Native American culture is often portrayed as static, a relic of an older time in a rapidly changing world. From preservationist anthropologists, to Hollywood portrayals of native people, Native Americans seem stuck in the past. In reality, as with any culture, Native American culture has adapted and changed, not only from what it was, but across the different tribes and regions. One constant that has remained is the tradition of dance. Dance appears across the country as an important part of culture, and continues to be performed and evolves today. In this paper I will look at the rise of female Hoop dance participants as examples of the modern direction that Native American dance seems to be taking today.

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