Santa Claus busts out the hoop dance for the holidays
Dancer James Jones says he thought it 'would be cool for kids to see Santa doing some Native stuff'
It's not often that you get to see Santa Claus busting out lightning quick powwow moves.
A few years ago James Jones borrowed his friend's Santa suit and headed to the most "Christmas-y" location he could find in Edmonton. He put on the suit and was filmed performing a hoop dance.
"It was pretty random," said Jones. "I wanted to go and shoot a funny, hoop dancing Santa video."
Jones is from Tallcree First Nation, about 600 km north of Edmonton. Not only is he a hoop dancer, he is also an emerging actor.
He said he wanted to put a First Nations spin on the big guy in the red suit.
"You know, instead of Santa always doing the same thing, it would be cool for kids to see Santa doing some some Native stuff," said Jones.
Jones released the video on Christmas Day in 2016. It now has more than 300,000 views.
Jones has been dancing powwow for more than 20 years and has been hoop dancing for eight years. He has also danced onstage with A Tribe Called Red.
On the origins of the hoop dance, Jones wrote in an email to CBC: "No one knows the exact place or tribe, but it's been around for over 500 years and the southern tribes have played a big part on keeping the dance alive. Traditionally dancers used hoops made from red willow and it was done in healing ceremony."
When he is not busy acting, he is training for the upcoming World Championship Hoop Dance Contest in Phoenix in February. Last year, he finished in sixth place.
He also has a degree in social work and travels to Indigenous communities to do empowerment workshops for youth.
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