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Intro Old Style Dance Straight Dance Contemporary-Traditional Dance Grass Dance Fancy Dance
All courtesy of Bonny McDaniel. So, you’d like to get your Indian
attire made? Do you know where to start? First,
you need to decide if you want a competitive outfit or ceremonial dress.
Most dance regalia can also be used for ceremonies but not all ceremonial
clothing is acceptable on the dance floor.
Basically, full war bonnets (with or without trailers) and medicine man
headdresses are NOT used in competitive dancing. Since your dance outfit figures
in your total points you could dance your heart out but not figure in the top
category because you did not meet the regalia requirements.
You could assemble the basic clothing (leggings, Shirt, moccasins, apron
and trailer, etc. ) that could be used with either outfit and then have the
proper headdress for dancing (usually, but not always, a porcupine roach) and a
war bonnet or medicine man head piece which quite often is some form of
animal…
Next you need to decide on colors. Nearly all Indian style clothing
included at least two primary colors … Red, Blue, or Yellow. Sometimes one
primary color and a secondary color such as green, purple, or orange can be
used.
If you are going into competitive dancing you may have to pick some
unusual color combinations to attract the judge’s eyes.
Yellow and Black, purple, cerise, and even some neon colors and glitter
are being used in Powwows now.
There are five dance classes: Old Style, Straight, Traditional, Fancy,
and Grass. The old style type of outfit is the easiest and least expensive to
make. The dance steps are also fairly basic although some “acting” is one as
you hunt for game in this dance.
Straight dancing is the most simple of the dances but the regalia are
much fancier and colorful than the old style.
Traditional dancers are usually the type seen in most of the Powwows.
They can be of Northern or Southern type and the dancing is much more involved.
Grass dancing is very rigorous and, because of the many pounds of
costume, takes quite a bit of stamina.
Fancy dancing is the top of the line in skill, effort, and the expense of
your outfit. You might also be interested in special events such as Eagle or Hoop dancing. The old style dance outfit consists of a roach with a spreader and one feather. This roach is usually a little smaller than the type used with the other styles and sits further back on the head. It can even be made from the left over hair or fiber from someone else’s kit. A bull tail or some kind of imitation tail is worn and the shirt does not have any ribbons. Usually it is a simple stripped shirt, of the kind worn at the turn of the last century. A vest is worn, usually a cloth one of the turn of the century type also. A tack belt, either silver or brass, or sash, and a chocker and roach pin are also included. The leggings can be cloth or buckskin with knee ties and bells. The breastplate can be the crow style or the shorter old style or the regular longer type. A bandolier is worn and is usually if hair pipe or beads. The apron & trailer are fairly plain. A rather plain “mess bustle” is used along with the standard moccasins and hand held accessories. This is the entry level outfit for many because the dance teams for the buffalo and deer dances usually wear these. The steps are simple yet have enough action for those that want to move a lot. Many items are very reasonable, usually costing about $100 total per outfit. I have gathered some appropriate shirts from thrift shops that are available for my cost (usually about $3) and the leggings cost about $6 to $8.
1. Roach 6. Shirt (no ribbons) 11. Leggings 2. Roach Spreader and Feather 7. Vest (optional) 12. Knee ties 3. Wapegnaka (Bull Trail) 8. Breastplate 13. Moccasins 4. Roach Pin 9. Bandolier 14. Bells 5. Chocker 10. Tack Belt ( or Sash) 15. “Mess” Bustle 16. Handheld Accessories The straight dance outfit is much fancier than the old style. the same leggings can be worn although a preference for trade-type cloth is shown. The main difference in the shirt for this style is a ribbon shirt, usually a calico with a long body and is quite often worn over the leggings and cinched in with a sash or tack belt. The roach is one the larger type and is fastened to a headband harness and the headband portion is either beaded or the Sioux-style fur band and has a spreader (quite often a larger one that flattens the roach outward) and one feather plus scalp feathers. The outstanding feature of this style is the otter tail that hangs down the back. It can be decorated with quill or beadwork and/or mirrors and is usually made with imitation otter since full hides a very expensive. A scarf, usually of satin, is worn with a tie slide and no breast plate is worn although bandoliers are worn, sometimes an otter and hair pipe crisscrossing each other. Arm bands on the shirt and garters and side drops on the leggings as well as bells. The apron and trailer need to be fairly long if the shirt is worn out. Moccasins and handheld accessories complete the outfit. This is much more colorful than the Old Style but the dance step is usually too mild for the active. However, many of the regalia items can be used in other styles. Cost for this outfit will be about $175 to $200 total depending how much you or family members can make.
