Friday concert to raise money for Round Dance

A concert Friday at the Carson Colony Gym will help raise money for the sixth annual Red Hoop Round Dance, a Native American festival to celebrate family and friends.

Friday’s concert will be a mix of musical genres, including country, rock, R&B, flute and traditional Native American.

“We wanted a variety of music,” said Martin Montgomery, lead singer for the Red Hoop Singers and one of the organizers of the Round Dance. “We brought together a lot of different musicians.”

Proceeds from the concert, which includes dinner, will go to support the Red Hoop Round Dance at the Dresslerville Gym in Garderville on March 21-22.

“In Native culture, the Round Dance is just a way for everybody to get together during the winter months,” Montgomery said. “We sing and dance. We have a big dinner. We celebrate our lives and all the good stuff in them.”

It’s also a time for remembering.

“We pay homage to relatives that have gone on before us,” he said.

This year’s dance will be dedicated to Jaron Malone, who sang with the group for more than 15 years and died in a car accident last year.

“He was just an all-around good guy,” Montgomery said. “He had a good spirit. He had an open mind and good heart, just a good friend.”

Both the concert and the Round Dance are open to the public.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Montgomery said.

The group also will celebrate its 20th year during the Round Dance.

“It’s our way to give back to the community and bring everybody together,” he said.