Profile of Tayla D., by Reece

Tayla D.

            In an all-white dress covered with elk teeth and jingles, Tayla effortlessly floated above the ground, like the blue and purple beaded butterflies in her hair would float if they were alive. Just by herself in wide open fields dancing as if nothing else in the world mattered exclaimed Ms. Carney on her memorable but unexpected dream of Tayla D.

            Dancing since she could walk, she’s been practicing her style and carrying on her tradition. The sound of jingles and the beating of the drums keeps her moving and the fringes on her dress swaying. Each year perfecting how to stop with the music and make the dress’s fringes and jingles move without moving you’re body in the wrong way. Inspirations for her dancing come from watching her mother and keeping her cultural traditions alive.

            Summer time, the best time for dancing smiled Tayla. Crow fair is the best powwow to dance at because the ground is flat and it’s better than dancing on uneven ground because it throws off you’re stepping. Tayla started out dancing with jingle worked her way up to fancy dancing then jingle and then to traditional. Throughout the many years of dancing Tayla has received some awards. At the age of 14 was when she first started contesting and the first time she won an award was when she was 14 and she took 1^st place. When she was older she won 2^nd place at Elmo powwow and 3^rd at crow fair.

            An outfit can say a million words. Taylas outfit is buckskin with the main color being a creamy white with other colors red, black, and blue and buckskin fringe which is a northern tradition style. Dancing can be a way of life and for Tayla she dances for people who can’t dance and for the sick also to make herself feel happy. But for now her dancing is on hold because in Assiniboine and Navajo tradition when you’re grandmother passes away you don’t dance for a year because you’re supposed to be in mourning, and last June 7^th  Tayla lost her grandmother so she hasn’t danced this year and is excited to get back to dancing.

            Dancing is basically in every culture and the importance of it is highly regarded to some people and for Tayla it’s a very spiritual and important thing. If you talk to her about dancing you’ll very quickly see how important it is to her. She enjoys talking about it just as much as she does actually dancing. Watching her explain powwow dancing, you can see a light in her eyes like she’s watching everything she’s talking about happen in her mind. The joy she gets just from speaking about it is almost contagious because of the pride, happiness, and joy she gets out of dancing. Culture and tradition can be carried on in many different ways or forms but for Tayla her way is dancing.