Indigenous dance in the spotlight


A Native American dancer in full regalia performs on an outdoor stage

The Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts partnered with dance group Indigenous Enterprise for an Indigenous Dancer Showcase on Friday evening.

The event focused on performance, preservation and progression. Guests learned about traditional dance and song from various Southwestern cultures and enjoyed food from Emerson's Fry Bread food truck.

The showcase, held outside at the Nelson Fine Arts Plaza on Arizona State University's Tempe campus, was emceed by Miss Indigenous ASU Lourdes Pereira and filmmaker Jadarius Conn. 

All photos by Karishma Sood/ASU News

A Native American dancer in full regalia performs on an outdoor stage

LenMana Yuyaheova of Indigenous Enterprise performs a traditional Native American dance in her jingle outfit before the audience at Nelson Fine Arts Plaza. Indigenous Enterprise is originally from Phoenix, but members of the group travel all over the world to educate people on Native American culture.

A Native American man performs a song with a log drum

Jason Sekayumptewa of Indigenous Enterprise perfoms a song with a log drum Friday evening at the Nelson Fine Arts Plaza. The event's goal was to teach the audience about traditional Indigenous song and dance.

A Native American dancer in full regalia performs on an outdoor stage

Dancer Ty LodgePole of Phoenix, who represents the Diné people, performs a traditional dance with a hoop. He has been perfecting his dancing since the age of 10.  

A man holds a plate of Navajo frybread taco toward the camera

Courtesy of Emerson's Fry Bread, attendees were treated to Navajo tacos — frybread topped with beef or chicken, beans, cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato, sour cream and hot sauce.

Two people sit at an outdoor table smiling while they dig into Navajo tacos

Sean Schuljak and Arlette Franco, students in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, enjoy their frybread before the dance portion of the evening Friday at the Nelson Fine Arts Plaza. 

Top photo: Ty Johnson from Indigenous Enterprise performs the traditional Native American Fancy Dance as the crowd cheers him on Friday evening at the Nelson Fine Arts Plaza on ASU's Tempe campus.

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