Jasmine Bell +
North Bear Singers
HOOP DANCE AND HONOR SONG
Throughout the past two years, many of you have experienced the loss of a loved one to COVID-19. We have realized how important our health, our family and our safety are during this difficult time. And we have made strides to prioritize those things in our lives. With my piece, I am creating a special dance that will honor our loved ones that have lost their lives during the pandemic. The North Bear Singers have created an honor song to accompany my hoop dance to tell the story of the past two years in our own language. They have also made a new drum that features the names of those lost to COVID-19 in our community. We both feel that it is important to come together as one—like the hoop, which symbolizes the circle of life and how we are all connected.
Jasmine Bell + North Bear Singers
Jasmine Pickner Bell, or Cunku Was’te Win’, meaning “Good Road Woman” in Dakota, shares the sacred hoop dance with the world. The two-time world champion member of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe (also known as Hunkpati Oyate), began training with her father, the renowned hoop dancer Dallas Chief Eagle. Traditionally the hoop dance only allowed men to perform. Early on, Dallas recognized Jasmine’s natural strength, outspokenness, and spirit as a potential catalyst to restore the masculine/feminine balance within the sacred circle.
For Jasmine, the hoop dance goes beyond performance. It’s a way of life. Her hoops act as a metaphor to keep going when life gets tough. “Sometimes a hoop might fall, and a design may fall apart. But you pick up those hoops, you keep going, and you keep dancing. No matter what, as hard as life gets, you’re going to still be able to jump through that hoop.”
Jasmine lives with her family on the Wind River Reservation. Her husband, Luke Bell, is her drummer for her performances along with the North Bear Singers.