The Sioux Buffalo Dance is not difficult to learn.
The Sioux, Blackfoot, Cheyenne and many other Native North American tribes were so dependent upon the buffalo for existence that they made special dances to honor the animal. In fact, one of the earliest film clips made was of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show featuring Sioux Indians performing the Buffalo Dance in 1894. The dance steps are not difficult to master and execute in an authentic manner.
Instructions
1. Dress in a Sioux costume. Included are jangly leg bands, headbands, feather tails and a decorated tomahawk.
2. Drum a four/four beat that includes 1/2 beats with an accent on the "one" (ONE and two and three and four and) at a rate of about 24 measures per minute.
3. Stand upright and listen to the beat.
4. Shift your weight to your left foot, and bend your right leg up and in front of yourself, lifting your foot 3 or 4 inches off the ground.
5. Tap your right toe for each of the four beats. Lower your heel on the "and" 1/2 beats. Immediately lift the foot in time to step the toe down for the next beat.
6. Stomp your right toe to the ground on the accented "one" beat. This accents the rhythm.
7. Move in a counterclockwise direction by stomping your left foot forward on the accented "one" beat and by stepping your right foot forward to meet it on the "three" beat.
8. Bend at the waist, and bend your knees. Do this after three measures and while continuing to keep the previous pattern. Bend so that your thighs are perpendicular to your torso; bend your knees so that your shins are perpendicular to your thighs. Keep this bent position for three measures, and then return to upright, all the while keeping your feet moving. Dance upright for three measures; dance bent for three measures.
9. Dance in a jerky enough motion that your leg bands jangle.
10. Add hand movements. When doing the steps in the bent position, hold the tomahawk in your right hand and randomly shake it above your head in a chopping motion. When doing the steps in the upright position, bring your left hand to your right shoulder at random intervals. Dance at least one full circumference of the circular area that you use.
11. Signal fellow dancers to change direction. Do this by taking a deep breath, parting your lips, placing your left hand over your mouth and creating a vocal sound. Lift the hand off your mouth, and then clap it back down repeatedly at a rate of about 18 claps per five seconds for a five-second duration.
12. Transfer the tomahawk to your left hand. Always keep it in your outside hand.
13. Dance the steps, now leading with your left foot in a clockwise direction. Dance at least one full circumference of the circular area that you use,
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