Downtown’s Theater for the New City (TNC) will present its 49th annual Thunderbird American Dancers Pow Wow and Dance Concert from Friday, January 12 to Sunday, Jauary 21. There will be dances, stories and traditional music from Native Peoples of the Northeast, Southwest and Great Plains regions. The event has become a New York tradition for celebrating diversity and honoring the culture of first Americans. TNC donates all proceeds from the event to college scholarship funds for Native American students.
The Pow-Wow is a joyous reunion for native peoples nationwide and an opportunity for the non-Indian community to take a look at the philosophy and beauty of Native culture through dances and music, dance competitions, exhibitions and enjoyment of traditional foods. Throughout the performance, all elements are explained in depth through detailed introductions by the troupe’s Director and Emcee Louis Mofsie.
Highlights include a Hoop Dance set to guitar and flute music, a Grass Dance and Jingle Dress Dance (from the Northern Plains people), a Stomp Dance (from the Southeastern tribes), a Shawl Dance (from the Oklahoma tribes), a Fancy Dance (from the Oklahoma tribes) and a Smoke Dance (from the Iroquois). As the audience enters the theater, they will be serenaded by the Heyna Second Son Singers (various tribes).
Native American crafts and jewelry will be sold in the TNC lobby.
The Thunderbird American Indian Dancers are the oldest resident Native American dance company in New York. The troupe was founded in 1963 by a group of ten Native American men and women, all New Yorkers, who were descended from Mohawk, Hopi, Winnebago and San Blas tribes. They founded the troupe to keep alive the traditions, songs and dances they had learned from their parents, and added to their repertoire from other Native Americans living in New York and some who were passing through.
The troupe’s appearances benefit college scholarship funds for Native American students. The Thunderbird American Indian Dancers Scholarship Fund receives its sole support from events like this concert (it receives no government or corporate contributions), and has bestowed over 350 scholarships to-date.
The PowWow schedule is: Fridays at 8:00 PM; Saturdays at 3:00 PM and 8:00 PM, Sundays at 3:00 PM. Matinees are kid’s days. The general admission is $15 but children ages five to twelve who are accompanied by a ticket-bearing adult are admitted for $1.00. For tickets, call the TNC box office: 212-254-1109 or visit www.theaterforthenewecity.net
Theater for the New City islocated at 155 First Avenue (at Tenth Street), NYC
