Tracy M Photography

01/23/2021

Love these two💙
A lot of walking around Al Sabo, a bit of rain... but loads of fun & laughter💙

07/30/2019

04/21/2019

Had the honor & pleasure of snapping pics of this beauty-
Theme was 50-60's era; I think she pulled it off quite well.
Of course, being an up & coming young female race car driver,, we had to add some attitude & flare to it.

04/21/2019

Been a hot minute since I've posted anything on this page- been busy busy with work, home & T-Ray Photos (Racing). Got some new stuff coming.

09/16/2018

Be prepared for a show! It is a more modern and energetic dance. They give it their all. A fancy dancer needs stamina and agility as he will be jumping and twirling. The colors are bright, the regalia is elaborate. Dancers often have two bustles of colorful feathers, ribbons, horse hair as well as bright head and arm bands. You really cannot miss a men’s fancy regalia, you see them from a mile away! The brighter the colors the better. A head dress of 2 eagle feathers (just like in the grass dance) is worn and you will see the dancers constantly moving their head as the feathers are supposed to be constantly moving throughout the song. And dancers will often carry a decorated coup stick. What is that you ask? Our ancestors carried a stick in battles. They would touch their enemies with their stick (called counting coups) without killing them. It was considered a significant sign of bravery.

09/16/2018

Multiple meanings or stories are associated with the grass dance. One of those is that men would dance in such manner to flatten the grass on a new camp or meeting site. They would dance on the site. In certain Pow wows, grass dancers are asked to “clear the floor” before dances begin, as they would for a new camp site. They bring good energy to the floor for the dancers. Some will also say that the grass dance was created by the Creator to represent balance in life and the need for it (movements are then made on both sides of the dancer). Some movements will be similar to the men’s traditional dance, such as hunting like movements or battling with an enemy movements. However, one of the most recognizable movement is one in which the dancer dances as though one of his legs is caught and unable to move. The dancer then dances with his leg in the “held” position (as though they are dancing around their leg). As for the regalia, it consists of a base attire to which is attached ribbons of fabric, representing the grass (often very colorful) The head dress is comprised of two feathers that twirl or rock as the dancer dances. Finally, as with every dance, the dancers follow the beat of the drum and in the grass dance, end the dance with both feet on the ground on the last beat.

09/16/2018

The men’s traditional dance is one of the oldest dances. It is often “animal” in nature. Meaning that the dance honors the different animals the Creator put on Earth and represents movements of the hunter, gatherer. Action oriented movements such as battling an enemy or hunting a game.
Dancers in this category are aiming to tell you a story. Typically it is one of a hunt, a battle, or a certain victory. Dancers utilize different movements to demonstrate the story they are telling you; crouching, tracking, aiming, dashing about and so on. Many dancers dance toward the center of the circle and tap once on the pole or shout out during this style. This is done to represent victory over an enemy or victory in the hunt they are telling you about. Some say this style of dance came about during the First World War. Dancers listen very carefully for slow hard drumbeats bend downward in time as if to dodge artillery fire.

09/16/2018

The Women's Traditional Dance is the very oldest form of dance for ladies. Females of all ages are seen dancing this very regal and proud style. Pride of heritage, culture, and family can be seen in the faces and demeanor of these well-respected dancers. In fact, when performing this style in competitions, judges watch the ladies to see if the required dignity is retained all throughout the dance.
When moving in the Circle, there are Northern and Southern ways of dancing Women's Traditional. Northern style is danced by remaining in one spot, lightly bouncing in rhythm with the drum. Southern style has the women slowly and gracefully walking around the Circle in time with the drum, gently stepping toe-heel, toe-heel with the feet appearing to "walk on clouds". Both styles carry a fringed shawl folded over their bent left arm, a purse in their left hand, and a feather fan, usually eagle or hawk, in their right hand.
The women hold themselves tall and proud, their bodies straight. The fringe on the shawl is to sway naturally with the movements of the women's feet, not from upper body bending or swinging. The fan is raised in salute when the women hear the drum giving honor beats.
Some ladies will also bend at the waist at this time, remaining in one spot or taking a certain number of steps inward toward the middle of the Circle. At all times, the dancers are to stay in time with the drum and stop precisely when the drumming ends. The ladies wear knee-length beaded moccasins, leggings, and either a bucksin or cloth dress that has long, open sleeves. There are two styles of buckskin dress; once again, Northern and Southern. The Northern style is to completely bead the shoulder or cape part of the dress, whereas, the Southern style uses beadwork mainly as an accent. Also in bucksin regalia, the moccasins are either fully beaded (Northern) or accent-beaded (Southern).

09/16/2018

The Jingle Dress Dance originated among the Ojibwe people long ago. According to one legend, a medicine man of this tribe had a cherished granddaughter who became rather ill. Of course, her grandfather was very concerned and his spirit guides appeared to him in a dream one night about the matter. They showed him several women wearing the Jingle Dress and doing the Jingle Dance. In the dream, he was taught how to make the dress, how the steps were to be performed, and what sort of songs would be appropriate. He was told that the dance was one of healing; that his granddaughter would be healed if she did this dance.
In the morning, the medicine man and his wife put the dress together according to the directions given to him by his spirit guides. When the dress was finished, the medicine man and his wife took the dress to their granddaughter. She wore it into the Circle and had to be carried the first time around. During the second time, she could walk a little with assistance. The third time, she was walking on her own, and by her fourth time around she was dancing the Jingle Dress Dance!! She was healed. Ever since, the Jingle Dress Dance has been known to be a medicine dance.
The jingles are typically made of the lids from s***f cans. The lids are rolled into bell shapes and sewn very closely together onto the dress by ribbons. As each cone is attached, a different prayer is spoken. The closeness of the jingles results in the lovely tinkling sound that is produced when the dancer is right in time with the drum.

09/16/2018

This dance symbolizes the life of a butterfly.

A butterfly lives a quiet life before it encloses itself in a cocoon. Once the butterfly is ready to emerge, it breaks free from the cocoon and blooms into a beautiful, fragile creature. The butterfly lives freely. Flying delicately around its habitat, it displays beauty and grace.

The shawl, as a result, is meant to symbolize the wings of a butterfly, and the fancy steps and twirls represent its style of flight. This imagery is fitting for young women coming of age, as they metaphorically emerge from their cocoon into adulthood.

It is in the movement of her body while she dances and the lightness of her dance steps that makes the butterfly come to life. A fancy shawl dancer dances to a fast drum beat. A dancer shows gracefulness, endurance and agility as she moves in perfect beat with the drum.