{"id":10909,"date":"2017-04-17T08:46:00","date_gmt":"2017-04-17T08:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/2017\/04\/17\/powwow-sweat-promotes-fitness-through-traditional-dance\/"},"modified":"2017-04-17T08:46:00","modified_gmt":"2017-04-17T08:46:00","slug":"powwow-sweat-promotes-fitness-through-traditional-dance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/powwow-sweat-promotes-fitness-through-traditional-dance\/","title":{"rendered":"'Powwow Sweat' Promotes Fitness Through Traditional Dance"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Emily Schwing<\/a><\/span> <\/p>\n

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In Indian Country, a gym membership is not a cultural norm and the incidence of heart disease and obesity are high. Native Americans are 60 percent more likely to be obese than non-Hispanic whites. The Coeur D’Alene tribe<\/a>, whose headquarters is in northern Idaho, is trying to combat the problem by incorporating culture into fitness programs.<\/p>\n

The tribe has created an exercise routine \u2014 called “Powwow Sweat<\/a>” \u2014 based on traditional dancing. The program features a series of workout videos that break down six traditional dances into step-by-step exercise routines.<\/p>\n

“Drop the pringles and let’s jingle,” commands Shedaezha Hodge, as she demonstrates the steps that make up the women’s “Jingle Dress”<\/a> dance.<\/p>\n

High steps, box steps, cross steps and kicks combine into a routine that would give any Zumba class a run for its money.<\/p>\n

“Sweating yet?” Hodge asks, as she encourages the dancers to go faster and kick higher.<\/p>\n

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Members of the Coeur D’Alene tribe demonstrate the “basic step” that’s used in traditional powwow dances.<\/p>\n

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Source: The StyleHorse Collective<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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All the dances in the exercise program are typical at powwows, including the “Men’s Fancy Dance,”<\/a> \u2014 which features four basic steps and a hip move. The hip move involves lifting your knee up, then circling it out to the side, all the while bouncing to the drum beat.<\/p>\n

“I lost 13 1\/2 pounds,” says Ryan Ortivez, who attends the weekly “Powwow Sweat” classes at the Coeur D’Alene Wellness Center, in Plummer, Idaho.<\/p>\n