Downtown dancers
entertain crowds nightly

Derek Yazzie of the Pollen Trail Dancers performs a hoop dance on Sunday evening as part of the nightly Indian dances in downtown Gallup. [photo by Karen Francis / Independent]

By Karen Francis
Staff writer

GALLUP — Every night at 7 the unique spirit of Gallup comes alive with nightly Indian dances at the McKinley County Courthouse Square. On Saturday, nearly 100 locals and tourists came out to see the Zuni Traditional Dance Group. On Sunday, the pleasant weather brought out even more people to see the Pollen Trail Dancers from Joseph City, Ariz.

Beginning Memorial Day and ending on Sept. 2, different dance groups rotate throughout the week, including the Zuni and Navajo dance groups and a powwow group.

Before the dance on Saturday, Gary Holtsoi explained to the audience that there are several types of dances from Native Americans and some are sacred while others are social.
“What they mean by social dances is that these are the dances that are open to the public. You’re allowed to take pictures. You can also participate in some of these dances,” Holtsoi said.

The Zuni Traditional Dance Group, led by Fernando Cellicion and including two males and two females, performed the eagle dance, pottery dance and buffalo dance to the delight of the audience Saturday.

“It was fantastic. I loved the eagle dancing and the buffalo dancing. They were so good,” Janette Minjares said.

“I loved it. Great!” Roy Priddy said. He took his picture with the Zuni pottery dancers following the performances and was planning on getting the photo blown up.

Minjares and Priddy were part of a group that was reuniting in town from Arkansas, Missouri and California to buy Native American jewelry and visit the area attractions such as Canyon de Chelly, Chaco Canyon and the Pueblo of Zuni.

“This is one of our favorite places to come,” Ruby Hagle said.

“We met here,” Joyce Knight said. She added, “We like to shop. We think you have beautiful country.”

The group was at the dance on Friday night as well, where Manuel Minjares was lucky enough to be chosen to participate in the Navajo two-step.

The Pollen Trail Dancers, which included siblings Derek, Gerrick, Travis, Sheronda, Kenvin and Woodvin Yazzie, performed hoop dances to the amazement of the audience Sunday. One young spectator watched in awe saying, “That’s impossible!”

A. Brent Chase, the siblings’ uncle, said that the summer dances are going “very well so far.

“Very nice and peaceful start because we’re outside,” he said.

He added that the courthouse square is “very impressive” and has a good sound system.

Christina Bowannie came out from Zuni with her mother Christine, her aunt and grandmother to enjoy the dances for the first time this summer.

“We were kind of bored so I said, let’s go for a ride,” she said. She added that they will return during the summer to see more of the dancing.