1. Roach 6. Ribbon Shirt 11. Leggings 16. Breechclout (Apron) 2. Roach Spreader and Feather 7. Scarf set 12. Bandolier 17. Tail Piece 3. Scalp Feathers 8. Otter Trailer 13. Moccasins 18. Side Drops and Garters 4. Roach Pin 9. Tie Slide 14. Bells 19. Handheld Accessories 5. Headband 10. Arm Band 15. Belt
Contemporary-Traditional
Dance The contemporary traditional dance outfit is, by far, the most popular at most powwows. It consists of many of the items we have already discussed in the previous articles with a few exceptions; The roach is usually as tall and as long as you care to wear it (and can afford) with two feathers and a roach pin. Many are also wearing feather visors now. A chocker and breastplate are worn as well as beadwork set (side drops, cuff, etc) and as much fringe on everything as you can afford and manage. this fringe is usually side drops, apron and trailer, and other appropriate places. A ribbon shirt but no leggings, bells, anklets and moccasins are regulation for this event (leggings could be worn at ceremonials) as well as handheld accessories. The main showpiece of the traditional outfit is the swing bustle. You could start with a simpler, less expensive model first but you should strive to get the large colorful type as soon as you can. The dance steps for this category are more intricate and involve more energy precision. The cost for this outfit will start at about $100 and the sky is the limit depending upon how far you wish to take it.
1. Roach 6. Ribbon Shirt 11. Leggings 2. Roach Spreader 7. Breechclout (Aprons) 12. Knee ties 3. Roach Feathers 8. Breastplate 13. Moccasins 4. Roach Pin 9. Beadwork set 14. Bells 5. Chocker 10. Anklet 15. Handheld Accessories The grass dance outfit is one of the two fanciest of the competitive dance regalia. Very little of this outfit resembled the other styles. Even the roach is different in several ways … the basic hair part is the same, either upright or the flattened style with a head harness usually beaded with side drops and two “antennae” usually with large fluffs on the ends. The shirt can be a ribbon shirt but since an elaborate fringed color is worn many opt for a tee shirt under the color. the apron and trailer usually has a design that matches the color and both are edged in yarn fringe. Leggings are not worn and regular pants or sweat pants are decorated with the yarn fringe as well as side tabs. Bandoliers, bells and anklets as well as handheld accessories are regulation. Feet are usually covered with moccasins but some use sneakers, usually decorated with paint or beads. This dance category is probably the most demanding on the participant. The fancy dancer moves as much or more but isn’t carrying the clothing and weight of the grass dancer. The cost of the outfit however can be cheaper than the fancy one because the yarn and clothing cost very little although you will need to clean or wash it more often and so the replacement will come sooner. Estimate for the whole outfit (less the beadwork set) would run about $150 to $200. the beadwork could run another $150 to $200 unless you do your own.
1. Roach 6. Shirt 11. Bells 2. Roach Spreader 7. Pants 12. Anklets 3. Spreader “Antennae” 8. Aprons (breechclout) 13. Bandolier 4. Head Harness 9. Beadwork set 14. Handheld Accessories 5. Fringe (Shirt, pants, Aprons) 10. Side Tabs The fancy dance outfit is the cream of the crop. Except for your roach, bells, and moccasins most of the items used in other outfits are not used in this category. Bustles are the main feature with a large back bustle and a smaller one just below the back of the neck. Both of these are works of art and use many of the largest feathers and spikes and fluffs and horse hair usually adorn them. Streams of Mylar are also attached to the horsehair streamers on the ends of the feathers on some bustles. Also bustles are worn on each arm. Color coordination and glitz are very important in this outfit. The use of sequins, metallic fabrics, and other showy materials are common in this dance category. This and the grass dance outfit would not really be suitable for ceremonial events. You will need a cape and apron set. The cape is usually a larger collar and is usually beaded on the front but appliqué work can be substituted. the fabric of both can be satin or velvet or table cloth, usually with fringe. The apron design front matches the front of the cape. A full beadwork set of cuffs, belt, suspenders and headband are usually worn although the suspenders can be dispensed with if the cape and apron are fully beaded. The anklets are usually “goats” of angora and the handheld accessories are special dance sticks with a whip type end. This is the most costly of the dance regalia even if you do most of the beading yourself. Most boys tell me that they spend upwards of $300 on this type of outfit. If you already have your roach, moccasins, and bells you could get started in this category for about $150 included medium size goats. The dance style is very active and you must be in great physical shape to endure.
1. Roach 6. Beadwork set (Headband, Suspender, Belt, Cuffs) 2. Roach Suspenders 7. Bells 3. Roach Feathers 8. Anklets 4. Bustles (Neck and Back) 9. Moccasins 5.
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