Tafv, how did this compare to your work on Reservation Dogs, which was also shot in Oklahoma?
TS: For Rez Dogs, we wanted to emphasize this sense of community and pretty much stuck to Okmulgee. Whereas for Fancy Dance, we were very intentional that none of the places felt connected to community other than their home and the senior center. We were also super spread out geographically—in Tulsa, Sperry, Oklahoma City, and small towns near Pawhuska—in a way that establishes this feeling of Jax and Roki against the world. That was really important for this sort of road trip movie, where you have to keep going in order to survive.
What went into creating the culminating powwow scene?
CR: A lot of love, planning, a resonant location, and Tafv’s amazing ability to bring the community together. She reached out to so many incredible folks who brought their popup tents and wares to help create a true powwow scene to envelope the drummers and dancers. Filming at the First Americans Museum was a dream; the swooping architecture, circular footprint, and grand scale of that space grounded the deep emotions of our final scene in a sense dignity, resistance, and hope.
TS: We knew the powwow scene was going to be the biggest challenge of the film, and it ultimately came together in this beautiful way with the support of the entire community. Normally we probably would have filmed at a real powwow, but we couldn’t do that since we were filming during COVID. I think Rez Dogs gave us some street cred and got people excited to recreate a powwow—with real vendors, an emcee, food, raffles, and people walking around and dancing.
This amazing MMIW nonprofit Way of the Sacred Mountain that travels for events and helps spread awareness came and set up their poles. It was so beautiful, because we blessed the poles with water and tobacco. We did prayer. We also featured this Pendleton MMIW blanket called “Never Alone” by Joe Chamberlain, an artist we worked with on Rez Dogs who sadly passed away from cancer recently. We were so lucky to have these authentic pieces as part of the powwow narrative. It was a really beautiful way to end the filming of Fancy Dance.
Do you have any travel recommendations for Tulsa visitors?
CR: Wildflower Cafe, which kept us fed through the mad dash of production. Magic City Books, for its lovely employees—and books, obviously. The Starlite Bar, for killer cocktails and new wave goth night dancing. And Greenwood Rising Black Wall St. History Center to honor the past. Tulsa has a rich and complex history, and this museum is a must-visit to learn about the thriving Black community of Greenwood that was devastated by the Tulsa Race Massacre just over 100 years ago.
TS: Southwest Trading Company is an Indigenous-owned store that carries everything under the sun from Native makers—art, blankets, jewelry, and other gifts. Another amazing place is this farm Living Kitchen in Depew about 45 minutes from Tulsa, where they host themed community dinners. The last shoutout I want to give is to Redstick Gallery in Okmulgee, another Indigenous-owned store that carries a lot of artwork and jewelry from Native makers.
Fancy Dance premieres in select theaters June 21 and streams globally on Apple TV+ on June 29.
