Native American Hoop Dancing and Drumming | Riverton, WY
Jasmine Bell travels the world performing and teaching the sacred hoop dance.
Two-time world champion hoop dancer Jasmine Bell, her native name — Good Road Woman of the Crow Creek Sioux – tells of pictographs of hoop dancers on the walls of caves along the Cheyenne River. Hoops were traditionally made of willow with an under-layer of natural tobacco.
“Today hoops are made from plastic with electrical tape,” she says laughing. “Years ago, we were born out of the Black Hills, and we loved to see the hoop—both man and woman. We start with one hoop: yourself. First, you have to learn to dance with yourself,” she said. “Some of the formations were handed down through our family.
She is the daughter of renowned hoop dancer Dallas Chief Eagle who brought the hoop dance to the Montana Folk Festival before her in 2012. He taught his children to hoop dance. When her brother who had been training to compete in the world championship suddenly and tragically died, she took his place in the competition – and won.
“I learned from my older and younger brothers before they died. Luke, my husband, will drum. Without the heartbeat, without that drumbeat, there is no dance.” she continued. “There are about 200 hoop dancers in the U.S. and Canada. Only four are women.”
Jasmine Bell will perform traditional hoop dancing at the Montana Folk Festival accompanied by her husband lead drummer in the acclaimed Northern style drum group North Bear. Founded in 2004 by Jermaine and Luke Bell, this group was originally composed of four singers but within two years North Bear’s members quickly grew to its present membership of 13 singers which circle the drum at powwows and in competitions. At the Montana Folk Festival, they will bring their drum and five singers.