Family shares its culture by dancing
The family, known best as Morning Star, travels the world performing American Indian dances and has done so since Gary and his wife, Angela, who is Hopi, married. Fields has been adopted into the Chinook, Cree and Lakota tribes.
"In some way, we're not as busy," said Gary Fields. "I'm not pushing as much. I had to choose between performing and teaching, but our family is involved, all of our family. This summer we'll be getting the newest one — Amaia — an outfit."
With eight children performing, it's hard to believe they're not very busy.
Jacob, 17, is already famous for his intricate hoop dances. He's also in the dance company and on the ballroom dance team at Orem High School along with doing ballet with Rocky Mountain Ballet Company.
"Jacob is the real dancer. He's into it the most," said his father.
The oldest daughter, Socorro, is on the Brigham Young University ballroom dance team.
The family is a regular attraction at the World Folkfest in Springville each summer, dressed in beaded, fringed costumes, feathers and bells, with Gary Fields beating the drums.
Joshua, 15, is catching up to his brother with the hoops but is really more into sports.
Sonrisa, 10, dances with Susanna.
Joseph, 7, is already handling multiple hoops on stage, and 5-year-old Mary hops in costume in front of an audience with no fear.
"Our little ones grow up hearing the rhythms and songs. It's our immediate family and my wife's sisters, my wife's mother and her brother, Carl, and his family. Keeping the shoes, the costumes and the classes straight is a challenge," Fields said. "My wife is the coordinator."
The family has performed as part of the Armed Forces Entertainment Tour for the past decade to countries that include Norway, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Bosnia, Cosovo, Spain, Greece and Turkey. They were featured in the Winter Olympic Games 2002 opening ceremony.
"We perform at United States and NATO bases, at Department of Defense schools and embassies," Gary Fields said. "We've just been invited to do a show in Athens just below the Acropolis. We still get these kind of invitations.
"We're entertainers who educate. My wife says we're a true nonprofit organization," he said. "We do a lot of programs for no charge. On others, we make a little bit, but more importantly, this gives our kids a chance to interact and to meet others from other cultures and countries."
If you go ...
What: Utah Prehistory Week event featuring Morning Star
Where: BYU Museum of Peoples and Cultures, 105 Allen Hall, Provo
When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., May 10
Cost: Free
Phone: 422-0020
E-mail: haddoc@desnews.com
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