Fancy dancing on tap in Bethany Beach

Nanticoke tribe to share culture

By M. Patricia Titus
Staff Reporter

	Photo courtesy • SHAUN LAMBERT Junior fancy dancer at Nanticoke 2003 powwow.

A bit of local culture will come to Bethany Beach Town Hall this week, with the final event in the series of cultural events presented by the town’s Cultural and Historical Affairs Committee (CHAC), set for Wednesday, April 26, at 7 p.m.

Contrasting somewhat with the committee’s previous events, where the focus has largely been on the town’s 20th century history and that of European settlers in the prior centuries, the April 26 edition will host members of the Nanticoke tribe of Native Americans, who are based in Millsboro.

And, in addition to a presentation on the culture and history of the tribe by Jean Norwood, wife of the Nanticoke tribal chief, those attending the event will get a taste of what the tribe is perhaps most known for – dancing.

Every year, the Nanticoke powwow brings dancers and Native American dance aficionados from around the country to perform and compete in a variety of traditional dance styles, and the Bethany cultural event will provide those who attend with a chance to see those dances in a venue both closer to home and a little more intimate.

Adrienne Harmon, who is organizing the dance portion of the presentation for the tribe, said the group plans to provide information on each of the traditional dances, including: men and women’s traditional, men and women’s fancy, men’s grass, women’s jingle and an “intertribal” dance often performed at the powwow.

“It’s a mixture of everybody dancing together, in all different styles for one dance,” Harmon explained. “We’ll give an explanation of what each dance symbolizes and what the regalia is.”

Indeed, the colorful costumes the dancers wear make the powwow a visual splendor, but they are also specific to each dance style and designed to highlight the movement that each dance entails.

For instance, the women’s jingle dance features the “jingle dress,” which is traditionally sewn with hundreds of “snowflake cones,” Harmon said. The dance thus produces a shimmering jingle. But the meaning behind the tradition is deeper, according to the tribe’s Web site, with a traditional jingle dress taking one year to complete – one cone sewn to the dress each day, making it a labor of love. The cones themselves are traditionally made from the lids of cans.

In addition to the explanation of the dances, Nanticoke tribe members will also be demonstrating each of the forms. Harmon said she expected to have at least 10 dancers in attendance Wednesday, ready to show off each of those traditional styles and the costumes associated with them.

That will mean a sneak peak of the fall powwow for area residents and visitors, with plenty of opportunity to ask questions and get a close view of the dances and regalia. It will also be a chance to get a little taste of the culture and history of the area’s original residents.