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The Arts Intel Report

A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler
A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler

Thunderbird American Indian Dancers Pow Wow and Dance Concert

Feb 20 – Mar 7, 2021
155 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10003, United States

Mohawk. Hopi. Winnebago. San Blas. These are the Native American tribes whose dance traditions form the floorboards of the Thunderbird American Indian Dancers. This is the oldest resident Native American dance company in New York, founded in 1963, and its dance values are astonishing. We go see Russia’s Georgian dancers, Spain’s Flamenco, Ireland’s Riverdance, and folkloric companies from distant lands. But if you’ve never seen the Hoop, Caribou, Grass, and Shawl (talk about a light carbon footprint) dances of America’s indigenous peoples, well, now’s the time. Rhythmically sophisticated, richly minimalist and metaphorical, these dances soar. The Thunderbird virtual Pow Wow is accessible through March 7, 2021. Admission is only $5 and additional donations will be gratefully accepted. —L.J.

Carlos Ponce/Eagle Feather and Alan Browne/Shooting Star. Photo: Lee Wexler/Images for Innovation.