Though this dance can be performed at any time of year, the most common time for it is early spring. Because the eagle flies very high, it is believed to be able to send messages between heaven and earth. Traditionally, the dance is performed when divine intervention is desired, as when rain is needed. Some believe the dance was originally part of a larger, ancient ceremony in the spring, when prayers were sent upward on behalf of the new crops. The eagle dance is also central to healing ritual, the feathers worn by the dancers believed to have special healing powers.
The dance depicts the life cycle of the eagle, and the dancers wearing eagle feathers portray the bird itself. A group of male dancers in feathered war bonnets play drums and sing while they dance. A couple of central dancers, dressed as eagles, are the focus. In their dance they imitate the eagle by turning, flapping and swaying. The dancers stamp the ground in rhythm with the drumming, appearing to soar and glide in the heavens.
Eagle feathers are sacred objects to the Hopi, and are treated with great reverence. They aren't allowed to touch the ground, and if one should be accidentally dropped it must be picked up by a tribal elder. The ceremonial ornaments decorated with eagle feathers are considered to have healing powers.
In the past, feathers were obtained by raising a young eagle to maturity, then ceremonially killing it for its feathers. But today, since bald eagles are a protected and endangered species, those who use the feathers must apply for a special permit. When a dead eagle is found, the National Fish and Wildlife Service give the feathers to those who need them.