Nakotah LaRance facts for kids

Nakotah Lomasohu Raymond LaRance (born August 23, 1989 – died July 12, 2020) was a talented Hopi-Tewa hoop dancer and actor. He was also part of the Assiniboine, Navajo people, and Ohkay Owingeh tribes. Nakotah was a citizen of the Hopi Tribe of Arizona.

Early Life

Nakotah LaRance was born on August 23, 1989, in Barrow, Alaska. This town is now known as Utqiagvik. His parents, Marian Denipah and Steve LaRance, were both skilled jewelers and artists.

His family later moved to Flagstaff, Arizona. After that, they settled in New Mexico.

A Champion Hoop Dancer

Nakotah started dancing at a very young age. When he was just four years old, he began dancing as a fancy dancer. He quickly started competing in the youth division of the World Championship Hoop Dance Contest. This big competition takes place in Phoenix, Arizona.

In 2004, Nakotah even performed on a famous TV show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He showed off his amazing hoop dancing skills to a huge audience.

Winning Titles

Nakotah became a true champion in hoop dancing. He won the World Championship Hoop Dance competition many times. He won three titles in the youth division. He also won three more titles in the teenage division.

Later, as an adult, he continued his winning streak. Nakotah won the World Champion title three times in the adult division. These wins were in 2015, 2016, and 2018.

Performing with Cirque du Soleil

In 2009, Nakotah joined the famous Cirque du Soleil troupe. He became a main dancer for them. He traveled and performed with this amazing group for more than three years.

One of his big performances with Cirque du Soleil was in 2015. He danced at the opening ceremony of the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada.

Teaching Others

Nakotah also loved to share his passion for hoop dancing. He taught students at the Lightning Boy Foundation in New Mexico. He helped new dancers learn the art of hoop dancing.

Passing Away

Nakotah LaRance passed away at the age of 30 on July 12, 2020.