Native American Round Dance
Native American Round Dance
To do the Native American Round Dance with my students or—not to do the Native American Round Dance with my students?
That is a question.
A great question!
We offer some nuanced and edifying answers detailed in our lesson plan “Native American Round Dance” and summarized below.
- Yes! Do the Native American Round Dance with your students AND a Native teaching artist.
“The Round Dance is a social dance that invites all to participate. The Indigenous tribes/nations of Utah ask that teachers reach out to Native Americans within the community for assistance in teaching the Round Dance. Contacting families within your school community would be ideal. If other avenues are needed, contact your district Title VI coordinator or Indian education department within your state education system.”
- No. Don’t replicate the Native American Round Dance in your classroom without a Native American from your community assisting or leading.
“It is important that you take the time to ask for help with this activity. Many tribal members are happy to come into schools and share their culture. Keeping the Round Dance as authentic and accurate as possible is just a way of being respectful and culturally sensitive, and it shows your understanding and awareness of cultural ways.”
Even if you don't have a Native American Teaching Artist to help facilitate the dance experience, our lesson plan "Native American Round Dance" provides a myriad of ways to engage your students in understanding the cultural significance of this traditional ritual.
It can be difficult to understand why Native American cultures do not want to have most of their dances performed by children in public schools. These traditions carry significant spiritual meaning and stem from longer events that may include prayers and other ceremonies. We have attempted to “accept no gracefully” and “listen attentively” when listening to Native culture bearers as they describe the purpose of the Native American Round Dance and their desire to decide who is invited to participate in these sacred cultural rituals. When Native artists teach the round dance, they are acting as the leader of the group and are inviting students to participate. Leading the dance as a non-native is an act of inserting oneself into a space that is reserved for those who can fully explain the purpose of the dance, share its cultural significance, and invite others to join. This is not to conclude that Native Americans are rude or unwelcoming but that when it comes to cultural events such as this, utmost respect is required. This is why inviting Native artists to lead and teach the dance is critical to honoring Native culture.
