Indian Health Service program in Milwaukee offers jingle dress dance classes
Movement is Tradition sessions meet the first Wednesday, open to all ages and begin with smudging plus instruction on regalia, pacing and styles
The Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center in Milwaukee offers a monthly jingle dress dance class as part of its Movement is Tradition program, which encourages physical activity through culturally rooted practices, according to ICT.
The class, held the first Wednesday of each month, is open to community members of all ages and led by Emma Carufel, a citizen of the Lac du Flambeau (Waaswaaganing) Ojibwe band. The program also includes activities such as catch-and-release fishing, snowshoeing and canoeing aimed at reconnecting participants with cultural traditions while promoting movement, according to ICT.
Lisa Albright, a citizen of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and outreach coordinator at the health center, was quoted as saying the program shows people “how to get back to their cultural roots and still be able to get some activity into their lives.” Classes begin with smudging and include instruction on dance styles, regalia and pacing.
- 1.Nareh Vartanian. ICT + Marquette University, .
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