The Wayne Gretzky of Grass Dancing

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He's known to some of his peers as the Wayne Gretzky of grass dancing.

And while he's used to being praised for his powwow dancing, the compliment still brings a smile to the face of Sheldon Scalplock.

"I'm getting a lot of compliments from a lot of the older people," Scalplock said.

"There is a lot of younger people I encourage when they're first grass dancing by complimenting them and I show them different moves.

"I have a lot of younger people come up to me and ask me for a move or a word of advice. I do whatever I can to help out these younger dancers, and even dancers my age," he

said.

He's following in the footsteps of his father, Alec, who was well-known on the powwow circuit.

He was a big influence on Sheldon and is missed after he suddenly died last September. Alec last danced at Morley at the Nakoda Powwow.

"I had the best powwow teacher," he said, proudly noting his father had been world champion grass dancer in 1958 at Sheridan, Wyoming.

"I learned everything from my father. He taught me since I was knee high and always gave me encouragement. I owe a lot to him.

"Whenever I'm out there dancing. I always think of him," Scalplock said. "He always warned me one day I would have to be out in this world alone without having him to look up to

and having him to depend on like I did before."

As ell as dominating the powwow circuit for 20 years, his father was a member of the Blackfoot Reserve's drum group, the A-1 Club, which had a reputation for being one of the best,

said Sheldon.

A Calgary resident, Scalplock has been grass dancing since 1981. The dance caught on pretty quickly since being introduced from the United States, he said.

"Grass dancing has a lot to do with footwork and making your movements nice and smooth and slow. In fancy dancing, they dance a little faster, it's more of an upbeat, faster beat

than grass dances and traditional," said Scalplock, who invented many of his own moves.

The 27-year-old's rainbow colored outfit stands out in the powwow crowd.

Orange colored yarn hangs form his predominately red outfit wild a U.S.A. kerchief wraps around his neck.