Fifth World Championship Hoop Dance Title
Derrick Suwaima Davis. Photo courtesy of the Heard Museum
With a Valentine’s Day performance that came straight from the heart, Derrick Suwaima Davis (Hopi/Choctaw), artistic director of Native Trails, captured an unprecedented fifth World Championship Hoop Dance title at the renowned Heard Museum. Also among the top finalists in the competition was Tony Duncan (San Carlos Apache, Arikara/Hidatsa/Mandan), who also is a member of the talented Native Trails cast. Approximately 70 hoop dancers from across North America vied under sunny skies at the Heard’s 20th annual competition where they were judged on precision, timing and rhythm, showmanship, creativity and speed.
In Native American cultures, the hoop represents the circle of life, including the continuous cycles of summer and winter, day and night, male and female. During the hoop dance, dancers create intricate formations representing animals, birds, clouds and other natural elements, while showcasing incredible speed and agility as they manipulate the hoops and stay in rhythm with the beat of the drum.
Join us for Native Trails and experience the excitement of championship-level hoop dancing, as well as a variety of other dances including Eagle Dance, Horse Dance and pow wow-style dances.
Native Trails, presented by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and produced by the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is a free event held most Thursdays and Saturdays through April 10 on Scottsdale Civic Center Mall. The event begins at 12:00 p.m. and also features Native American arts, crafts and food.
