Powwow 101 - Men's Traditional

The Men's Traditional dance is the first dance of the Men's category at powwows and has roots in the Lakota, Dakota, Nakoda, and Comanche people. This dance originated as a representation of men going to war, with each move symbolizing a particular action in battle. As with other dances, there are two styles of Men's Traditional: Old Style and Modern Contemporary. Old Style dancers perform without spinning or moving backwards and typically wear a single feather bustle. In contrast, Modern Contemporary dancers utilize multiple feathers, paint their faces, and incorporate more complex and fancy dance moves. This style emerged in the 1980s.