AACRAO is pleased to welcome the 2016-2017 World Champion Teen Hoop Dancer Talon Ree Duncan, 17, to perform at the AACRAO Annual Meeting! Duncan, who won the crown in February, will perform Sunday evening prior to the opening general session.
Competitive fun
The two-day hoop dancing competition took place at the Heard Museum of American Indian Art and History in Phoenix and featured 81 dancers from the U.S. and Canada. Dancers were judged on five skills – precision, timing/rhythm, showmanship, creativity and speed.
In addition to Duncan’s solo performance, Yellow Bird Productions, the Native American performing arts group of which he is a member, will perform at the Honorees Reception and the International Educators Reception. Their performance will include traditional dance, songs, and stories that introduce the audience to the essence and passionate spirit of Southwest Native culture. During the welcome reception, the group will be available for autographs and photographs outside the exhibit hall.
Artisan display
And, for the first time at an AACRAO annual meeting, Native American artisans—including a Navajo rug weaver, Apache flute maker, silver & turquoise jeweler, Maricopa potter, basket weaver, and a Hopi Kachina carver—will be displaying and selling their wares in the registration area.
If you want to experience the culture of Phoenix further, consider visiting the Desert Botanical Gardens, the Musical Instrument Museum, hike Camelback Mountain--or check out any of the other top-rated Phoenix experiences on TripAdvisor.com.
For more information about the meeting, March 20-23, 2016 in Phoenix, visit the Annual Meeting website.