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The 35th annual World Championship Hoop Dance Contest — a spectator sport with deep roots to the Southwest that later spread throughout Indian Country — returned to Phoenix over the weekend.
Thousands flocked from North America to watch 124 dancers twirl their hoops at the Heard Museum. That field of competition whittled down to 15 finalists across four age divisions: youth, teen, adult and senior.
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Victor Duncan, 8, vies for the youth finals at 2025 World Championship Hoop Dance Contest
Gabriel Pietrorazio/KJZZ
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Lakai Torres, 10, competes in the youth finals of the 2025 World Championship Hoop Dance Contest.
Gabriel Pietrorazio/KJZZ
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Aaron James Vigil, 12, performing in the youth finals at 2025 World Championship Hoop Dance Contest.
Gabriel Pietrorazio/KJZZ
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Kailayne Jensen in the teen finals at 2025 World Championship Hoop Dance Contest.
Gabriel Pietrorazio/KJZZ
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Cyrus First Charger competes in the teen finals at 2025 World Championship Hoop Dance Contest.
Gabriel Pietrorazio/KJZZ
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Mateo Ulibarri in the teen finals at 2025 World Championship Hoop Dance Contest.
Gabriel Pietrorazio/KJZZ
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Tony Duncan in the adult finals at the 2025 World Championship Hoop Dance Contest.
Gabriel Pietrorazio/KJZZ
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Scott Sixkiller Sinquah in the adult finals at 2025 World Championship Hoop Dance Contest.
Gabriel Pietrorazio/KJZZ
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Talon Ree Duncan competes in the adult finals at 2025 World Championship Hoop Dance Contest.
Gabriel Pietrorazio/KJZZ
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Joseph Secody in the adult finals at 2025 World Championship Hoop Dance Contest.
Gabriel Pietrorazio/KJZZ
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Josiah Enriquez in the adult finals at 2025 World Championship Hoop Dance Contest.
Gabriel Pietrorazio/KJZZ
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Sky Duncan performing in the adult finals at 2025 World Championship Hoop Dance Contest.
Gabriel Pietrorazio/KJZZ
While a few came from Canada, most of them lived all around the Grand Canyon State from Dilkon and Kaibito in northern Arizona to the Valley and neighboring New Mexico, including defending world champion Josiah Enriquez from the Pueblo of Pojoaque just north of Santa Fe, who captured his second consecutive world title on Sunday.
This last weekend's 34th annual World Championship Hoop Dance Contest, with deep ties to the Southwest, has been elevated to another level for audiences, both in the arena and back at home.
2025 winners by division
More Tribal Natural Resources News
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