Sydney Opera House - Sydney, Australia 2019

Kenneth Shirley

Ty Lodgepole

CHAMPION CHICKEN DANCER

DINÉ

PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Ty represents the Diné people. He dances the Men’s Prairie Chicken Dance, which originates from the Blackfeet People. He has been perfecting his art dancing since the age of ten.  

ACOSIA REDELK 

CHAMPION JINGLE DRESS DANCER

UMITILA TRIBE

PENDLETON, OREGON

Acosia Red Elk is a jingle dress dancer from the Umatilla people of Oregon. A descendant of Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt, she did not become interested in dancing until she was 16, when she taught herself to dance from videos of other jingle dancers

JORGE GONZALES

CHAMPION HOOP DANCER

SALT RIVER PIMA

PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Jorge Gonzales is a representative of the salt river Pima Maricopa Indian community. He has been dancing since 2016. He is the recent recipient of the Scottsdale community college Indian title holder.

DOMINIC PABLO

CHAMPION FANCY DANCER

NAVAJO NATION

LAKE VALLEY, NEW MEXICO

Dominic Pablo is a champion fancy dancer and singer from the Navajo Nation. He has traveled the world singing with champion drum group Calling Eagle. 

LARYN OAKES

CHAMPION FANCY SHAWL DANCER

NAVAJO & PLAINS CREE

MAPLE CREEK, SASKATCHEWAN

Laryn Oakes is a world renown champion dancer that hails from Canada. She has traveled the world is showcasing her Fancy Shawl style and is an educator. She teaches 9th grade in her hometown and is a role model for indigenous youth all throughout North America.

 

 

CHAMPION GRASS DANCER

APACHE TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA

LAWRENCE, KANSAS

Freddy Gipp is an enrolled member of the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma and was born and raised in Lawrence, Kansas. His Indian name is "T'san T'hoop Ah'n", which means "Lead Horse" in the Kiowa Language and was given to him by his late grandfather, Burgess Lee Tapedo. He is a graduate from the University of Kansas, where he studied advertising and marketing at the William Allen White School of Journalism.