Heard Museum’s Hoop Dance competition goes virtual Saturday
Feb 10, 2021, 4:15 AM | Updated: 3:04 pm
Moontee Sinquah (Hopi / Tewa / Choctaw) – 2020 Senior World Champion (Photo courtesy of the Heard Museum, Platt Photography)
(Photo courtesy of the Heard Museum, Platt Photography)
PHOENIX — The Heard Museum’s annual Hoop Dance competition has turned virtual this year, with an online presentation premiering on Saturday.
The online event kicks off at 11 a.m. on the museum’s website, Facebook and YouTube channel, and will feature videos of the top three dancers from each of the five age divisions. The winners will also be announced during the program.
Dancers are judged on five skills: precision, timing/rhythm, showmanship, creativity and speed.
A total of $11,000 in prize money is available to win, including a total of $2,500 for the adult division champion. Additionally, $250 will be awarded to the “Viewer’s Choice” winner in each age division.
The competition aims to celebrate the artistry, athleticism and cultural traditions from multiple Indigenous communities that first employed hoop dance as a healing ceremony.
All of the more than 80 video submissions are available to watch on the museum’s YouTube now.
Check out a few of the submissions below:
