop dancing today.  As a birthday present to myself, I am not practicing anything. That means no basketball, no violin, and no hoop dancing. Unfortunately, I still have homework. Ugh.

Facebook makes birthdays great. I have a lot of family and friends that live far away. It's nice to "hear" from them on facebook.

I hope you all had a great day also.

Misconception #7: Every hoop dancer has the same beliefs and/or is from the same tribe

Hoop dancers are from various tribes and have different belief systems.

Hoop dancers come from tribes all over North America.  In addition to their traditional beliefs, dancers have modern influences. 

Native American hoop dancers even vary in the way they see their hoops and their dances.  Some might think of hoops as sacred.  Others might see them as dancing accessories.  Likewise, some might encourage photography and video recording.  Others might request that no records are made of them.

From my: Top 10 Native American Hoop Dancing Misconceptions

Misconception #8: Native American hoop dancers take classes to learn how to dance

Native American hoop dancers do not take classes to learn hoop dancing. 

Native American hoop dancing is not learned in a studio, like ballet.  They also do not learn from videos.   Native American hoop dancers typically learn hoop dancing under the guidance of another, more experienced dancer.  The expert dancer is very often a family member or close family friend.  This way both the moves and the beliefs can be kept alive.

From my: Top 10 Native American Hoop Dancing Misconceptions

Hooping It Up

Today's the best day ever!  My basketball team did great in our tournament.  Woohoo.

I spent last night working on some new hoop dancing moves.  Watch out for "Flying Y", "Make Up", "Four Directions", "Twister", "Angel", and "Front Butterfly."  I think at least two of these have not been done before.  (I of course made up these names.  I have no idea if there are official names for any of these moves - I kinda doubt it.)

More Misconceptions about Hoop Dancing will be posted shortly. :)

Misconception #9: All Native American Hoop Dancers know each other

All Native American hoop dancers do not know each other.

Native American hoop dancers live throughout North America.  A few even live elsewhere.  There is no registry of hoop dancers or an organization where we all belong to.  Not many events invite more than one hoop dancer.  A hoop dancer from Northern Canada is unlikely to come across a hoop dancer in the Southwest United States, over two thousand miles away.

So, just because you meet one hoop dancer, it does not mean he/she knows about another specific hoop dancer.

From my: Top 10 Native American Hoop Dancing Misconceptions

Misconception #10: Native Hoop Dancing is just like hula hoop dancing

Native American hoop dancing is nothing like hula hooping. 

There is a surprisingly big community of hula hoopers.  They call hula hoop dancing "hooping".  From the little that I've seen, they (mostly women) hula hoop to music wearing very little clothes.  They often use big, rigid hoops that they swing in broad circles around their bodies.  Some say it is entertainment; other say it is exercise.

Native American hoop dancing is very different.  The hoop is a important symbol to many tribes.  It is a symbol that can be used to represent many things.  In Native hoop dancing, the dancer to use their numerous hoops to represent many objects (eagles, butterflies, snakes, etc.)  Hands are used far more than hips; hoops do not swing around bodies but are moved carefully from formation to formation.  Like in nearly all Native social dances, modesty is key.

There are also spiritual elements to Native American hoop dancing.  The internet is not really the place to explain these.

The bottom line is Native American hoop dancing is very different than hula hooping.

From my: Top 10 Native American Hoop Dancing Misconceptions

Things to Come

Hi.  I was checking my stats today and noticed a few people from Europe have been reading this blog.  Welcome everyone  from America, Canada....and now across Europe too.

I figured out how to setup additional pages and create tabs for them.  Yay me!  My first tab is up, "More About Me."  Check it out if you want.

I realized today how little information is out there about Native American hoop dancing is out there.  So, for the next few days, I will be posting my "10 Misconceptions about Hoop Dancing."   They're all from crazy things people have asked me. So, be on the lookout. :-)

Ready, Set, Go

I actually have two hoop dancing accomplishments to blog.  First, my hoop dancing idol has offered to dance with me sometime.  How cool is that?  But, she lives in a different state so I'm not sure when this will happen.

