This Thanksgiving brought a moment of rare visibility, thanks to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which featured a performance by Indigenous Enterprise, an award-winning dance company based in Phoenix.
Founded in 2015, the group has made a name for itself by blending contemporary dance with traditional powwow culture.
On the rain-soaked streets of Manhattan, with thousands cheering them on and a global TV audience estimated at 31.3 million, they danced to the beat of drums and the jingling of bells on their regalia.
“Indigenous representation in the media is crucial for understanding, respect, empowering and reconciliation for our Native people,” says dancer Jamaal-Isaac Jones.
Powwow dancing is a competitive art form, featuring varying techniques, drum speeds and intricate regalia.
Eleven dancers from Indigenous Enterprise arrived three days ahead of the parade and practiced in a parking lot in Newark, New Jersey; rehearsed outside Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square; and explored the city.
“I don’t think there’s enough words to express how truly unreal the whole experience felt,” dancer Tatianna Wright says. “From rehearsing for hours, to waking up at 3 a.m. to get ready the day of the parade – it was extraordinary.”
Two days before the parade, they practiced their routine repeatedly, back to back, until they felt confident with their performance. With music blasting from a speaker, they recorded each run-through to ensure every detail was just right.
That night, the group visited the performance location near Macy’s store in midtown Manhattan.
It was near freezing as they prepared and put on their headdresses, moccasins and bustles. But at least it wasn’t pouring rain, as it would be Thanksgiving morning.
People watched, cheered and took photos as they danced.
Jared Brown, front and center, showcases his skills as a traditional dancer and professionalism from his experiences over the years with Indigenous Enterprise.
Grace Monos/Cronkite News
Parade day was relentlessly wet and cold.
The team woke up at 3 a.m., some already in the city at a hotel and some traveling from their Airbnb in Newark.
They met up at The New Yorker Hotel near the end of the parade route, where other performers were getting ready – clowns, dancers, marching bands from high schools, colleges and the New York Police Department.
At 6 a.m., some dancers opted for a quick power nap. Others were too filled with excitement.
“Almost everyone was running on two hours of sleep or less, but the adrenaline carried us through,” says dancer Shelby Snyder.
They braided their hair, finished their makeup and then shuttled to the start of the parade on the Upper West Side. Snoopy, Santa Claus and dozens of other floats and balloons were already there.
Onlookers huddled under umbrellas. The crowds were thinner than usual in the dreary weather. Some of the dancers opted for sneakers. Others wore their traditional moccasins. Either way, their feet were soaked well before they reached the end of the 2.5-mile route, trailed by a huge Stuart the Minion balloon.
During a pause, dancers thrilled the crowds on the sidelines with an impromptu performance.
Due to the rain, the group could not wear their full regalia throughout the parade. As a result, they had to carry luggage and bags containing their regalia for their performance at the end of the parade.
“If we could have worn our full regalia in the parade, the crowds would have gone wild,” Jones says. “Being limited with the ponchos, it was hard to convey who we are.”
There was a rush right before the performance to get everyone ready. Some of the dancers almost didn’t make it on time.
When it came to their live performance, a 60-second televised spot in front of the Macy’s store, the rain brought challenges. The slippery stage limited some of their usual high-energy moves, and Dom Pablo and Shirley had to skip their planned flips at the start.
Even with a few unnoticeable slips, the dancers received roaring applause.
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