Men's Fancy Dance The Fancy Dance is a relatively new dance. The brilliantly colored feather bustles are said to have originated in Oklahoma in the early 1900's when promoters of large American Indian ceremonials asked dancers to beautify their outfits for the spectators. Also at that time, the dance contest for cash prizes was introduced and contestants started making their outfits more colorful as a result. The Fancy Dance - danced mostly by boys and young men - is based on the standard "double step" of the Traditional and Grass Dances, but it takes off from there with fancy footwork, increased speed, acrobatic steps and motions and varied body movements. The Fancy Dance is also a freestyle kind of dance. Dancers do whatever they can to keep up with the music! They, too, must follow the changing beat of the drum, stop when the music does and have both feet on the ground. It should be noted that powwow practices vary from region to region in United States and Canada. Sincere thanks and acknowledgment to the American Indian Education Committee of the Minnesota State Board of Education who sponsored those who wrote the Ojibwe content of this unit.

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