Celebrate 35 years of hoop dance at the Heard Museum! This exhibition shares the story of the World Championship Hoop Dance Contest. From the first contest, founded by father-and-son team Ralph Zotigh (Kiowa) and Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Ohkay Owingeh) in 1991, to its move to the Heard Museum a year later, this annual event has grown into a cultural phenomenon that attracts thousands of spectators. Every year, over 100 hoop dancers from across North America gather at the Heard Museum to showcase their amazing skills and honor their cultures. With colorful regalia, powerful music, and joyful spirit, hoop dance is a true celebration of talent, tradition, and family.
Experience firsthand, art, photography, and videos of past contests, plus special items like hoops which belonged to Tony Whitecloud, the father of modern hoop dance. Whether you’re new to hoop dance or a longtime fan, the Hoop Dance! exhibition promises an inspiring journey inside Indigenous culture. Through this exhibition, you’ll experience a celebration of unity, energy, and cultural expression, where you’ll feel the shared language of dance that connects us all.
Image: Stephen Mopope (Kiowa, 1898-1974), Painting, 1900s. Watercolor on paper. Heard Museum purchase, IAC2277
Our sponsors
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Sponsors
In addition, we want to recognize the Heard’s annual World Championship Hoop Dance Contest sponsors
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Major supporters
Susan Orr, in Memory of her husband William and son Tyler -
Supporters