LAKOTA HOOP DANCER

Kevin Locke, a Lakota dancer, describes the hoop dance, including the regalia, construction of the hoops, and symbolism of the dance. Contemporary Lakota, accompanied by drummers and vocalists, have revived hoop dancing; dancers perform at powwows and cultural exhibitions, and teach hoop dancing to children to continue the cultural traditions. The authors make clear, as do the full-color photographs, that this art form is a blend of ancient and modern: Locke’s costume includes moccasins beaded by hand in traditional designs, but with modern rubber soles so he doesn’t slip on slick gymnasium floors; his hoops, traditionally made of willow branches, are now made of plastic tubing or rattan; the music may be provided by CD instead of drummers. Both the reverence and high spirits of the dance come through, but only the jacket shows the hoop dancer in motion. Still photos offer a sense of the pattern and difficulty of the movements, but perhaps only a videotape would be able to do the dance justice. (further reading, index) (Nonfiction. 9-11)