Grass Dance Song
From: Program 19 of Old Music for New Ears
Length: 00:04:39
Description:
Dennis Banks, an Anishinabe Indian, performs Native drum and sings in Native tongue in this excerpt from Program 19 of the KET series Old Music for New Ears. He explains the importance of the drum to Native American music and why this is called a “grass dance” (because dancers would begin by shuffling their feet through the grass to find sticks and stones). The series brings top folk and traditional musicians into the studio to perform for a young student audience. Designed to introduce the pure and simple forms of traditional music to today’s generation, the series includes 22 15-minute programs featuring a wide variety of traditional instruments and musical styles.
Suggested uses:
- as a demonstration of Native drum and example of traditional Native American music
- to use with other segments from the series to compare folk music of various cultural backgrounds
- as part of a study of Native American culture/traditions, including the function of music
- to use in combination with “Zuni Harvest Dance” from KET’s Dancing Threads and “Dance in America” from KET’s DanceSense to explore the interrelationships between dance and music in Native American culture
Lesson plans using this segment:
- Music and Culture/Creating Simple Rhythms (primary/special)
- Comparing Native American and American Folk Music (5)
More information on Old Music for New Ears:
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