Jingle Dress Dance is one of the major women’s powwow dance categories and is closely connected with healing in teachings shared by many dancers and communities. Its living histories are connected to Anishinaabe communities, and origin accounts and responsibilities can differ by family and knowledge holder.
This guide introduces the dance without treating one teaching as universal. For the full category overview, visit our Powwow Dance Styles guide.
What is Jingle Dress Dance?
Jingle Dress is immediately recognizable by the rows of metal cones attached to the dancer’s dress. As the dancer moves, the cones create a distinctive sound that becomes part of the experience of the dance.
Powwow Times’ existing teachings describe Jingle Dress as a healing dance. The dance-style hub shares a story of a father, his sick daughter, a dream involving women wearing dresses with cones, and dancing connected with her healing. Other families and communities may share the history differently.
Jingle Dress regalia
The dress and its cones are central to the visual and sound of the category. Individual regalia varies by dancer, family, community and style. Visitors should use the word regalia rather than costume and should not touch a dancer’s belongings without permission.
Jingle Dress at a powwow
Jingle Dress can appear in competition and other powwow settings. Categories may also be divided into styles such as old style and contemporary at some events. The host’s category names and rules should be followed.
What does Jingle Dress dancing look and sound like?
For a first-time spectator, one of the easiest ways to recognize Jingle Dress is by sound as well as sight. The metal cones move with the dancer and create the characteristic jingling sound that gives the category its English name. Watch the dancer’s timing with the drum and the way movement, dress and sound work together.
Old Style and Contemporary Jingle Dress
Some powwows divide Jingle Dress into Old Style and Contemporary categories. Powwow Times has seen events make this distinction when participation is large enough to support separate contests. The exact category names, movements and judging expectations belong to the host event, so competitors should always check that powwow’s rules.
Is Jingle Dress a healing dance?
Healing is central to the Jingle Dress teachings already shared by Powwow Times. At the same time, origin accounts and responsibilities are living teachings, not a single standardized story. We therefore encourage readers to learn directly from Anishinaabe dancers, families and knowledge holders when they share their own teachings.
Jingle Dress FAQ
Can visitors dance Jingle Dress?
Jingle Dress is a specific powwow dance category and should not be confused with an open Intertribal. Visitors who are invited to participate in an Intertribal can normally do so in everyday clothing. See our Intertribal Dance guide.
Is a Jingle Dress a costume?
No. Powwow Times uses regalia, not costume. Learn more in our Regalia vs. Costume guide.
What does Jingle Dress dancing look and sound like?
For a first-time spectator, one of the easiest ways to recognize Jingle Dress is by sound as well as sight. The metal cones move with the dancer and create the characteristic jingling sound that gives the category its English name. Watch the dancer’s timing with the drum and the way movement, dress and sound work together.
Old Style and Contemporary Jingle Dress
Some powwows divide Jingle Dress into Old Style and Contemporary categories. Powwow Times has seen events make this distinction when participation is large enough to support separate contests. The exact category names, movements and judging expectations belong to the host event, so competitors should always check that powwow’s rules.
Is Jingle Dress a healing dance?
Healing is central to the Jingle Dress teachings already shared by Powwow Times. At the same time, origin accounts and responsibilities are living teachings, not a single standardized story. We therefore encourage readers to learn directly from Anishinaabe dancers, families and knowledge holders when they share their own teachings.
Jingle Dress FAQ
Can visitors dance Jingle Dress?
Jingle Dress is a specific powwow dance category and should not be confused with an open Intertribal. Visitors who are invited to participate in an Intertribal can normally do so in everyday clothing. See our Intertribal Dance guide.
Is a Jingle Dress a costume?
No. Powwow Times uses regalia, not costume. Learn more in our Regalia vs. Costume guide.
Watch and learn
Explore more categories in our Powwow Dance Styles guide.
