Spirit Of The Eagle Powwow

In the past, we have had 4 Specials, and will announce the Specials for 2024 here.

Sponsored dances are dances that are funded by a single dancer or dancers family and are done to highlight that specific style of dancing.

These competitions are exciting and are very important to Powwows.

The Spirit of The Eagle Powwow and the many events put on by NASA and the American Indian Studies wouldn’t be possible without the hard work and diligence of our Native students. To thank them for going above and beyond we will be sharing a speech and giving thanks to students.

Different dances have specific regalia that correspond with them! So while certain dancers may dance multiple categories their regalia has specific meaning tied to a certain dance. Here is some info on the dances and the regalia connected to them!

Men’s Grass Dance: 

Men’s Grass Dancers wear strands of yarn or ribbon that hang from their regalia to represent grass in the spirit world. The dance is meant to mimic the flowing movement of the prairie grasses. The story of the Grass dance comes from a young man who had one hindered foot and wanted to dance. He decided to create a dance that mimics the flow and bend of the grasses of the prairie.

Men’s Fancy Dance: 

The Men’s Fancy Feather dance is the most active dancing style. The regalia for Fancy Dance is brightly colored and has double bustles on the back and arms. This style encourages friendly competition between the singers and dancers and often the singers will perform trick songs with sudden stops to throw off the dancers! This makes Fancy Dance a very popular and exciting competition.  

Men’s Traditional Dance: 

Traditional is a slower and respectful style of dance and is meant to reflect the stories of warriors returning from battle or hunting.

Northern – The Northern style of regalia features bustles of long feathers (which are often from an eagle) that burst from the waist.

Southern Straight – The Southern style of regalia often features cotton, buckskin, a shirt, and a breastplate of bone. 

Traditional dancers also wear a roach, or a combed headdress made of deer tail hair or porcupine guard hair. 

Men’s Prairie Chicken Dance: 

The Prairie Chicken dance is meant to mimic the mating dance of the prairie chicken. Sometimes considered a historical predecessor to Fancy dance, the Prairie chicken dance is flamboyant and meant to imitate the strut of a rooster. The regalia of the Prairie Chicken dancers is often very colorful with bustles on the shoulders.

Men’s Grass Dance:

Men’s Fancy Dance:

Men’s Traditional Dance:

Men’s Prairie Chicken Dance:

Women’s Fancy Shawl:  

Fancy Shawl Regalia features delicately beaded capes or yokes, moccasins and leggings with long fringed shawls. The outfits are danced in twirling motions and are a very graceful dance. The fancy dance requires intricate footwork in response to the beat and tone of the music. 

Women’s Jingle Dress Dance: 

 The jingle dress features seven rows of jingle cones. The cones are made of various metal materials. Some dresses utilize other noise making materials such as bones or hooves. Many dresses are decorated with ribbon and matching beadwork. Eagle feathers and plumes are worn in the hair. Dancers carry a fan that is raised during the honor beats of the song. 

Women’s Traditional Dance:  

The women’s traditional dance is a slow bouncing step that requires dipping and swaying to the beat of the drum. Commonly the dresses are made of buckskin and decorated with beading, bone, quillwork, or shells. The colors are often more reserved than other regalia.  

Women’s Fancy Shawl Dance:

Women’s Jingle Dress Dance:

Women’s Traditional Dance:

During the day, the Admissions teams is available to give tours of campus.

Listen out for announcements regarding times for the tour.