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The ancient and honorable tradition of the Hoop Dance explains the Plains Indian world view as the hoops intersect and grow into ever more complex shapes, always and forever returning to the beginning. His twenty-seven hoops represent the different colors and sizes of trees, which, to Dallas, also represent the diversity of life. His ornate dance regalia itself resembles a tree, with animals on its branches - a porcupine roach and eagle feather on his head, fur on his legs and dragonfly beadwork on his "trunk." As with the Lakota word can' gleska which means both "spotted hoop" and "tree," the two come together closely for Dallas, who demonstrates the power of this symbolism in his intricate hoop dance. He also has one broken hoop. At the end of the performance, he puts all 27 hoops together, forming a little inipi, or sweat lodge. Bridging the gap between Indian and non-Indian cultures, Dallas Chief Eagle's presentations will involve the audience, bringing them into the circle of the Lakota vision. Dallas Chief Eagle's participation in the National Folk Festival has been made possible by the Global Sounds, Heartland Beats program of Arts Midwest which is supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
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