Native American Hoop Dance Class
About the Class
Ballet Arizona offers Native American Hoop Dance classes for Native American youth of various ages and levels, providing an opportunity for students to learn from their instructors Eva Bighorse and Sky Duncan. This program is part of an initiative by Ballet Arizona’s Tribal Nations Advisory Council, which seeks to partner with the local Native American community.
Classes will be held during the following sessions:
Summer Session: June 9 – July 7
Beginner
Available on either of the following days (classes are once a week):
- Mondays | 5:00 pm- 5:45 pm – in person at Ballet Arizona (Phoenix)
OR
- Wednesdays | 5:30 – 6:15 PM – in person at Child Crisis Arizona (Mesa)
Introduction to Hoop Dance and Cultural Tradition. Students will learn the step-by-step process of making their hoops and the basics of movement and control, as well as the basic dance step.
Intermediate
Available on either of the following days (classes are once a week):
- Mondays | 6:00 pm- 6:45 pm – in person at Ballet Arizona
OR
- Wednesdays | 6:15 PM – 7PM – in person at Child Crisis Arizona (Mesa)
Students have a basic understanding of Hoop Dance and dancing with the hoops. Students will be introduced to more advanced footwork and begin preparing to be able to perform a hoop dance on their own. Students will also begin exploring stories, symbols, and expressive movement honoring the cultural tradition.
Advanced
Mondays | 7:00 pm- 7:45 pm – in person at Ballet Arizona
Students have a deep understanding of Hoop Dance and dancing with the hoops. Students will work on advanced footwork, be able to perform a hoop dance on their own and focus on more control. Students will deepen their story telling, symbols, and expressive movement honoring the cultural tradition.
Native American Hoop Dance Eligibility Requirements
- The Hoop Dance Classes are open only to Native American youth.
- Tribal affiliation must be verifiable.
Please email bazeducation@balletaz.org or call 602.343.6508 to sign-up. Limited enrollment available.
To learn more about Native American Hoop Dance, Eva Bighorse, and Ballet Arizona’s Tribal Nations Advisory Council, please click the drop-downs below.
*Please note past participants will be given priority during enrollment. New student enrollment will be based on availability.
What is Native American Hoop Dance?
According to the Heard Museum, ‘The art of hoop dance honors the cultural traditions from multiple Indigenous communities that first employed hoop dance as a healing ceremony. Today, hoop dance is shared as an artistic expression to celebrate and honor Indigenous traditions throughout the U.S. and Canada. Hoop dancing is a long-standing tradition in many Native cultures. This unique dance can involve the use of more than 50 hoops. Passed down from one generation to the next, hoop dancing communicates individual and tribal stories using hoops to create symbols and depict animals of great meaning in Native communities. The continuous circle of the hoops symbolizes the circle of life and the continual changing of the seasons.’
About Eva Bighorse
Eva Bighorse is turtle clan of the Cayuga Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy, born for the Haskaahadzohi (Yucca-Fruit-Strung-In-A-Line clan) of the Dine’ Nation (Navajo Nation). She is from the edge of the Cayuga lake from the North Eastern Woodlands region, but grew up in the South Bay Area in Northern California. She enjoys participating in many kinds of powwow and other social dances but particularly enjoys the Iroquois Smoke Dance and honors the tradition of her father as a hoop dancer in the Navajo style. She has toured internationally for audiences in 9 countries. She is a graduate of Brigham Young University with a Bachelors of Science in Public Health and currently works as a public policy liaison for the Arizona Division of Developmental Disabilities.
Ballet Arizona's Tribal Nations Advisory Council
Ballet Arizona developed the Tribal Nations Advisory Council to explore ways to partner with and engage the local Native community. The advisory council is chaired by Eleni Hauptman, with community members Colin Ben, Otakuye Conroy-Ben, Ginger Skyes-Torres, Roxanne Thomas, Javier Torres and Christy Vezolles.
Student Resources
If you are a current Ballet Arizona Hoop Dance student, you may use the video resources below to help you prepare for class and practice what you’ve learned! Please use the password(s) provided to you to access these resources.
Community Engagement Department:
602-343-6508
2835 E. Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85034
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