I really like these photos of the Two Medicine Dancers at the annual Lewis & Clark Festival in Great Falls.
This photo shows the dress worn for the jingle dance.
The dress is contemporary in style and the cone-shaped metal decorations made from chewing tobacco lids really do create a jingle sound, even when the dancer is just walking.
There is also a lot of beadwork on this dress in addition to a fully beaded headband. Cut glass beads adorn a lot of the beadwork and they really sparkle. Lots of work, lots and lots of work, goes in to making this dancer’s dress.
You can’t see her moccasins or the leggings but they also had beadwork with cut glass beads.
The brown fan she is holding has eagle plumes which come from the undertail of the eagle.
I just wanted to show how beautiful and happy this dancer was! And, that was after she had performed several dances.
The close-up photo shows the intricate beadwork better. Wouldn’t you love to know just how many hours went in to making this dress!