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