Young Native Pride, a group of Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) youth, invites the public to their free dance exhibitions on Thursday, May 11, at 1 and 7 p.m. at the Prior Lake High School auditorium. Performing at the local high school has been a tradition for the group for the past 20 years as a way of celebrating and sharing Dakota heritage, language and culture.
The performances will open with a prayer and a grand entry, in which dancers take part in a procession behind flags and eagle feather staffs. A range of dance styles will be featured, including men’s traditional, grass and fancy, and women’s traditional, jingle, and fancy shawl. Tiny Tots, a group of children ages six and under, will also participate while wearing regalia. A group of boys and girls will provide a hoop dance performance. Toward the end of the performance, the audience will be invited to participate in a round dance.
Two local drum groups, Tinta Ottonwe and Iron Boy, made up of adults and youth from several tribes, will sing traditional songs. SMSC royalty and members of the SMSC Youth Leadership Council will facilitate and participate in the event. Light refreshments will be served in the high school cafeteria following the 7 p.m. performance.
The high school is located at 7575 150th Street West in Savage.