NOAC 2012 AIA DANCE CLOTHES COACHING
CHICKEN DANCE
NAME____________________________________LODGE
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JUDGE_________________________________CONTEST
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MAXIMUM SCORE: 90
Scale (except for Item 8 –
Overall): 0 = Missing or Incorrect Item; 1-3 = Acceptable;
4-6 = Good; 7-9 = Excellent; 10 =
Superior
SCORE
Item 1: HEAD
– Roach, Roach Feathers, Spreader, Scalp Feathers (10)
____
Superior: Roach – well made,
worn correctly, appropriate flare, length should be a minimum of 14”,
coordinated with outfit, with spreader and roach feathers, or pheasant tails
tipped with fluffs (can be decorated. Porcupine hair roaches are necessary).
Headband, beaded or other decoration method, colors should coordinate with the
outfit.
Acceptable: Fiber roach,
un-coordinated color porky roaches, inadequate length, poorly constructed or
worn out roach.
Incorrect: Bandannas, no
roach, war bonnets, animal skin headgear, missing spreader, feather visors,
missing items.
Item 2: BODY/CHEST AREA – Yoke, Body Covering, Tie, Breast Plate (10) ____
Superior: Yoke with
coordinated colored designs in beaded or fabric appliqué, sequins, with
chainette fringe or ribbon, adequate length. Body covering to include full
tights color coordinated with outfit. Beaded necktie and collar. Decorated
Otter breastplate, Loop necklace, or bone breastplate, worn appropriately.
Acceptable: Items that do not
coordinate well with the outfit, inappropriate body covering length of yoke or
fringe. Plain or undecorated items.
Incorrect: Lack of proper
fringe, t-shirt, no body covering, yarn fringe, bandoliers, OA sash, missing
items.
Item 3: BUSTLE
(10) ____
Superior: Well-constructed
round or shingle back bustle in coordinated colors, adequate size and contain
uprights and a trailer. Trailer should be decorated with feathes and be a
single or double trailer. Feather decoration, clean design and execution,
colors complementing and coordinating with outfit, and properly worn. Back
bustle should be affixed to waist.
Acceptable: Round bustle with
little color or un-coordinated colors.
Incorrect: No bustle, poorly
made bustle, traditional style bustle, missing items or poor materials.
Item 4: ARMS
–Armbands, Cuffs (10) ____
Superior: Beaded as part of a
set decorated with fluffs or ribbon hanging from armbands. Cuffs worn at the wrist with
appropriate design elements as to coordinate with the overall theme of the
outfit. Beadwork and/or quillwork on armbands and cuffs. Silver or well-made brass
armbands are acceptable.
Acceptable: Armbands plain,
cuffs are plain or mismatched in overall theme of outfit.
Missing/Incorrect: No
armbands or cuffs.
Item 5: HANDS
–Fan, Mirror Board, Dance Hoop, Dance Stick, Other
(10) ____
Superior: Fan, flat or loose,
mirror board. Beaded or decorated dance stick or dance hoop; can be otter,
leather, or other fur wrapping or decorated in an appropriate way. All must fit
with the overall look of the outfit.
Acceptable: Undecorated
items, only one hand item.
Missing/Incorrect: No hand
articles. Objects considered to be from other styles.
Item 6: MID-BODY – Aprons, Belt, Optional Side Tabs
(10) ____
Superior: Aprons, of adequate
length and width to cover mid body, with coordinated colored designs in fabric
appliqué, sequins, or beaded, edged in chainette fringe or ribbon. Belt, beaded
or other decoration (Concho, tack), coordinated colors. Side tabs (optional)
adequately covering space between front and back aprons,
Acceptable: Un-decorated
aprons and plain belt.
Improper: No aprons, no belt.
Breechcloths, no fringe on aprons edges, missing items.
Item 7: LEGS & FEET – Goats, Bells, Knee Bands, Moccasins (10) ____
Superior: Angora “goats” or
other appropriate animal, white, appropriate length, worn correctly. (Goats
maybe dyed to match overall theme of outfit. Colors must be appropriate to
overall look.) Other ankle coverings could include dyed strung feathers,
although not necessary. Leg and ankle bells, sleigh or any variation of bells,
fastened neatly, worn at both sides and at ankle. Ankle bells do not interfere
with goats, properly attached. Knee bands, beaded, quilled, or other material.
Beaded or quilled leather moccasins, colors coordinated with outfit.
Acceptable: Goats of
questionable length or size, gaps in the back, dirty. Undecorated leather
moccasins or colored water shoes, canvas deck shoes painted or partially
beaded. Bells loosely attached, wrong size or number for dancing.
Missing/Incorrect: No goats,
bells, or moccasins. Leggings, tennis shoes, leather soft sole moccasins,
missing items.
Item 8: OVERALL
Scale: 1-5 Good start, room
for improvement; 6-10 Solid basic outfit, lacking some items;
11-15 Excellent; 16-20
Superior
Does the outfit have the
right “look”? Does it look complete? (20) ____
Is it consistent? Is the
movement appropriate?
FINAL SCORE
(Super Superior 74-90; Superior 50-73; Excellent 25-49; Good 1-24)
(90) ____
A note about outfits:
The most important thing
about a Chicken Dance outfit is its overall look. Outfits are meant to be
danced in, not to be judged in a still position. The components of your outfit
should move well when you dance and work to enhance your dancing style. For
this reason, materials, size, shape, and placement of the individual outfit
components listed above must be in order. When specific materials are called
for – such as beadwork – an adequate substitution of cloth, fabric appliqué,
sequins, painted material, or plastic canvas cross-stitch can be used. However,
proper colors, designs, and proportions must be in place for the article to get
maximum points from the judge. This form is not just a scoring sheet, it is a
resource for you to constantly improve your outfit to be the best that it can
be. When you look at the individual scores on items 1-7 as well as the overall
score, think of what you could do differently next time to improve each item by
just a few points. Our goal is to elevate your outfit to a higher level of
quality each time you dance. By continually improving your outfit, your
individual dance style will improve as well.
A note to all contestants:
This form is designed to
outline what a Chicken Dancer would wear at a contemporary powwow. It
represents the norm as defined by modern dancers in the northern plains and
across the country.
Be aware that although a
printed or recorded work may have been relevant at the time of its making,
Chicken Dance is an ever-changing dance style and these works can sometimes
become outdated within a short period of time. If possible, attend powwows and
notice the subtle trends being added to Chicken Dance outfits of today. If you
live in an area where it is difficult to attend powwows, you can use resources
such as powwows.com and YouTube to view photos and video footage
of powwow dancers. Please be respectful of others’ outfits. Model your outfit
after contemporary dancers, but do not copy specific designs.
While Chicken Dance outfits
of the past have their place in history, some of the components may not
appropriate for contemporary dance styles. Stay current and up-to-date on your
outfit style.
