"Memorable Show Presented by Group of Touring Dancers"

OHSWEKEN - Last winter, one of my nieces who lives in Cleveland told me about a travelling dance troupe that was coming to that city. They were a group of champion powwow dancers from native cultures across North America. They sounded interesting enough for me to consider a one-day visit to Cleveland buy I was unable to go on that date. However, I made a mental note of the name of their group.

They were called the American Indian Dance Theatre and, as luck would have it, their tour brought them to Toronto. At the end of March, Jackie Bomberry who is involved with the Six Nations Powwow, called to say he had a couple extra tickets. I didn't even ask the price before I said I'd take one.

My wife and daughter were both busy that evening so Jackie and I went down by ourselves. We had coached the Ohsweken Mohawks ladies fastball team together for several years so we had a pleasant ride. The performance was at a very fine theatre at Harbourfront. The performance at the 200-seat theatre was sold out, as it had been all week.

Tickets were $15 and worth every penny. The 22 dancers put on a memorable performance. They started with the Grass Dance. On the northern plains the young men use this dance to stomp down the tall grass in preparation for a powwow. Many other men's dances are based on this ancient dance.

At modern powwows, Grass Dancers are the most colorfully dressed. Strips of cloth, leather and yarn dangle from the shoulders, hips and legs of the dancers and give the effect of rippling grass.

Next the company performed a traditional dance suite including the Shield Dance. The Traditional Dancers at powwows dress quite differently than Grass Dancers. They wear more natural decorations such as wolf heads, partridge feathers, buckskin and porcupine quills. They also paint their faces like the great warriors and hunters of old. These dancers use three styles and rhythms, the Crow Hop, Ruffle and Sneak Up. Their dances depict animals, hunting and old myths. Fred Bushyhead, was one of the dancers in this dance suite who had previously been to the Six Nations Powwow.

The songs accompanying the dances were in several languages including Apache, Hidatsa, Navajo, Sioux and Cree. Some songs are at least 600 years old. Drums, rattles, flutes and whistles were also used in various dance suites. From the northwest coast of the U.S. came several unusual dances which I had never seen before. Among them were the Paddle Dance, Raven Dance, Spear Dance, Sea Serpent Dance and Sparrow dance.

One of the many memorable moments of a very enjoyable program came just before the first intermission. Five female Fancy Shawl Dancers did the butterfly Dance. As they flitted and whirled across the stage, seeming to barely touch the floor, they looked for all the world like giant butterflies. Their long, colorful and ornate shawls actually looked very much like butterfly wings. It is a moment which I hope will remain in my memory for a long, long time.

By the way, don't forget the Six Nations Powwow at Chiefswood Park. It will take place this Saturday and Sunday.

Our Town is an Expositor feature that provides a forum for news and views from some of the smaller centres in the district. George Beaver is a Six Nations resident and former principal and teacher at schools on Six Nations and New Credit reserves.