PHOENIX, Ariz. – Derrick Suwaima Davis, Hopi/Choctaw, is headed home to Old Oraibi, Ariz., with the coveted title of World Champion Hoop Dancer.
Davis won his fifth championship with a total of 240 points at the 20th Annual Heard Museum World Championship Hoop Dance Contest on Sunday, February 14.
The tourney was held on Saturday, February 13 and Sunday, February 14. An estimated audience of 10,000 came to cheer on one or more of their favorites from a roster of 65 hoop dancers from the U.S. and Canada. The Jay Kahn Memorial Fund sponsors the youth competition prizes and the Arizona Commission on the Arts is a supporter of the contest.
Davis, who previously won the world championship title in 1994, 1996, 1997 and 1998, had not participated in the hoop dance for the past few years due to cultural obligations. However, his obligations ended in time for him to make his way to Phoenix for the championship.
Charles Denny, Cree/Ute, the 2008 World Champion, came in second with 236 points. Just one point separated Denny, who calls Fort Duchesne, Utah home, and third-place finisher Tony Duncan, San Carlos Apache, of Mesa, Ariz. The 2009 champ, Brian Hammill, Ho Chunk, of New River, Ariz., placed fourth with 228 points. Three-time champ Quentin Pipestem, Tsuu-Tina, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada scored 223 points to take home a fifth-place trophy and Lane Jensen, Navajo/Maricopa, of Dilcon, Ariz., won sixth place with 222 points.
Hoop dancing incorporates speed and agility as dancers maneuver their bodies through one to more than 50 hoops. Dancers also integrate creative designs and difficult manipulations of the hoops to present a unique variation of the dance. In recent years, as hoop dancers continue to refine and grow their routines, the points scored have climbed, and the point spreads for the adult division continue to grow smaller.
In the Senior Division, Moontee Sinquah, Hopi/Tewa/Choctaw, of Polacca, Ariz., took the title of Senior World Champion. Second place honors went to Terry Goedel, Yakama/Tulalip, from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. There was no third competitor this year.
Christian R. J. Hazell, Metis Nation, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada won the Teen Division title with a total of 228 points. Second place went to Peanutt Roberts, Choctaw/Nakota, of Atwood, Okla. Roberts scored 217 points.
Sampson Sixkiller Sinquah, Hopi-Tewa/Choctawa/Pima/Cherokee, of Polacca, Ariz., took home a third place trophy with 210 points.
Tyrese Jensen, Navajo/Maricopa, of Dilcon, Ariz., won the Youth Division with 239 points. This is Jensen’s second championship. Second place went to Beedoskah Stonefish, Odawa/Chippewa/Delaware/Pottawotami, of Peshawbestown, Mich., with a total of 224 points. Third place was awarded to Talon Duncan, San Carlos Apache, of Mesa, Ariz.; Duncan scored 218 points.
The littlest dancers in the Tiny Tot Division, 12 in all, split $200.
The judges included: Jackie Bird, Sioux/Mandan/Hidatsa, of Brookings, S. D.; James Pheasant, Eastern Band of Cherokee, Cherokee, N.C.; Bruce LeClaire, Rosebud Sioux, Durango, Colo.; Kevin Connywerdy, Comanche, Norman, Okla.; and Victor Bob, Navajo, Gallup, N. M.
Bad Medicine, of Carnegie, Okla., led by head singer Joe Fish Dupoint, Kiowa, served as host Southern Drum. The Mandaree Singers from New Town, N.D., led by Sidrick Baker, Mandan/Hidatsa/Arikara, served as host Northern Drum.
The 21st Annual Heard Museum World Championship Hoop Dance Contest will be held on Saturday & Sunday, February 5 & 6, 2011. Visit www.heard.org/hoop for details.