Second, I have my first four moves decided for my new, more difficult routine.  I call the moves "hopscotch,"  "tight side step," "spinning pick up," and three "high jumpropes".  I am deciding what to do next.  It will probably some throws. 

This means I have about 10 second out of 300 seconds planned.  250 seconds to go.

In other news, I made it through my presentation on Bill Clinton's Politics and Scandals today in class. Yay!  Basketball practice went awesome too.    Plus, I even squeezed in violin practice today.

80% of This; 20% of That

I love love love jingle dress.  Jingle dress is a style of dance seen at powwows.  Jingle dresses actually  have little tin cones on them that sound kind of like rain when they move.  With the right footwork, the cones hit perfectly in time with the drum.  Sorta pretty.

So I was thinking: Jingle dress dancing is 80% footwork and 20% armwork.  Hoop dance is the opposite.  It's 20% footwork and 80% armwork.  It is different than what I'm used to but I do like a challenge. :)

Powwows versus Hoop Dancing

Yay. I think am going heading to a powwow this weekend, my first since New Years.  I have been dancing since I could walk. My family has many powwow dancers but I am the only hoop dancer.  I like being unique.

Just in case you don't know, a Native American powwow is very different than a hoop dance contest. 

Powwows

• Big events
• 6+ dance styles
• Separate contests for men and women
• Dancers in the same category all dance at the same time.

Hoop Dance Contest

• Small enough to know every dancer's name
• Only 1 dance style
• Men and women compete against another
• Competitors dance 1 at a time

So, which do I like? Both, but in separate ways.

Confessions of a Part-Time Hoop Dancer

So I didn't get to practice hoop dancing today.  I feel sorta bad about it.  But my life got busy.  Besides hoop dancing, I'm an honors student, a violinist, on a competitive basketball team, and write piano/violin notes.    (Plus, I'm now a blogger.)

I did however get to watch some hoop dancing youtube videos.  Man, those dancers rocked.  Their routines were so smooth, it looked effortless.  I got a few new ideas for hoop positions. 

On another note, I notice I have people looking here at these words come from all over the place!  Hello people in Canada and America (Alaska, the Northwest, Southwest, Plains, & East Coast).  I am glad you are here and my words aren't wasted. Now I know I have company.  Please comment.

video: 2011 3rd Place & 1st Place World Champions

Happy Valentine's Day.  Here is a video from the 21st Annual Heard Museum Hoop Dance World Championship Contest (2011).  The first dancer, Charles Denny (in black and tan), got 3rd Place.  Charles Denny was the 2008 Champion. 

The second dancer, Tony Duncan (in blue), took first.  He is the 2011 World Champion!   Man, he moves fast!!! 

Days to World's...357

Each day leads me one step closer to the big thing, the World Championship. And, really it means I have one day less of practice.   Today, like all days, I hope to learn new moves. 

Native American hoop dancing is basically a long dance routine of different hoop positions linked together in a single song.  My contest dance has to be about 5 minutes.  That's 300 seconds for those of us that need to know.  I figure 10 seconds for big positions and 5 seconds for easier ones.  That equals somewhere between 30 to 60 positions I need to get into then out of (in my 5 minutes.)  That's a lot of positions. 

This is an interesting dance. And it also can be frustrating. Sometimes, I can't figure out a move or perfect one. I imagine many people have trouble with hoop dancing. All I can do is try. You miss one hundred percent of the shots that you do not take.  I've decided to take this shot.

Goal: World Championship

My goal for this year is to compete in the 22nd Annual Hoop Dance World Championship in February 2012.  I have 357 days to get ready. 

I have hoops, thanks to BJ.  I have a friend (GS) who has won the Championship and who I think will answer questions.  I also know how to dance to powwow songs.  I need great moves, a routine, and a better outfit to wear.  Right now, I'm learning some moves.  Practice, practice, practice...it's the key.