Dance shows broaden awareness of tribal cultures

American Indian dancers adorned in bright turquoise, red and yellow beads and feathers took to the stage Saturday afternoon at Scottsdale Civic Center Mall with an explosion of energy.

For audience member Cindy Mahan, 52, of Peoria, it was her first time experiencing the rhythmic drum beats and hypnotic chanting of a culture she didn’t know much about.

“I came to appreciate the culture,” said Mahan, who arrived at the Native Trails performance with her sister, Collette Mahan, 50, of Peoria and co-worker Sandy Madison, 51, of Avondale. “It’s nice to see tradition being carried on.”

Sponsored by the Scottsdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, the free event — which takes place at Scottsdale’s Civic Center Mall on most Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons through early April — is geared toward those wanting to experience tribal cultures firsthand.

“The performance is a response to what a lot of visitors want to see — the native culture, songs and dances,” Native Trails artistic director and performer Derrick Suwaima Davis said of the event now in its sixth season.

Local tourist officials say Native Trails, which features performers representing various tribes including the Hopi, Yavapai, Apache and Navajo, has been a consistent crowd pleaser.

“Last year, the event attracted more than 6,000 people with over half being out-of-state visitors,” said Tatum Luoma, a spokeswoman for the Scottsdale Convention and Visitors Bureau.

But Native Trails is more than just an hour of entertainment, said Davis, whose ethnic background is Hopi and Choctaw.

The show, he said, has a deeper message.

“Our goal is to educate people about Native American culture through the art and music of dance,” he said, adding the eight performers also hope to dispel some misconceptions and myths about Indians along the way.

Through the storytelling of the show’s emcee, Lisa Littleiron, each song and dance was shortly prefaced with the history behind it, sometimes with humorous anecdotes.

Holly White, 47, and her daughter, Michelle Dodson, 17, of central Phoenix, said they enjoyed Saturday’s performance.

“It’s very well done.” White said. “And it’s nice to know what the dances meant.”

Native Trails performance

When: 12 noon to 1:15 p.m., most Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays through April 5.

Where: Scottsdale Civic Center Mall

Cost: Free

Information: www.culturequestscottsdale.com; (480) 421-1004