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Storyteller brings hoop dance to Speak Series

By Staff | Jul 21, 2017

Chronicle photo by Megan Hughart Kevin Locke, renowned hoop dancer, musician and storyteller of the Lakota Sioux tribe, performs Tuesday as part of Shepherd University’s Speak Story Series.

Storyteller Kevin Locke brought Native American hoop dance to Shepherdstown on Tuesday for the Speak Story Series.

Kevin Locke, a renowned hoop dancer, musician and storyteller of the Lakota Sioux tribe, has dedicated his life to sharing his culture’s stories all around the globe.

Locke brought his dance to Shepherdstown and wowed the audience as he used 28 wooden hoops during his famous hoop dance.

The dance had Locke creating different shapes with the hoops by bending, weaving, and combining them to create the world, eagles, flowers, people, trees, butterflies, nests, and the road of life.

Before his dance, Locke explained that each hoop was painted to represent diversity, symbols of the seasons, and the cardinal directions.

Locke explained that if even one hoop was removed, the entire creation would fall apart, just like with diverse people.

Reining from Standing Rock, S.D., Locke had an interesting perspective on the pipeline protests.

He told a story of Siting Bull, a historical Sioux Native American, and how he had a premonition of soldiers falling upon Standing Rock. After Native Americans reacted badly, Sitting Bull told them that there would be several dark years ahead.

Locke said that he and other elders teach not to use violence, but instead prayer to protest, because of Sitting Bull and the lesson they learned from using violence previously.

Locke also performed with a Native American flute and told the story of the Eagle Song.

The Eagle Song was about the Earth being cleansed and destroyed by a flood, except for one woman, who was saved by an eagle.

Locke even taught the audience a song in the Lakota language, along with sign language, and the hoop dance.

As for why Locke decided to pursue a career in storyteller and hoop dance, he said that it was to fulfill dreams and share traditions.

“We can fulfill dreams on behalf of previous generations and invite people into a world above gender and color. We become one,” Locke said.