Alyssa's Creative Thoughts

  After watching the documentary in class I was very interested in the Fancy Dance both the dress and style of music. While researching the Fancy Dance in more depth, I learned that one type called the Fancy War Dance was developed by Gus Mcdonald. He was a Native American from the Ponca tribe in Oklahoma. McDonald had a huge impact on the Native American culture; the current matriarch of the Ponca tribe, Julep Farmer McDonald, presents the trophy to the winner of the Fancy War Dance. Part of the Fancy War Dance is the “feather pull” that Gus McDonald also invented. It evaluates the dancer’s agility and ability to keep time with the drum. One interesting fact is that the “feather pull” can only be done with permission of the McDonald family. Additionally, the Fancy War Dance is used as a form or prayer to respect the ancestors and specifically for the McDonald family. G, About Paul. “Native American Fancy DANCE: What Is Fancy Feather Dancing?” PowWows.com , 1 Feb. 2020, www.powwows...

Hey everyone! My name is Alyssa Graf.  I am a freshman here and I play on the volleyball team! I intend to double major in Biochemistry and Psychology. I am personally not that great with music or any type of art. I did play the flute for a few years, but ended up quitting when things got too busy. Although, music is a huge part of my life! For example, my sister is a music therapist for a program in Illinois that helps underprivileged children and teens. I am technically from a suburb about an hour and a half outside of Chicago, IL. However, I have lived in both Dallas and Houston, TX too. I have three siblings and they are all older than me (pictured below). I also have a dog named Daisy pictured below! 1. Honestly this is kind of a hard question for me to answer. I listen to a lot of different things depending on how I am feeling. Sometimes it is country, pop, rap, christian, upbeat, or kind of slow.  Therefore, it was hard for me to just pick one song that I like. After s...