Cherokee dances fall into two basic categories and these are social dances and religious/ceremonial dances. When religious ceremonial dances are performed, the dancers and choreography steps are always pre-selected. The complex choreography and variety of dance steps are amazing to watch. Ceremonies almost always end with at least one social dance right at the very end of the ceremony. The social dance is a way of inviting all the participate. Social dances are said to be more prevalent in modern Cherokee societies and a host of these particular dances were adopted due to contact with other Native American tribes. The Cherokee Butterfly Dance is one such dance. This lovely graceful dance is often referred to as ‘The Ladies Fancy Shawl Dance’ on modern pow-wow circuits. The Cherokees have a legend which accompanies this specific dance, yet the Crows have a legend to accompany their style of Butterfly Dance as well. Yet they are not very similar at all when watched closely.

Initially the Cherokee Butterfly Dance began as a medicine dance in both cultures, but it is now one of the most popular dances is competition dances these days. More so on the Northern pow-wow circuit. The Ladies Fancy Shawl dance legend goes as this. Many, many years ago when the earth was so very new, there was a beautiful butterfly who lost her mate in a battle. Her grief was so intense that she removed her wings to show how much she grieved for him. She then cloaked herself in drab cotton. She was so sad she failed to eat or sleep. Her relatives kept visiting her lodge to ensure she was alright. She would not say anything about how she felt, she did not wish to be a burden to anyone, so she simply packed up her wings, her medicine and took off on a long journey. She wandered all around the world but with her eye downcast. She stepped on stones as she made her way across creeks and streams. With her head down all the time she came across a stone one day which was incredibly beautiful.

The beauty of the stone helped heal her sorrow and she then cast her drab cocoon aside. Shaking the dust from her unused wings she donned them once more and began to dance with happiness. While dancing she gave thanks for being given a chance to enjoy life once more. She returned home and told her loved ones of her journey and how it had helped heal her heart. To this very day the Cherokee dance this dance in an expression of renewal and thanks for new life, seasons and new beginnings. Of course the shawl in the Cherokee Butterfly Dance represents the butterfly’s wings. The twirls and fancy steps represent the flight of happiness. A host of traditional Cherokee dances have been preserved and are danced frequently. But many of these traditional dances no longer serve the same function as they once did. Often times they are performed to re-enact a culture which is deemed ancient. In fact many of the traditional Cherokee dances are deemed illegal to perform as they incorporated the taking of scalps.

The most significant dance to the Cherokee people is the Stomp Dance. When a ceremonial dance is underway, the Stomp Dance is always preceded by a game of A-ne-jo-di or stickball. In one Cherokee dance called ‘The Booger Dance’ masks are used. This dance was usually performed during later fall of winter. The dance originated to mock the enemies of the Cherokee. The Booger masks were meant to represent the faces of their enemies. In earlier day these would have been the Seneca or Chickasha people.

After the Cherokee had interacted with the whites and hostilities began, the masks then resembled bald men with moon faces and bald heads. In North Carolina, Booger masks are very popular items with tourists. Other Cherokee dances include the Bear Dance, Forest Buffalo Dance and the Beaver Dance. These all represented stories of these respective animals. The Ancient Eagle Ceremonial Dance is an incredible dance to watch. The dance focuses on an elaborate white eagle with 6 foot wings which are made from white or almost white bald eagle feathers. These are the most sacred Cherokee dances but other dances such as the Wood-gathering dance, Cherokee Friendship dance, Cherokee Common Dance, Cherokee Coat Dance, Round Dance, Green Corn dance, Beginnings Dance, Pipe Dance, Pigeon Dance, Quail Dance, Chicken, Horse, Racoon, Groundhog, Ant and Snake Dance are all highly important to the Cherokees as well. Of course one can not speak of Cherokee dances without mentioning the very meaningful Burial Dance and War Dances as well.