Dance Company to Perform at National High School Dance Festival

Eleven members of the NMH Dance Company are heading to Pittsburgh this winter for the National High School Dance Festival. The festival, which runs from Feb. 26 through March 2 at Point Park University, is the largest high school-level dance festival in the United States, drawing hundreds of students each year. 

The three-day festival provides students with the opportunity to participate in dance masterclasses, audition for college and summer programs, and network with recruiters, said Gretel Schatz, the chair of NMH’s Performing Arts Department and a dance teacher. “Beyond that, it’s an incredible opportunity for our students to challenge themselves, connect with peers, and immerse in the broader dance community.”

The NMH Dance Company will perform Hózhǫ́ Naashá, which was choreographed by Niayla Curley ’26 for the fall dance concert, during the festival. Curley drew on traditional powwow dances like the Fancy Shawl, Grass Dance, and Jingle Dress for Hózhǫ́ Naashá (which translates to the traditional Navajo teaching "I Walk in Beauty”), blending elements of modern dance styles to create a celebration of cultural power and pride, she said.

“During my couple of years here, I’ve watched so many people bring their culture into the dance world,” Curley said. “I thought that was really cool, and I wanted to do something similar.”

Curley worked with her fellow dance company members to instill an appreciation of the cultural significance of the dances, while drawing connections between tradition and contemporary dance elements.

“With the Grass Dance, its traditional purpose was to stomp on the ground to flatten the grass for the other dancers. You're really low, you're stomping a lot – it's kind of like crumping in hip-hop terms,” Curley explained. “Then with the more graceful Fancy Shawl, it reminded me of soft jazz movements, so there's little bits of that in there, too.”

“Having Niayla’s piece selected this year is a tremendous honor,” said Schatz. “We’re incredibly proud of her work and thrilled to see her share her culture — not just with NMH, but with an even larger dance community. It’s no small feat to have a student piece chosen, and NMH should be immensely proud of her and the students dancing in the piece.”

While Curley had some trepidation about how the dance would be received, sharing aspects of her culture through a medium so near to her heart has played a key role in her evolving sense of pride and ownership of her heritage.

“I wasn't always proud of where I came from; there was a point in time where I just wanted to be like everybody else, where I wanted to be hidden,” said Curley, adding that the support she’s received from her family, teachers, and friends in the NMH Native Affinity Group helped her embrace her heritage.

“I’m really proud of it now; it’s such a beautiful culture,” Curley said. “You can see my dance and see traditions from one tribe, but I hope people enjoy it and find an interest in learning about Native American culture and other tribes as well.”

Photos by Matthew Cavanaugh Photography. See more from the 2024 Fall Dance Concert on flickr.