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American Indian Dance and Singing Competitions
One of the several American Indian Activities that takes place at NOAC are
the Dance and Singing competitions. These competitions give Arrowmen from all over the
country a chance to compete and be evaluated by a panel of judges. Events include
individual dance competition, team dance and team singing.
The real purpose of the competitions is not to be the best team at the conference, but
rather to take the judges evaluations into consideration and become the best dancer
or singers possible. This is a competition of self rather than a competition against
others.
There are five categories of individual dance competition:
Fancy-Dance (one class),Grass, Straight Dance, Old Style, and Traditional (contemporary
traditional). Awards were given to the top finishing dancers according to the judges'
discretion |
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The dancers were great fun to watch - the dances are complex and some are
very energetic. The regalia can take a great many hours to research and construct,
but the results are incredible. |
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All dancers are encouraged to participate in the judging of American
Indian clothing. This judging was held immediately before or after the dance competition.
Clothing critiques and ribbons were given out by a panel of selected judges. |
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In all, fifteen teams registered in the Dance Team Competition. The team
dance competitions are composed of groups of young Arrowmen wearing regalia that is native
to different tribal nations and dancing to American Indian rhythms. Several different
tribal styles were presented including Choctaw, Cherokee, Hopi, Iroquois, Pueblo and Kiowa
at the competition. |
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Team dancers are also evaluated on the quality of the research booklet
they have done for their particular dance(s), as well as the performance and the
authenticity and completeness of the attire. |
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Singing was done in a team fashion, and written documentation was required
for each song include where the team got the song and what tribe it is from. Teams will be
required to sing a general song and a song for a special event. Songs are restricted to
Southern and Northern Plains singing. Teams were judged on the authenticity and quality of
presentation of songs. |
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The winning dancers and singers performed at the evening show on Tuesday
evening at NOAC. Many of the dancers also had the opportunity to dance in the
shows opening dance with the Chief of the Lenni Lenape. The performances were great,
and all of the participants in the dance and singing competitions should be proud of their
efforts.
Revised 8/04/98.
This page was produced as part of
the official 1998 National Order of the Arrow Conference
web site, (http://www.oa-bsa.org)
by the web team of the NOAC
Communications and Public Relations Committee.
Send any comments to
webmaster@oa-bsa.org.
Copyright © 1997,1998 Order of the Arrow, Boy Scouts of America.
All rights reserved.
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