[Kenneth] When I grew up, I'd never see Native dance represented in the mainstream media.

♪ contemporary hip-hop with Native American vocals ♪ I still don't.

I started Indigenous Enterprise, trying to bring indigenous representation to new heights.

♪ contemporary hip-hop with Native American vocals ♪ [Blythe] It is also teaching our youth this way of life.

They still follow their teachings.

[Kevin] Any of them could be doing something else, but they decided to put their regalia on.

Those who came before us who weren't able to live like that, I know they're proud.

Hi, everybody.

My name is Kenneth Shirley.

We're here in Phoenix, Arizona, with Indigenous Enterprise for "If Cities Could Dance."

We hope you guys enjoy the show.

♪ contemporary hip-hop with Native American vocals ♪ ♪ electro tribal rhythms with Native American chanting ♪ [Kenneth] I do appreciate how much our culture's alive here in Phoenix as opposed to when I go to other cities.

You go to a mall, you'll see other Natives.

Drive on the freeway, on the 202, you'll see our Native artwork.

The Heard Museum's here.

♪ electro tribal rhythms with Native American chanting ♪ In Phoenix, there's so many indigenous tribes, 22 recognized tribes here.

My family is from the Navajo Nation.

I grew up goin' home to the reservation and going to ceremonies where I started dancing with my mom.

♪ Big Drum Song with Native chanting ♪ [Mary] When he was about two years old, I remember taking Kenneth to a powwow.

He'd heard the beat of this drum.

And I felt like the spirit of this drum really touched his heart.

And he wanted to dance.

And he wanted to dance.

And he wanted to dance.

♪ chanting ends ♪ ♪ wistful solo Native flute ♪ [Kenneth] Before Christopher Columbus, dancing and singing has always been part of our way of life.

♪ flute continues ♪ And then 100 years ago, Natives were getting thrown in jail and being prosecuted for what we're doing today.

♪ impactful Powwow repetitive drumming ♪ ♪ drumming continues ♪ For practicing our culture.

[Mary] My late father, who Kenneth is named after, he went through this process where they were trying to assimilate Native Americans.

He was also a survivor of residential schools.

He was taken from his parents and beaten for speaking his language.

In this assimilation process, he got to know a lot of Indian people from other tribes.

And he introduced me to intertribal gatherings, and I used to dance.

♪ powwow drum ♪ [Kenneth] Dancing, it just brings like a bliss.

♪ Powwow drum continues ♪ Just feels like very uplifting and really bringing that good blessing to myself and people that are watching.

And so, it's a healing dance for myself.

[Ty] In order to carry on that tradition, you have to get initiated.

♪ social song welcoming dancers from different tribes ♪ They bring you around the powwow circle and give you that right to dance and put on those feathers.

♪ Native American chanting and drumming ♪ [Jorge] What I enjoy most about a powwow is it's all nations coming together just to be together as a people, to exchange songs and to dance with one another and to learn from elders.

Like my instructor, Kevin.

♪ Native American chanting and drumming ♪ [Kevin] We can be so different.

We can have different beliefs, different language, different songs.

But we have that central common belief of a struggle, of love, and that unites us all together.

♪ Native American chanting and drumming ♪ [Ty] There's different cultural teachings behind these dances, these songs.

Every type of dance has its own secret story.

♪ trilling flute ♪ The Men's Prairie Chicken Dance, it's supposed to mimic the prairie chicken during its mating seasons, which is a little bit more fast-paced moving and more energetic.

A lot of footwork and the spinning around, and there's still that symmetrical to it.

♪ medium-paced Native American percussion ♪ [Blythe] The jingle dress originated from a woman named Maggie White.

Her father was sick, and she had a dream that she was wearing this dress that healed her father from being sick.

♪ medium-paced Native American percussion ♪ [Kenneth] I do the Men's Fancy War Dance.

It's supposed to be, like, representative of a horse.

So when you're seeing, like, my style of dancing, it's kind of more upbeat and high energy.

My footwork is supposed to be keeping up with that beat.

♪ drum beat triplets ♪ [Jorge] What makes the hoop dance stand out is all of the images that are made with the hoops themselves.

♪ drum beat triplets continue ♪ You also have to spin while you're dancing in place.

♪ drum beat triplets fade ♪ [vintage film projector sound] [Blythe] There is a lot of misrepresentation out there.

Old Hollywood movies, like John Wayne.

The indigenous communities aren't represented, or when we are represented in the media, it's not the way we want it.

[film projector click] ♪ contemplative composition with flute ♪ [Jorge] Our mission as Indigenous Enterprise is to make an impact for the youth to show that Native culture should be celebrated.

That there are role models to look up to and to strive to be whatever you want to be.

♪ flute fades ♪ ♪ driving electronic beats ♪ [Kenneth] I want Indigenous Enterprise to be huge.

We did the presidential inauguration, NBA Finals.

We did Sydney Opera House.

We did World of Dance.

We're going there representing all Native Americans.

If we do a good job, it's gonna open doors for other Native people to be like, "Hey, these guys killed it.

We should give other Natives a chance."

♪ driving electronic beats ♪ [Ty] Now these younger generations looking up and seeing that Native Americans are on these different platforms doing big things.

♪ driving electronic beats ♪ ♪ peaceful, reflective Native American flute ♪ [Mary] I'm so amazed, and I'm so proud of my son.

"Nizhóní."

"Beautiful" in our Navajo language.

Kenneth is living his prayer.

Our Indian people, once upon a time, they prayed for you.

♪ Native American flute continues ♪ [Kenneth] My grandpa would always say, like, "When you go to ceremonies and you pray for stuff that you want in your life, you've got to meet your prayer, like, halfway.

You can't just expect things to happen.

You got to go and put the work in.

Follow your prayer."

♪ Native American flute fades out ♪ Thank you once again for joining us in Phoenix, Arizona for "If Cities Could Dance."

[Blythe] Don't forget to like and subscribe and comment down below where you think we should go next.

♪ energetic electro rhythms and Native American percussion ♪ Accessibility provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

(KQED sonic ID)