Brenner Billy leads students and Choctaw Employee Dance Troupe members in the snake dance.
Choctaw Dance Troupe shows traditional dances to Choctaw youth
by Brandon Frye
Choctaw Nation
Durant, Okla. - The Choctaw Nation employee dance troupe introduced students from Frink Chambers and Krebs public schools to the Choctaw culture through interactive traditional dancing on Nov. 17.
The cooperation of Jason Campbell, Director of the Success Through Academic Recognition (STAR) Program, and the schools made it possible to teach the Choctaw culture during Native American Heritage Month. The schools expressed interest in seeing traditional dances, and since Campbell is a member of the Choctaw Employee Dance Troupe, he organized the series of visits.
“In the STAR program we work a lot with the public schools,” Campbell said. “Recently we were delivering gift cards to reward student’s grades and attendance, and while we were there, we taught them a couple of social dances. And they just loved that. That’s when the schools asked if the entire dance troupe could come back and dance.”
Students in grades ranging from preschool to middle school, watched and participated in the Four Step War Dance, Raccoon Dance, Stealing Partners Dance, and Snake Dance.
“I think the students need to see some of the culture, because some of these students have never experienced it,” Lagina Carano, Federal Programs Director at Frink Chambers, said.
Campbell said the STAR Program and the tribe’s initiative to share our culture would not be possible without the support of Chief Batton, Assistant Chief Jack Austin, Jr., and the Tribal Council.