Video of Two Spirit Hoop Dance at BAAITS Pow Wow highlights "Prayer in Motion"

ty_video.jpg

Coming in at just under 2 minutes, this video puts Ty Defoe's hoop dance at the 2016 BAAITS Pow Wow in the spotlight. Ty describes his hoop dance as "Prayer in Motion":

I dance especially for our Two Spirit youth so that they can feel reaffirmed in that they will have the Medicine and the Power to claim who they are and not hide.  So when I do these dances, it's a form of a prayer, a prayer in motion, and that is something I want to give back to the world.

In "A Red Face in the Crowd: Identities of a Native American Two-Spirit Writer," Ty goes on to say:

There is a teaching I received when I was given a sacred hoop dance. It was that we are all connected in this great circle of life. The symbol of the hoop is important because it unifies all living things. In a circle there are no corners in which to hide, and in this circle unifying all living things, we must stand next to and across from each other as equals. Healing, celebrating, telling together, though our stories differ.

You can also watch Ty present Two Spirit (Eagle Dance) on YouTube (just over 4 minutes).

Ty's website is: www.tydefoe.com

ArticleChris PaigeTwo Spirit Traditions, Indigenous Traditions