Heard Museum’s Annual Hoop Dance Contest Is Going Virtual

hoop dance SKODEN!

HEARD MUSEUM’S ANNUAL HOOP DANCE CONTEST IS GOING VIRTUAL

BY DAN HAGERTY | DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRAMS

SATURDAY, FEB. 13 ONLINE AT HEARD.ORG/HOOP

The Heard Museum World Championship Hoop Dance Contest, the beloved annual celebration of artistry, athleticism and cultural traditions, will premiere on the Heard’s Facebook and YouTube channels at 11 a.m. MST on Saturday, Feb. 13, with streaming access available free of charge throughout the weekend.

Organizers hope that the event, which typically draws a crowd of 4,000, can resume in person in 2022, if public health and safety guidelines allow. In the meantime, considering the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic is having around the world, most especially the devastating toll it is taking on many American Indian and First Nations communities, we felt it was important to transition our Hoop Dance Contest to a virtual platform for 2021.

“The roots of hoop dancing can be traced back to traditional Native healing ceremonies,” said Dennis Bowen Sr. (Seneca), longtime host and emcee of

Scott Sixkiller-Sinquah. Photo credit: Platt Photography

the World Championship Hoop Dance Contest. “Considering what we have all experienced this year, I can’t think of a better way of sharing this tradition of healing and offering hope and joy to audiences across North America.”

Bowen is joined by Steve LaRance (Hopi/Assiniboine), Sue Pappas, Moontee Sinquah (Hopi/Tewa/Choctaw) and Ginger Sykes Torres (Diné) as advisors to the Virtual Hoop Dance Contest. Eric Hernandez (Lumbee), who will produce the virtual program, is a Native filmmaker from Los Angeles known for creating viral videos on his YouTube channel, CirqueLife. He has competed in the annual Hoop Dance Contest six times in the past, and most recently he has been on a world tour as the lead Hoop Dancer with Cirque du Soleil’s TOTEM.

Contestants will submit videos for review by contest judges, competing for $11,000 in cash prizes to be awarded thanks to generous support from event sponsors. As of the publication date, 88 dancers from the U.S. and Canada have registered for the virtual contest. Numerous past World Champions, including reigning champ Scott Sixkiller Sinquah (Gila River Pima/Hopi/ Cherokee), will be competing along with seven-time champion Derrick Suwaima Davis (Hopi/Choctaw), Tony Duncan (San Carlos Apache/MHA Nations), Tyrese Jensen (Diné/Pima Maricopa), Vincent Davis (Hopi), and many more champions and contestants from all age divisions.

SUPPORT FOR THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY:

Albertsons and Safeway Foundation The Lightning Boy Foundation

CONSIDERING WHAT WE HAVE ALL EXPERIENCED THIS YEAR, I CAN’T THINK OF A BETTER WAY OF SHARING THIS TRADITION OF HEALING AND OFFERING HOPE AND JOY TO AUDIENCES ACROSS NORTH AMERICA.

SAVE THE DATES!

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP HOOP DANCE CONTEST

Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 13 & 14 Premieres at 11 a.m. See page 33 for details