West Bend, WI – The Gardens at the Museum of Wisconsin Art, 205 Veterans Avenue, in West Bend, WI, came alive Saturday as Native Americans from the Ho-Chunk Bear Clan performed some of their traditional dance and music selections often seen at religious rituals and ceremonies.
The melodic chanting was accompanied by a rhythmic beat of a solo handheld drum. The Bear Clan was dressed in colorful feathers, beads, metallic baubles and furs. A heavy weight under the direct hot summer sun.
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The women performed a side-step dance while the young boy impressed the crowd with a feather dance, also known as a fancy dance. “This dance is known for its fancy footwork, you have to be energetic and, on your toes; it’s pretty fast,” said Gabriel the announcer.
The Native American dancers wore rich reds, vibrant greens, deep yellows, and orange and blues that popped with color in the sun. Their outfits also featured brilliant, feathered headdresses, and intricate beadwork.
As the performance wrapped up those in attendance were invited to try their hand at some of the Native American dances.
Click HERE to learn more about Native American dances and meanings.
An exhibit by Ho-Chunk artist Tom Jones is currently on display at the Museum of Wisconsin Art. “His retrospective at the Museum of Wisconsin Art, which features 120 images from 15 projects that span Jones’s career, is the artist’s first major retrospective exhibition,” according to MOWA. Click HERE for more details.
