GOLDTHWAITE — The Texas Botanical Gardens & Native American Interpretive Center’s annual Prairie Experience has become a signature celebration of culture, community, and conservation. Each year, guests are immersed in unforgettable performances that bring the past into the present. Last year, six-time World Champion Hoop Dancer Tony Duncan captivated guests with stories of nature, life, and the universe spun from hoops.

This year, the spotlight turns to another powerful storyteller—Nan Blassingame—a citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, whose art moves seamlessly between fashion runways and powwow arenas. Based in Austin, Texas, she is a fashion designer, cultural educator, and community leader whose influence spans from classrooms to runways.

As the creative force behind the fashion label Native American Notions, Blassingame designs contemporary clothing inspired by powwow traditions, particularly the Buckskin, Fancy Shawl, and Jingle Dances. Sewing since the age of 14, she channels history and storytelling into garments that carry the rhythms of Native life.

Beyond fashion, Blassingame has dedicated decades to cultural preservation through education. She leads programs with Great Promise for American Indians and the Native American Cultural Center, helping to organize the Austin Powwow—one of Texas’s largest annual celebrations of Native heritage. She is also a frequent presenter in schools and community events, where she uses dance and design to teach new generations about Native American identity, creativity, and continuity.

Her artistry has reached national stages. In addition to showcasing her work at the Austin Intercultural Fashion Show, she has brought Native voices and visions to New York Fashion Week, where she appeared with hiTechModa at the National Geographic Encounter in Times Square. Her creations have been exhibited at the Bullock Texas State History Museum and featured by Austin Community College as a vital part of Texas’s living cultural landscape.

Through each stitch, step, and story, Nan Blassingame affirms that Native culture is not just to be remembered—it is to be celebrated, lived, and carried forward.

For Prairie Experience 2025, Nan Blassingame will immerse guests in three traditional dances, each carrying deep cultural meaning. The Buckskin Dance, one of the oldest women’s dances, embodies dignity, strength, and heritage through the grace of deerskin, beadwork, and fringe. The Fancy Shawl Dance, often called the “butterfly dance,” bursts with color and energy as shawls lift and swirl, symbolizing rebirth and transformation. Finally, the Jingle Dance, known as the healing dance, fills the air with the melodic sound of metal cones, carrying prayers for health, wellness, and community healing. Together, these performances weave reverence, vitality, and hope into an unforgettable experience.

Nan will also showcase three dresses from her latest collection, offering guests a rare opportunity to see how traditional inspiration is carried into innovative contemporary design.

Guiding the evening will be Layton and Teresa Black as Master and Mistress of Ceremonies. Beloved for their warmth, wit, and ability to connect with the audience, the Blacks will ensure the night flows seamlessly—from welcoming guests to the live auction led by Certified Auctioneer Rex Tackett. Their presence adds a sense of community and continuity, making guests feel both at home and part of something larger than themselves.

Don’t miss this unforgettable gathering—tickets sales close on September 12!