We've landed in Albuquerque, New Mexico! Having the pleasure of local seatmates on the flight west, I was advised to see if I could find a little time to stop by the recently expanded Indian Cultural Center just a short drive from the Sunport, as they call the airport there. So glad I did! As I experienced it, the Indian Cultural Center is the result of all 19 tribes of the pueblos of New Mexico joining together to present gallery space for their people as well as retail opportunities, workshops and lectures, an historical museum, small gatherings and festivals as well as demonstrations for the general public. While considering a beautiful piece of ceramic work, I was suddenly urged by the potter from Acoma (whose work it was) to go out into the middle of the rounded interior of the Center to witness the dancers assembled from another tribe. The middle courtyard-like space is fully visible from inside but I am so glad I went outside to witness the incredible dances demonstrated in the blazing heat and bright sunlight..the reflective quality of the garb worn as well as the intensity built by the drumming added a dimension that was critical to the full appreciation of the movement. The man you see here danced the full perimeter of a rather large sandy circle that radiated around a very tall wooden pole. He danced in this position three times 'round. At the very moment I thought that surely he would fallover from the heat and his awkward position, a woman dressed equally as stunningly danced out from somewhere hidden and gently touched the feathers on his headress. He immediately sprung up to full height to dance with her in a most complex pattern. At the end of each dance or the beginning of the next, the dancers spoke of the customs, beliefs, rituals and sacredness of the piece of dance we had witnessed, or were about to.... and shared that some were too sacred to be performed publicly. It seemed to be the goal of the entire center to offer visually rich experience in a very easily accessible way with the hope that greater appreciation and education would occur. It was a delightful place to begin my time in this place so very different from home.....