American Indian dance troupe 'electrifying'

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It was definitely a night of entertainment.

But for many in the audience it was an occasion to be proud of their Native heritage and of a chosen group of elite Native dancers from the American Indian Dance Theatre.

An energetic standing ovation was given to the 26 dancers and drummers after they gave giving an electrifying performance at the Center for the Performing Arts in Calgary, on Oct. 10.

The event was very similar to a powwow except lights, fog and special effects made the dancers look even more dazzling.

The theatrical performance combined the use of sweetgrass, drums, rattles and a pipe to bring out the beauty of spirituality and traditional dance to the stage.

The American Indian Dance Theatre travels the world and their performances put to rest the stereotypical views about Native people when they are entertaining.

Although it took half of the first act to move the audience, the show was not a disappointment.

All the sections of the performance flowed neatly into the next. Each dance was symbolic of a natural living plant or animal.

In the opening, a single dancer graced the stage under a soft spotlight. The dancer began to move and dance with the drum to awaken the spirit.

The grass dancers cleared the way as they might have in another time, long ago. The grass dancing signifies the stomping down of tall grass, to prepare for the ceremonial clearing.

The mens' traditional dancers performed the sneak up, crow hop and ruffle, while the ladies traditional dances graced the stage.

While some of the dances were familiar to our territory, others were not.

The Rainbow Dance from New Mexico represented al the colours of nature. This dance gives hope to those who believe in the creator, that life will continue, like the never-ending rainbow.

After an enchanting drum call, a Cherokee hoop dancer, got the crowd going in the middle of the first act. He made an eagle, a turtle, flowers and a butterfly while the audience encouraged him on.

After the solo act, a round dance was performed by all the dancers, each carrying one hoop and raising it high into the air as they circled the Cherokee dancer.

The ladies Fancy Shawl Dance, formerly known as the Butterfly Dance, closed the first act.

The second act included a Memory, Gourd, Eagle and Buffalo Dance. It was followed by an appreciation song involving four singers. The song represented the warrior society's and reflected upon ancient times and is still sung today.

While the Native traditions are serious and the drama creative, humor was part of the performance. The audience laughed and chuckled as a clown mimicked and exaggerated the movements performed by the other dancers.

The Men's fancy dancing brought the show to a climactic peak. the dancers wore a rainbow of colors which made their outfits look like spinning tops as they spun and jumped onstage with their shouts and cries bringing the audience to their feet.

By everyone's standards, it was definitely a night of good entertainment.