Fancy Dance
Lost language, fractured families, forced assimilation and missing native women the history of settler colonialism in North America is a brutal one. Cinema has always been complicit in this cultural violence, frequently portraying indigenous peoples as stubborn impediments to progress. But what is progress? What are we supposed to be progressing towards? “Fancy Dance,” streaming on Apple TV+, does not answer that question. Rather, it questions whether white intervention in Native communities can ever be useful at all. It is a story about resistance in its most elemental form doing whatever it takes to keep a family together.
“Fancy Dance” is the debut film by writer-director Erica Tremblay and co-writer Michiana Alise, who worked with Lily Gladstone following her historic Oscar nomination for “Killers of the Flower Moon.” In this film, she plays Jax, a queer Cayuga woman residing in Oklahoma’s reservation with her niece Roki (Isabel Deroy Olson). Wadatawi, Jax’s sister has been missing for two weeks. The worst is anticipated as usual. Her half brother JJ (Ryan Begay), an officer in Tribal PD is unbothered about Tawi’s situation and so are FBI agents. Jax realizes it falls on her to be a real parent to Roki when child protective services come after her but things change upon exposure of her criminal record; Roki is forcefully taken into care of Frank (Shea Whigham) estranged grandfather together with his second wife Nancy (Audrey Wasilewski). Years back Frank left reservation and chose new white life over them which made his daughters hate him forever since then. Although these words are never used by Jax herself there is clear indication that were she forced out now also prompted to lead disconnected from her heritage.
Script co-authors Tremblay and Alise present Jax as someone others consider a criminal, however they juxtapose this outer toughness against moments where she shows deep affection for earth around her expressed through various sensitive details. Family being everything to her, everything that concerns them becomes matter close at hand. Even romantic connections are not absent from this narrative since there are hints showing Sapphire (Crystle Lightning), kindly stripper whom once in while finds time visit would like their relationship be more than what it currently seems like. Still afraid settling down permanently just like mother did although deeply rooted within reservation boundaries herself hence realising loved ones’ need safeguarding without knowing how best can achieve that goal. With no plans in mind but driven by instincts alone, Jax decides taking Roki along while heading tribal Powwow located somewhere within Oklahoma City limits. Since her mother used to take her there every year, breaking tradition is last thing Jax wants. While still en route, making promise she knows very well cannot fulfill mum will show up during event and they shall all reunite again.
“Fancy Dance” does not judge the characters’ actual lives led by Jax and sister who disappeared; instead it portrays them realistically. Tawi worked together with Sapphire at a strip club while Jax used supply drugs down trailers where white oil rig employees stayed. They did what they could do earn some money as well as provide care for Roki within society whose options for Native people living on reservations were limited. Besides, Roki does not blame either Auntie or Mum for whatever choices made; unconditional love remains intact throughout even if sometimes incomprehensible. Gladstone is being supported adequately by Deroy Olson such that latter’s role as a 13 year old girl growing up under desperate conditions appears delicate yet profound performance wise, also looking after auntie just like aunt looks after niece knowing protecting spirit comes from understanding ancestral home plus heritage respect too much. For actress who has recently been featured prominently in “The Unknown Country” and “Killers of the Flower Moon”, this is another opportunity for Lily Gladstone to further demonstrate her deep appreciation for nuanced Native cultural representation on screen
Among the best parts of the film is when Gladstone and Deroy Olson speak to each other in Cayuga, expressing things not meant for white people’s ears.
Roki and Jax undertake a dangerous journey together as white men threaten them at every corner. In one particularly intense scene, ICE hassles them in a store parking lot. The FBI never cared to find Tawi until Frank and Nancy reported the kidnapping, now that they’re on Roki and Jax’s trail, nothing can stop them. But none of these trials rivals the spiritual weight of this aunt niece bond. Jax knows that all she has is Roki, just like Roki knows all she has is Jax, so they’ll be damned if they don’t live their lives on their own terms. “Fancy Dance” might be mushy gushy at times, but it’s really about pushing back against an uncaring racist government that feeds off assimilation and cultural amnesia. The FBI didn’t bat an eye when a bunch of Osage people died under its watchful eye but now? Now it won’t lift a finger towards dismantling racism or greed or any other oppressive force. “Fancy Dance” shows us how communities take care of each other even when there’s risk involved. If this narrative debut from Tremblay is anything to go by, then damn; we’re in for some beautiful cinema.
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