The merged men’s class at a competition powwow in which Senior and Golden Age dancers, aged 40 to 69, compete on one list instead of separate Grass, Fancy and Chicken lists.
Grass/Fancy/Chicken is the men’s class a competition powwow offers once its dancers pass the adult band. For younger men the three styles are separate items, each with its own entrants and placings: Grass, Fancy and Chicken all appear as their own lists for the men aged 18 to 39. For older men the source folds the three into one combined list, so a field that thins out with age is not cut into three lists too small to place fairly. The two slashes in the name mark the merge: it is one class, not three.
On the template behind this page the item is assigned to two groups, both for men: Senior (aged 40 to 59) and Golden Age (aged 60 to 69). Every dancer enters as an individual, wears a number issued by the registrar and is placed within his own age band, so a man of 45 and a man of 65 are never ranked against each other.
For an older man this is one of two choices in his age band. The other is No./So. Traditional, the merged Northern and Southern Traditional class. The rules allow one category per contestant and no switching once registered, so choosing between the two is the real decision, and it is made at the registration desk rather than in the arena. The women’s equivalent is the choice between No./So. Traditional and Fancy Shawl/Jingle, a separate item with its own list.
Other men are handled elsewhere. Junior boys use Grass, Fancy or Traditional; Teen boys have their own lists, including Chicken; men aged 18 to 39 choose between Grass, Fancy, No. Traditional, So. Straight and Chicken; and men aged 70 and over sit in the combined Living Treasure division, which the template keeps as one all-styles item.
There is no single judged round for the class. The rules the template follows describe a point system built up over the weekend, starting with the Friday grand entry, with each contestant’s number recorded at every grand entry. Dancers register in advance, cannot change category once registered and dance in full regalia, and the committee may combine any category with fewer than five registered dancers. This page covers how the class is organised for the people who run it; the dance steps, the dress and the regalia belong to the communities that practise them and are deliberately not described.
Where Grass/Fancy/Chicken is run
On eTalenter this item is used in one template, the competition powwow template, assigned to Senior and Golden Age men. Competition powwows are held across the United States and Canada, usually over a weekend, and each organiser publishes its own style names, age bands and merges. A combined men’s list for older dancers is how the powwow behind the template does it; another event may keep Grass, Fancy and Chicken apart at every age, set different age cut-offs, or fold in other styles, so always read that organiser’s own notice before assuming the same split.
- United States (the competition powwow the template is built from)
- Canada and other competition powwows in North America, each with its own published rules
Key facts
- An Individual item: one dancer, one registrar-issued number, one entry
- Two template classes, both men only: Senior (40 to 59) and Golden Age (60 to 69)
- One merged list: Grass, Fancy and Chicken are separate items for younger men but share this one for older men
- Older men choose between this item and No./So. Traditional; one category only, with no switching after registering
- Men aged 70 and over use the combined Living Treasure division; men aged 18 to 39 use the individual style items
- Placings come from points accumulated over several sessions, starting with the Friday grand entry, not from one round
- The template uses a 100-mark working scale and no time limit because the source prints neither
On eTalenter, Grass/Fancy/Chicken is filed under On Stage and typically scored with Marks. It appears in 1 ready-made event templates — each one can adjust its time limit, age-group assignment and scoring setup independently.
Across the templates that use it, Grass/Fancy/Chicken is most often entered as an Individual competition, commonly run for Male, typically scored out of 100.
What judges look at in Grass/Fancy/Chicken
What a Grass/Fancy/Chicken panel is actually weighing up, and where the marks are usually won or lost:
- The source prints no scoresheet for this class, so the points below are organiser guidance for agreeing yardsticks with the head judges, not rules from the source
- Right band, right list: check that each man is in the correct age band, Senior or Golden Age, and is being marked in the combined Grass/Fancy/Chicken field rather than against the No./So. Traditional dancers in the same band
- Fair comparison across three styles: because dancers of different styles share this list, judges should agree beforehand to mark each man by the conventions of his own style, so no style is rewarded simply for resembling another
- Staying with the drum: whether the dancer follows the singing, handles the changes on the beat and finishes with the last beat of the song
- Consistency over the weekend: points accumulate across grand entries, so steady performance in every session generally counts for more than one strong song followed by tired ones
- Arena conduct and secure regalia: respecting the arena director’s calls, keeping to the dancing area, and regalia that stays fastened so nothing has to be fixed during a song
Treat these as the judging focus, not a fixed rubric: publish your own weighted criteria for Grass/Fancy/Chicken under Scoring Setup, or start from judge scoring and tabulation software.
How to prepare for Grass/Fancy/Chicken
How entrants and their teachers usually get Grass/Fancy/Chicken right on the day:
- Settle the choice early: a dancer aged 40 to 69 should decide between this item and No./So. Traditional well before registration closes, because the registrar’s record is final once he is entered
- Confirm the age band on the day of the event: 40 to 59 is Senior, 60 to 69 is Golden Age, and 70 or over belongs in the Living Treasure division
- Register online before the closing date and note the Saturday onsite cut-off, since a late entry can mean missing the first points of the weekend
- Build stamina for a long weekend: practise several full songs back to back, then plan water, food, rest and shade between sessions
- Practise to songs not heard before, so that following the drum and ending on the last beat is a habit rather than a rehearsed routine
- Check every fastening on the regalia a week ahead and pack a small repair kit, so a loose piece never costs a grand entry
- Ask the registrar early whether a small list may be merged with another under the fewer-than-five rule, and what the dancer could be combined with
Ready-made event templates that include Grass/Fancy/Chicken
Open any template to preview it in eTalenter and install it as a live, editable event.
| Template | Category | Score label | Competitions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powwow Dance & Drum Competition (Denver March Powwow) | On Stage | Marks | 2 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Grass/Fancy/Chicken judged individually or as a team?
Across eTalenter’s templates it’s most often run as an Individual entry, commonly for Male, though an organiser can set either participation type when assigning the item to an age group.
Why is it called Grass/Fancy/Chicken with two slashes?
It is one combined class. For younger men the source keeps Grass, Fancy and Chicken as separate lists; for Senior and Golden Age men it joins them so the older field is not split too thin.
Which age groups and genders use this item?
On the template, men in the Senior (40 to 59) and Golden Age (60 to 69) bands. Women in those bands use Fancy Shawl/Jingle or No./So. Traditional, and men aged 70 and over are in the combined Living Treasure division.
Is it the same as the plain Grass, Fancy or Chicken item?
No. The plain Grass, Fancy and Chicken items are separate lists for younger dancers. This merged item is a different class with its own entrants and placings, and a dancer enters only one category.
Can a dancer switch between this and No./So. Traditional after registering?
Not at the powwow the template follows. Contestants enter one category only and cannot change once registered, so decide before the registration desk closes.
How are winners decided, and is there a time limit?
Winners come from points accumulated across sessions, beginning with the Friday grand entry, with each number recorded at every grand entry. The source gives no mark scale or time limit; the template uses a working scale of 100 marks and no limit, and an organiser who wants either should set it in their own event and publish it with their rules.
Want the full judging picture? Read judge scoring and tabulation software, or browse every on stage competition item.
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