Cheyenne River Glitter Girls

Glitter Girls spread positive message at LNI

By David MontgomeryThere’s more than Lady Gaga in the air when the Cheyenne River Glitter Girls dance squad practices its moves.

When the Glitter Girls meet every Sunday to work on their routine, the dancing comes only after the life lessons.

“We have a ‘girl talk,’ where the girls are able to talk about different problems they’re having with school, if they’re having problems at home,” Jessica Four Bear said before a performance Saturday at the Lakota National Invitational in Rapid City.

Four Bear founded the dance squad and still leads the group. For nine years, the 6- to 12-year-old girls of the dance squad of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe have been combining dance with opposition to bullying, drugs, gangs and suicide.Comment:  For more on the Lakota National Invitational, see Basketball Tourney Becomes Cultural.

Below:  "Pearman Aaron, 10, shows off her makeup after the Glitter Girls' performance during halftime of the Pine Ridge and Red Cloud basketball game." (Kristina Barker/Journal staff)