For nearly a century Native American Indians have been amazing and delighting tourists from all over the world with their costumes, dances, songs and narrative at the Manitou Cliff Dwellings.  Indian dancers performed here when the Cliff Dwellings was first opened to the public in 1907.

Some of the first dancers

A family tradition
Members of the Tafoya family have been dancing here since 1916. The oldest member of the recent dancers insists that he is not one of the original dancers (he's only about half a century old). The Tafoya family kept ancient traditions alive at the Manitou Cliff Dwellings with their drumming, singing and dancing. Most recent performers included Bob Swift Eagle Tafoya - leader of the dancers - his sons Bob Jr. and Dillon, and nephew Kenny.

From left to right: Bob Swift Eagle, Mike Little Deer,
Bob Running Deer, Joe Whitecloud and Kenny White Mountain.

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Manitou Cliff Dwellings Museum, P.O. Box 272, Manitou Springs, Colorado 80829
GPS Address:  10 Cliff Dwellings Road
719-685-5242 / 800-354-9971

Copyright 2010