The Tsoyaha Indian Dancers & Mossy Creek Singers/Drum
|
|
|
|
|
The Tsoyaha Indian Dancers & Mossy Creek Singers/Drum
|
|
|
|
|
|
Who & What We Are.....
We are the Tsoyaha Indian Dancers & Mossy Creek Drum, based out of Morristown, Tennessee. We have attended powwows and have done performances in Knoxville, Morristown, Vonore, Chattanooga and Nashville, as well as in states like KY, VA, NC, IL, IN, OK, plus more..
We are a youth oriented organization (ages 14 to 21, but exceptions have been made) that seeks to focus and teach young people how to sing and powwow dance. Plus there are several side benefits as well.
The drum, Mossy Creek Singers, placed SECOND out of 26 drums at NOAC 2006 in East Lansing, MI (also 2nd at NOAC 2004, 4th at NOAC 2002, 4th at NOAC 2000.)
Virtually all of our members can claim indian heritage and blood quantum.
Some of our members belong to Boy Scout troops and we are a registerd co-ed Post.
Some of our members are:
Lewis D. - Been dancing since 1993(placed in the top 20 out of 96 Grass Dancers at NOAC and has been dancing since age 6)
Max C. - Took 1st place at NOAC 2006 (placed 4th in Northern Men's Contemp. out of 128 dancers in 2004)
Blake B. - Placed 4th in Northern Men's Traditional in both 2002 and 2006.
Lewis D. - Drum Keeper
When everyone shows up, we will have about 15 people or so around the drum, representing all 4 of the men's dance styles and some women's styles.
We were organized by Doc Rooney (Sauk/Fox) in 1973, and have been going strong ever since.
We learn and teach Southern Powwow Singing, plus the standard 8 different types of powwow dancing/regalia.
We currently have several Grass Dancers, Northern Men's Traditional, Straight Dancer (Southern Men's Traditional) and Men's Fancy Feather. We even have Women's Jingle and Women's Fancy Shawl and Women's Traditional.)
We've had team members who have danced hoop, and we have people who dance Gourd.
There's some boys who are currently learning some specialty dances like the Spear & Shield and the Eagle Dance.
Throughout the years, we've done various Native American dance/drum exhibitions, presentations and workshops at churches, scout groups, civic groups, civic functions, museums, parks, and many other places. We've also served as guest and host drum for several Native American Powwows includidng those at Sycamore Shoals, MTSU and Cherokee NC.
We really enjoy traveling to powwows, especially the ones where we're the host drum and we're in hotel rooms and there's good food. (and a swimming pool at the hotel in the summer months).
We also enjoy dancing at powwows that have really kicking drums.
|
|
|
|
THE THINGS WE ARE SKILLED AT....
Several of the people on our dance team have many varied craft skills.
Some of the workshops members of our team have taught have included:
1. dance regalia and dancing classes (all the styles)
2. Southern Singing
3. Moccasin Making (mostly plains style but eastern woodland as well)
4. Beadwork (these include Cheyenne & Sioux Lazy Stitch, loom, brick, peyote, edge, wrap, plus others)
5. Parfleech (construction & painting)
6. Fan construction.
7. Drum Stick Construction.
Plus more.....
|
|
|
|
OUR ADVISORS.....
We currently have Three main advisors.
Mikkie G. who first joined the team as a youth, in 1973, and was one of the original 3 boys who joined. He's been a fancy dancer ever since and has always been around. He's won several championships as well as dancing out west in Oklahoma, etc. He's one of the few people who can wear a hat turned around and still look kewl. He's nicknamed "tha' Daddy" because of his stabilizing influence on the dance team.
Timmy D. joined in the Fall of 1992, is a straight and gourd dancer (just started dancing Hethuska's), plus does tipi competitions (placed 3rd at National Powwow 12 in 7/2002). His tipi furnishings have been on display at a national museum in the Falls of 2001 and 2002. His nickname is "da' mommy" because he's always nagging the team to do "be nice to each other".
Tamara A., of Cohaire descent, is our female advisor who rides herd over the female members of the dance team.
The other adults on the team are Sammy and Bernie.
TO CONTACT US:
If you're wanting to contact us for whatever reason, you can email us at
"Tsoyaha Dancers@aol.com" or you can email Timmy D. at "TWDBear@aol.com" and he will pass the information along. Or you can call 423/586-1612 and leave your name and phone number on the answering machine.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
page created with 1-2-3 Publish
|
|
