Museum of Indian Arts and Culture Announces 2025 Native Dance Series Schedule

Native Dance Series Returns to the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture This May

The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture (MIAC) is proud to welcome back its Native Dance Series for 2025, a vibrant celebration of Indigenous culture, tradition and storytelling through dance. Beginning Sunday, May 18, this beloved series will bring monthly performances to Milner Plaza through October, showcasing Native dance groups from across the Southwest and beyond.

Free and open to the public, the Native Dance Series offers a rare opportunity to experience living cultural traditions in a welcoming outdoor setting. Each performance invites audiences to witness the beauty, power and meaning of Indigenous dance, led by dancers, drummers and cultural leaders who carry these traditions forward.

“Dance is a vital part of Indigenous culture and storytelling,” said Marita Hinds, Director of Education at MIAC. “Through this series, we honor and support Native dancers who carry forward these powerful traditions, and we invite our community to witness and celebrate them.”

2025 Native Dance Series Schedule

  • May 18: Spring Gourd Dance
    Head Gourd Dancer: John Cannon (Arapaho)
    Master of Ceremonies: James Edwards (Pawnee/Northern Cheyenne/Comanche)
    Arena Director: Gabe Chavez (Cochiti/Tesuque Pueblo)
    Host Drum: Southern Tribe, Cedric Chavez (Cochiti Pueblo)

  • June 21: Southern Northern Dance Group (Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, NM)

  • July 19: Ka La Kapu Dance School (Albuquerque, NM)

  • August 2–3: 4th Annual Youth Hoop Dance Championship

  • September 20: Ganado High School Dance Group (Ganado, AZ)

  • October 12: White Mountain Apache Crown Dancers (White Mountain, AZ)

All dances take place at 710 Camino Lejo, Santa Fe, NM, on the Museum Hill campus. Seating is limited, so guests are encouraged to bring their own chairs. No admission is required.

Accessibility and Community Invitation

MIAC is committed to creating inclusive and accessible experiences. If you require a reasonable accommodation to attend, please contact the museum at (505) 476-1269. Performances are held outdoors and may be postponed or canceled due to weather.

About the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture

The Museum of Indian Arts & Culture is a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, supported by the Museum of New Mexico Foundation and generous donors. Located in Santa Fe, the museum is a center for stewardship and understanding of the artistic, cultural and intellectual achievements of the Native Southwest.

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Photo copyright Jason Ordaz.