Why do Indians dance around totem poles?

Answer 1

The American Indians "Amerinds" danced because they told stories through it.

It was to them an entertaining way to pass on the tribes legends .Tribes were also very much into communicating with thy re ancestor spirits for many reasons. By dancing they manifested energy to use in magical ceremonies. This is the reason for many of the dances that have been forgotten or no longer practiced due to the boarding schools that prohibited the use of native language which in turn severed communication with the ancestor spirits .The ancestor spirits don't understand English They only understand the languages that they knew when they died , which would be their native tongue.

Answer 2

If the Calusa did it at all, it was because it was dark and dancing in the pitch dark, outside the light of the fire, might result in all kinds of accidents.

The Calusa were moreover not noted for this kind of dancing, which is anyway almost totally an invention of old Hollywood movies. Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda, an early chronicler of the Calusa, only talks of them holding processions with priests and singing women, and of people dressed up as devils running through the villages, making loud animal noises.

Answer 3

Natives dance are done in circles or round dances because the natives consider the symbol of the circle sacred. A circle is to represent 'circle of life'.

Answer 4

I'm sorry to say that you have watched too many movies. Generally speaking Native Americans dance around the drum pit (drum circle) not a fire.