Usually a weekend gathering, a pow-wow (Algonquian for “gathering”) features dancers in a variety of colorful outfits representing different aspects of Plains culture.  Dancers compete in different categories as well as participate in social and honor dances.  Pow-wows are held across the country and have become a pan-tribal experience.  Casinos will sponsor pow-wows providing significant promotion, prize money and appearance fees for singing groups. 

Southern-style pow-wow features men sitting around a horizontal hide drum which they will beat in unison. Southern-style singers sing in a faster tempo and lower range than Northern-style with women standing behind the men singing in a very high, keening accompaniment. Dance types are similar to Northern-style excepting the jingle dress.  Southern-style pow-wow songs are derived from the peoples of Oklahoma and lower Plains states.

Round Dances can be performed by at the pow-wow but can also be performed separately, notably at all night winter social gatherings (particularly among the Canadian peoples).  The Round Dance is a triple beat song performed by either an individual singer on a hand drum or by groups of singers each playing a hand drum. The Cree of Canada add a finger nail rub to the back of the drum between drum beats to create a syncopated rasping sound that helps accent the dance rhythms.

The Round Dance is a circle dance for communal dancing as well as courting music for couples.  Lyrics about love and courting and can be in Native languages or English.