Are you interested in the Dance For All People, or a first-time dancer wanting to know more?

About Dance For All People

The Dance For All People comes from a tradition of the Great Basin/Plateau peoples that has been revitalized by Native people to perpetuate the healing and renewal of Mother Earth and all her beings. The Dance (led by Clyde M. Hall, Shoshone/Metis) is a sacred and powerful ceremony to be approached with respect and humility. The Dance is not a workshop, not a powwow, not a relic of the past, and not a reenactment— it is a living tradition to help the people. The purpose of the present-day Dance is, as it has always been, about healing and renewal: for ourselves, our families, and Mother Earth.

About The Dance

F.A.Q.

Prayer is your cry to Spirit coming unabashedly from the deepest recesses of your heart and soul. Prayer is the heartbeat of the dance, the core of ceremony. In whatever way we can communicate our prayers simply, we will reap untold blessings as we witness in awe the mysteries and power of Spirit. ABOUT PRAYER >>

The Tree of Life can be found in every tradition, in every culture since the dawn of time. At the dance we come with good heart to pray — for ourselves, our loved ones, and our Mother Earth —  for healing and renewal. In a sacred circle we hold hands and sing the songs that have been handed down generation after generation, with the Tree of Life standing in the center, a mediator between us and the spirits.  ABOUT THE TREE OF LIFE >>

The Dance for All People requires a ceremonial Fire. In our way, fire is a living being. The ceremonial fire is looked upon as a Fire without end much like the eternal flame in other earth-based traditions. It is said that the fire carries the life of the dance, and must be carefully looked after.  ABOUT FIRE >>

No being lives without water. It is the lifeforce that we all share in some form. Water is well known as a conduit to facilitate the movement of spirit; it is both grounding and refreshing, a way to help dancers to return to themselves and to sustain them through long nights of dancing.

Those who we call elders carry the medicine of this dance. They were taught by the old people and understand how traditional ways work.  One of the core principles of this dance is that we must learn to carry the most Sacred Things, which is to be of service to our brothers and sisters. LEARNING FROM THE ELDERS >>

There is a collection of Native American teachings called Teniwaa that guides our dance and our circle. These are guidelines for our actions within our community, with each other, and with the greater world community. Teniwaa is a Shoshone word for unwritten code governing traditional behavior. We are representatives of Spirit and must conduct ourselves with integrity in a good way. ABOUT TENIWAA >>

The NCPC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which supports the Dance For All People through its sponsorship of the leadership and communities that hold the dance. NCPC is committed to the vision that peoples of all colors, genders, orientations and religious beliefs may dance in peace together under the Tree of Life. Additionally, in the traditional way of giveback, the NCPC looks to enrich the Native American people and cultures of the Great Basin Plateau in the form of clothing drives, assistance for elders and youth, and the preservation and continued use of sacred sites. ABOUT NCPC >>

There are many excellent things to read in the navigation bar above in the Articles and Learn sections, and many excellent videos to watch. To find out about the latest: WHAT’S NEW >>

We have dances throughout the year that are sponsored by local communities in California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Utah, Tennessee, New York, and New Hampshire. Visit the Dance Calendar for dance dates, and to contact local organizers: DANCE CALENDAR >>

CLYDE M. HALL, DANCE CHIEF
SHOSHONE/METIS

The purpose of the present-day Dance is, as it has always been, about healing and renewal: for ourselves, our families, and Mother Earth.