ELLISVILLE — Some local residents learned the beauty of Choctaw dances during a gathering at West Ellisville Baptist Church Thursday.

Members of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians’ Bogue Homa Choctaw Social Dancers of Sandersville participated in the church’s monthly Senior Adult Ministry (commonly referred to as the Joy Club) luncheon.

Pearlier Thomas, who works with the Cultural Affairs Program with the Mississippi Choctaw Indians and coordinates the Bogue Homa Choctaw Social Dancers, said dancing is a tradition for Indians.

Choctaw dances are intended for participation and not performance, she said.

Thomas, who has been working with the dance group for about 11 years, said traditional dance fosters a pride in being Choctaw.

“We usually go to schools and community events,” she said. “We love to dance. We have children ages three and up. We include all people.”

Monzo Anderson, leader of the dance group, said dancing allows the group to exercise it’s tradition. He said he “likes dancing because it’s our heritage.”

According to Choctaw Indians’ literature, contemporary social dance groups represent most of the Choctaw communities and their styles of dancing will often reflect their community of origin. Sometimes the difference may be in a dance step, other times, in the chant.

Only rarely are actual Choctaw words heard in the chants. The dancers are led by the rise and fall of the chanter’s voice. The chanter usually keeps time by striking together a pair of sticks, called striking sticks.

Hugh King, a chanter from the Conehatta Reservation in Newton County, chanted for the group Thursday.

Choctaw dances also exemplify a spirit of cooperation, because of the way the chanters, dance leaders and dancers work together. There are three kinds of Choctaw dance: war dances, social dances, and animal dances that recognize creatures that were important to the Choctaw people.

Thursday, the dancers presented the Jump Dance, War Dance and Snake Dance.

Five-year-old TeAnna Thomas said she especially likes doing the “snake dance and mosquito dance.”

Twelve-year-old Tamaran Thomas said she loves dancing.

“I’m suppose to be going to the Slow Pitch World Series in Tupelo today, but I had to come here first,” Tamaran Thomas said. “I just like dancing. I started when I was 18 months old and have just stayed with it.”