by Marya Morstad
August 30, 2007
Producer Marya Morstad continues the “Radio mnartists” series of podcasts and KFAI radio interviews with Minnesota artists. Listen to her interview with Champion Fancy Dancer Larry Yazzie.
Larry on the beach in Dublin
Larry on the beach in Dublin
Larry Yazzie is an International Lecturer, Educator, Performer, and a World Champion Fancy Dancer. Raised on the Meskwaki Indian Settlement in Central Iowa, he began dancing at the age of seven. Throughout his childhood, Larry was taught the traditions of the Meskwaki People, including the flamboyant and energetic fancy dance with colorful regalia and the northern Plains style of singing. He consistently takes top honors at American Indian powwows throughout the United States and Canada.
As a dancer and singer, Larry has performed throughout the world. His current solo show, “Native Pride Dancer,” balances entertainment with education and features the high-energy Fancy Dance. Larry performs this show for a variety of audiences from K-12 to colleges and universities, to corporate gatherings and community festivals. Notable performances include at the 1994 Goodwill Games in St. Petersburg, Russia, the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympic Games, and most recently at the Hemispheric Institute Annual Encuentro Belo Horizonte, in Brazil. Larry and his seven year-old son Jessup were also seen performing in the 2005 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Yazzie has formed his own company, The Native Pride Dancers.
He will present “Dots and Feathers,” a cross-cultural dance performance with Rita Mustaphi of Katha Dance Theatre this fall at the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium at St. Catherine College in St. Paul. “Dots and Feathers” uses the theme of identity as a way to bridge Asian Indian and Native American cultures.
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Related Events
“Dots and Feathers”
A co-production of Katha Dance Theatre and Native Pride Dancers
September 28-30
The O’Shaughnessy Auditorium of St. Catherine College
2400 Randolph Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105
www.mnartists.org will be the subject of this month's "Access to Art" on the Minneapolis cable station MTN. One of the segments features video of the Larry Yazzie's interview with Marya Morstad for "Radio mnartists."
http://www.mtn.org/accesstoart/index.html
