Ladies' Traditional Buckskin Dance

Formerly the exclusive dance of the princesses and ladies in leadership roles, the Ladies' Traditional Buckskin Dance is now open to all ladies. Traditionally, this was a dance of the northern tribes, but is now danced by southern tribes as well. The northern dancer usually stays in one area, lightly bouncing to the beat of the drum, displaying dignity and grace.

The slower beat and step of the southern version of the dance is in sharp contrast to the faster dance of the northern tribes. The difference in rhythm makes it necessary for the Northern Traditional and Southern Buckskin to be danced as two events. At a given time during the song, the dancer salutes the drum with her fan in a beautiful expression, "the catching of the spirit of the drum."