Men's Straight

You will notice that these gentlemanly dancers appear to be looking for something as they dance. This dance was conceived to tell the story of a hunting or war party on the trail of an enemy or an animal. Notice how the dancer tries to be convincing in their "search" and that often is a very real story the dancer is attempting to tell. The most noticeable thing about the regalia of a Straight Dancer is the lack of any bustle. Often times they will be wearing an otter skin turban or a hair roach and an otter skin "trailer" which extends down the back.

Men's Traditional

The Traditional Dance may be the original dance of the Indians of the northern plains. Its origin is lost in antiquity, but its style allows for much individual expression. This is the reason for it's growing popularity among the tribes. There is a close similarity of story line to the Straight Dance - that of a war party recounting its feats for the tribe. The use of a long 'coup stick' and the motion of the feather bustles heighten the interest. A much slower tempo allows the dancer to convey his emotions in a singular fashion. He always faces the enemy, never turning a complete circle. Faces are painted in a way designated to intimidate the imaginary opponent with the fierceness of the face. The dance will mimic each element, which makes up the regalia. This is also a dance that tells a story.

This dance was conceived for returning warriors to tell others what had happened during a hunting exhibition or battle. It's a wonderful expression of a tale - notice that he always faces his enemy, never turning a complete circle. The regalia includes a single feather bustle, sometimes a hair roach or elaborate feather headdress and a coup stick. Faces are painted to make the dancer look fierce.

Men's Grass

Among the most ancient of the surviving dances is the Grass Dance. There are at least three versions of how this dance originated. Most people believe it started with the Omaha Nation. At least three tribes dance their version, with each of them having different ideas as to the origin of the dance. To some it simply is an expression of the gentle, swaying movement of grass on a windy day. The abundance of fringes and ribbons on the regalia enhances the graceful movement of the dancers' bodies as they sway in the imaginary breeze. Another tribe remembers dancing for the purpose of flattening the long prairie grass to prepare the ground for a larger tribal ceremony. To others, it originated to celebrate victory over an enemy. For whatever reason, it is a beautiful dance. The regalia has an abundance of fringes and ribbons which enhance the graceful sway of the dancers bodies as well as dance bells which will follow the beat of the drum.