Carroll P. Matherne
November 25, 2008
RoseMary Smith Giron
November 28, 2008
Michaela Verdin has loved to dance since she was a little girl.
She began in ballet, was a cheerleader and, over the summer, started learning pan-Indian dancing.
This month, the United Houma Nation asked the 14-year-old Ellender Memorial High School freshman honor student to use her gift for a greater purpose – to help spread Native American culture.
Verdin performed pan-Indian dances in local schools as part of the Terrebonne Parish School System’s celebration of November as Native American Indian Month.
“It’s an honor to be dancing and to say ‘I am an Indian,'” Verdin said. “It’s great because the younger kids growing up need to know about our culture. That will help keep it going and not fade away.”
Verdin is what is termed a “fancy dancer.” It refers to the Fancy Shawl Dance, which is not a traditional Native American dance.
According to Indian Country Today’s annual Pow Wow Guide, the dance started in the 1950s and 1960s as a response to the desire of dancers in older, traditional categories to have a newer dance that would attract attention.
“I represent a butterfly – the beauty of a butterfly flying and gliding in the wind,” Verdin said. “Our dances can go between two and five minutes, but since I’m a fancy dancer, it is a lot faster. So it’s around two minutes. “
The dance features intricate movements and spinning to display the fringe of the shawl, which stretches from hand to hand.
Verdin also does the Friendship Dance, which is open to anyone to join in.
Her first performance was Nov. 13 at Ellender. She was overwhelmed by the response of her classmates.
“I was really shocked to see as many students come up and dance with us for the Friendship Dance,” Verdin said. “I think they liked it and really learned a lot from it.”
Verdin also performed at Grand Caillou Middle School, Lisa Park Elementary, Southdown Elementary School and Grand Caillou Elementary at Acadian Elementary.
Verdin first became involved with Indian dancing just to help her younger cousins, Angelle and Larin, with their costumes.
“I went with them to get the fabric for their regalias (skirted dresses),” she said. “I talked with Mrs. Louise (one of her dance instructors at the Dulac Community Center), and she said I would be a good dancer. I thought I would like it, so I joined.”
She has traveled to other places to perform, including the Holy Family Catholic Church Indian Mass. She wanted to attend a powwow in Kenner on Nov. 1, but other obligations prevented that.
Verdin is following in the family tradition. Her mother, Stacy, was an Indian princess and performed traditional Indian dance at Southland Mall and in local schools.
Verdin has relatives who make moss dolls. Her great-grandmother and grandmother on her father’s (Michael) side used to do basket weaving and quilt making. She is in the process of sewing a quilt now.
“It’s taking awhile because she has to do it in her spare time,” Stacy Verdin said. “It takes a long time, especially since she’s doing it by herself.”
When the East Houma native is not dancing, Michaela is a clarinetist in the Ellender band, learning French, and is planning to try out for the softball team. She played softball for two years at Grand Caillou Middle School.
Verdin’s extracurricular activities and stellar grades were the reason she was named the 2007-08 Student of the Year at Grand Caillou Middle School.
She has earned much respect from the United Houma Nation members who watched her grow up and mature. She reciprocates that reverence by extending her heritage to others.
“It’s a really great experience in that it’s fun, and I’ve learned a lot already,” Verdin said.
“Now she helps other kids learn their dances, and she hopes to teach this in the future,” said Stacy Verdin. “I’m so proud of my little girl. You have no idea.”
Michaela Verdin, a freshman at Ellender High School, performs a “Fancy Dance” at Lisa Park Elementary School. “I represent a butterfly – the beauty of a butterfly flying and gliding in the wind,” she said of her style of dance. * Photo by KEYON J. JEFF
