Shocking Truth Unveiled: Native Women – Both Heroes and Victims in Haunted ‘Fancy Dance’

In “Fancy Dance,” a powerful indie drama, Lily Gladstone delivers a riveting performance against the backdrop of reservation life in Oklahoma and the pervasive presence of white privilege. However, the absence of a missing Indigenous woman becomes a haunting focal point in the film. This narrative choice underscores the delicate balance that director and co-writer Erica Tremblay attempts to strike in her deeply reflective and personal feature directorial debut.

Tremblay, a Seneca-Cayuga filmmaker who has previously made documentaries and a remarkable short film featuring Gladstone titled “Little Chief,” brings an authenticity to “Fancy Dance,” co-written with Miciana Alise. The film captures the nuances of a place, including its comforting corners and daily humiliations. Beyond exploring the harsh realities faced by Native communities through the character of Jax (Gladstone)—a tough woman constantly searching for her sister and often close to self-inflicted trouble—Tremblay also portrays how resilient hearts endure in an indifferent world. This is particularly evident in the evolving relationship between an aunt and her niece.

The Story

Jax’s teenage niece, Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olsen), is effectively in her care after Roki’s mother, Tawi, a local strip club dancer, disappeared from the reservation two weeks ago. Tawi and Roki had been preparing a dance for an upcoming Tulsa powwow, and despite her aunt’s attempts to convince her otherwise, Roki—innocently smiling—remains undeterred. However, Jax, who guides Roki with lessons in petty theft, is just trying to shield her from a horrifying possibility. Amidst indifferent federal authorities and ineffective tribal police (including Jax’s brother), the search for Tawi increasingly seems to be Jax’s sole responsibility.

The situation deteriorates when Jax, who has a criminal record, loses Roki’s custody to her aloof white grandfather, Frank (Shea Whigham), who is trying to compensate for his past negligence. Frank and his wife (Audrey Wasilewski) show little interest in the culture Roki cherishes. So, under the pretext of taking Roki to the powwow to meet her mother, Jax commits her most significant crime—kidnapping—to keep Roki near and hopefully find out what happened to Tawi. Samantha Crain’s hauntingly evocative score of tribal voices and minimalist melodies serve as a spiritual guide during key moments.

Gladstone’s Performance

Gladstone’s repertoire of multifaceted Indigenous characters is among the most exciting in contemporary cinema, offering a much-needed response to the movie industry’s past mistakes of rendering such people invisible. Her portrayal of Jax—a queer character, vulnerable to her demons, yet dedicated to teaching Cayuga to Roki—is a compelling depiction of resilience and concern. However, it’s unfortunate that Roki’s character, as written, seems overly naïve. When not burdened with clumsy exposition in the form of her questions and beliefs, Deroy-Olsen’s youthful energy provides a good counterbalance to the internal turmoil of Gladstone’s Jax.

Script Issues

There are some issues with the script, such as the inconsistency of issuing an Amber Alert for Roki while emphasizing law enforcement’s indifference to missing Indigenous women. Despite this, Tremblay’s suspenseful narrative is effective, especially as it avoids sensationalism in favor of scenes that underscore the vulnerability of these lives.

Tremblay also critiques an inconsistent and careless justice system, including a particularly tense interaction with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent that concludes in an unexpected manner. However, the emotional climax that she carefully builds toward is what truly resonates. It serves as a poignant portrayal of how vibrant, ceremonial expressions of honor and happiness unite generations of Native women who have been given little reason to trust that others have their welfare at heart. In “Fancy Dance,” the crisis of missing individuals is prominent, but the cultural rites of closure should not be at risk either.