Shirley Sneve
ICT
Father’s Day brings joy to a Chickasaw family.
Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate beams with pride when he talks about his son, Heloha Tate, and the 12-year-old artist’s accomplishments. This summer, he’s studying at the Joffrey Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, University of Oklahoma and the Florida Ballet School.
The young dancer received lessons by the infamous Diné dancer, Jack Soto, while they were both in New York.
Soto was a principal dancer, the highest-ranking dancer in a ballet company, with the New York City Ballet. He retired in 2005. This was the first time these two generations of Native American ballet dancers met in person, after years of zoom, phone calls and following each other though social media.
Last summer Heloha was awarded the first Jock Soto Scholarship, which is dedicated to supporting the cost of dance training and helping young dancers continue pursuing their dreams.
“To know that he is a Native American and that I am also, I’ve been around for 61 years, I was just so happy to hear that another Native became a ballet dancer,” Soto said. “It’s just, it’s very, very rare.” Heloha is the first young Native male dancer that Soto has met through his long and storied career.
Soto was in New York teaching at the NY Community Ballet and he saw Heloha rehearse.
“I was watching my choreography being done by the two dancers I’m working with, and, of course, my eye just went right to him,” Soto said.
He worked with Heloha during every break.
“I went over to the bar and I started correcting him and telling him he had to do this and fix this and do this and hold his arm there. And he was very receptive and I was very, very happy to see that,” Soto said.
Music and dance are family traditions. Heloha’s grandfather was an attorney and a classically trained pianist and baritone. His mother was a professional choreographer and dancer. A profile of the father-son duo was featured on Chickasaw TV last September. For Father’s Day, the ICT Newscast will feature that piece.
Heloha, whose name means “thunder” in the Chickasaw language, has been dancing for seven years. He’s the only male his age dancing with the Oklahoma City Ballet.
While ballet is his career goal, he excels in music, playing the French horn, cello, piano and singing. In fact, he’s joined his father, Jerod, on stage many times.
“Heloha has all the qualities of being a dancer. He’s got beautiful feet, nice legs for a 12-year- old,” Soto said. “I hope that he keeps it up.”
