Hoop dance contest goes online
Scottsdale dancers will not have to go to Phoenix this year to participate in the Heard Museum’s annual Hoop Dance Contest, as the event is going online in mid-February.
The virtual event will be free of charge, so contestants, their families, and audiences can enjoy the experience. Participants are invited to submit videos this month.
Hoop dancing, originally used as a healing ceremony among many Native cultures, is an artistic expression to honor and celebrate U.S. and Canadian indigenous traditions.
Over 50 reed or plastic hoops are used to communicate tribal and individual stories depicting tribal symbols and sacred animals. Hoop Dancing artists are judged on speed, creativity, showmanship, timing, and precision.
The contest will be divided into five categories: senior (ages 40 and over), adult (18-39), teen (13 to 17), youth (6 to 12), and tiny Tots (ages five and younger). First prize for the youth category will be $350, second $200 and third $150. Prize money goes as high as $2,500 for the adults, and youth competitors can win prizes in the hundreds of dollars. A $250 cash prize will be given to Viewers’ Choice winners in each division.
Patrons often support museums such as the Heard by purchasing merchandise such as totes and tees featuring the museum’s graphic design.
The 2021 Virtual Hoop Dance Contest can be viewed on the Heard Museum’s YouTube channels and Facebook on February 13.
The virtual event will be free of charge, so contestants, their families, and audiences can enjoy the experience. Participants are invited to submit videos this month.
Hoop dancing, originally used as a healing ceremony among many Native cultures, is an artistic expression to honor and celebrate U.S. and Canadian indigenous traditions.
Over 50 reed or plastic hoops are used to communicate tribal and individual stories depicting tribal symbols and sacred animals. Hoop Dancing artists are judged on speed, creativity, showmanship, timing, and precision.
The contest will be divided into five categories: senior (ages 40 and over), adult (18-39), teen (13 to 17), youth (6 to 12), and tiny Tots (ages five and younger). First prize for the youth category will be $350, second $200 and third $150. Prize money goes as high as $2,500 for the adults, and youth competitors can win prizes in the hundreds of dollars. A $250 cash prize will be given to Viewers’ Choice winners in each division.
Patrons often support museums such as the Heard by purchasing merchandise such as totes and tees featuring the museum’s graphic design.
The 2021 Virtual Hoop Dance Contest can be viewed on the Heard Museum’s YouTube channels and Facebook on February 13.