| Inuit art has been introduced to the non-Arctic | | | | to carve a dancing bear, the price of such an Inuit |
| world for several decades now and has enjoyed | | | | carving would generally be a bit higher compared |
| a nice climb in stature as a fine art form. | | | | to a comparable walking bear. The Inuit art |
| Throughout the years, Inuit stone carvers have | | | | market has accepted this fact and collectors are |
| changed their artwork a bit as a result of market | | | | willing to pay more for nice dancing bear carvings |
| feedback and demand. Generally speaking, they | | | | as evidenced by their popularity. |
| managed to make artistic changes in response to | | | | Other Nunavut communities such as Iqaluit also |
| the market without losing the northern Arctic | | | | have carvers who produce excellent dancing bear |
| spirit of their Inuit art form. Inuit art stone | | | | carvings now. Some carvers have demonstrated |
| carvings have become larger and more polished | | | | such wild imaginations by adding drums made of |
| compared to those early primitive looking carvings | | | | caribou antler to bear carvings resulting in drum |
| that made their debut in the commercial art | | | | dancing bears. Talk about giving a wild animal a |
| market years ago. | | | | human characteristic! Others have turned other |
| One of the later innovations in stone carvings | | | | Arctic animals such as walruses and seals as well |
| from the Inuit art world was the dancing bear. | | | | as objects such as the Inuit inukshuk into |
| The Inuit carvers from Cape Dorset in Nunavut | | | | balancing dancing versions. A few carvers have |
| sometimes added humor and play into their | | | | produced dancing bears which have the ability to |
| artwork. They gave animals such as polar bears | | | | balance on either the right or left hind leg. In an |
| some human like characteristics. Instead of | | | | effort to elevate the skill levels and artistry even |
| carving polar bears only in walking positions or | | | | further, polar bears have been carved in |
| other poses often seen in the natural wild, the | | | | handstanding positions balancing on both or even |
| carvers began to make the bears in upright | | | | one front paw. Sometimes these are known as |
| positions standing on one hind leg. This pose | | | | diving bears. |
| represented the polar bear in a happy state of | | | | Interestingly enough, the Inuit carvers in some |
| dancing and celebration. Some carvers claim that | | | | regions such as Nunavik (northern Quebec Arctic) |
| dancing bears represent a form of shamanism | | | | and the western Arctic have not added dancing |
| and transformation between a human and a bear. | | | | bears to their subjects portfolios. They have |
| But the market generally sees these carvings as | | | | chosen to focus and excel on other aspects of |
| happy bears. | | | | Inuit art such as hunting scenes involving human |
| The dancing bear carving elevated the skill | | | | subjects or miniature Inuit camps using ivory. The |
| requirement of the Inuit carver because the | | | | dancing bear carvings are generally produced in |
| entire stone carving had to be balanced on one | | | | the central Nunavut region but it will be interesting |
| leg of the bear without toppling over. This | | | | to see if other Arctic regions will produce their |
| balancing act in carving was not a project for the | | | | own versions of balancing carvings as a result of |
| beginning carver. Because of the skill level required | | | | market demand. |