Calendar of Events
THE HISTORY AND THE ORIGINS OF THE NATIVE AMERICAN HOOP DANCE
Kathryn O’Keeffe Theatre - Free with Museum Admission
August 4, 2023
1:00 pm through 3:00 pm
Dennis Bowen – Dennis Bowen (Seneca) is a prominent announcer and Emcee at many of the largest Native American Pow Wows across the U.S. and Canada. He has served as Emcee for The World Championship Of Hoop Dance at the Heard Museum (Phoenix,AZ) for over 30 years. He has worked as a tribal leader and is a Cultural Educator.
Benito “Benny” Concha – Benito Concha (Taos Pueblo) has traveled throughout North America, Asia and Europe sharing the songs and stories of the Eagle and Red Willow Hoop. “Through observation of the dances, songs and cultural influences passed on through the words of the ones before me, I recognized the importance of the muscular and skeletal systems of the body.” Dancing is a part of his life that has carved a way into the realms of Music and Sound.
Derrick Suwaima Davis – (Hopi/Choctaw) Is a seven time world champion hoop dancer and fancy dancer. He is the founder and Artistic Director of the Living Traditions Dance Troupe. He has traveled the world as a Cultural Ambassador, sharing his dance and his culture through programs ranging from solo performances, to lavish choreographed theatrical productions.
Ginger Sykes Torres – (Diné) As a high school student, Ginger was the first female to win a world title at the Heard Museum’s World Championship Hoop Dance Contest in 1997. Ginger has performed the hoop dance throughout the U.S. and internationally. She is working on initiatives to engage urban Native American communities in dance. In January 2022, Ginger was named one of Arizona’s Most Intriguing Women of the Decade by the Arizona Historical Society.