As students ate cranberry sauce and gravy-covered turkey in the Marvin Center Tuesday, the loud beat of a drum heralded a different type of freshman feast.

The Red Crooked Sky dance troupe performed several dances and songs at Columbian Square in celebration of Native American History Month. They wore face paint, as well as traditional head dresses and clothing made from colorful feathers, beads and animal fur.

“The drum has a heart of its own and we supply it,” said Keith Colston, emcee of Red Crooked Sky. “We honor it, giving it life with a beat.”

Keith Anderson, leader of the group, said he hoped the show would not just be a source of entertainment, but “inspire further learning” about American Indian culture.

“I learned that the dancer relates every step to a meaning and there are traditional and modern elements to everything in Native American life,” said freshman Ajshay Barber.

The show mixed modern American Indian life with traditional customs, as three college-age drummers in baggy jeans, striped polo shirts and Yankees hats chanted and drummed traditional musical accompaniment for the dancers.

“We have regular lives,” said drummer Keith Cox, 21. “We just also keep our culture alive.”

Though there are only several dozen American Indian students at GW, the performance still sparked an interest among students of all backgrounds.

“It’s funny because we’re both Mexican-Indian, but we didn’t even know it was Native American History Month,” said freshman Madeline Marquez. “Now we want to do more things like this.”

More than a dozen volunteers joined in on the final dance, holding hands as Ugg boots and traditionally decorated moccasins stepped in unison.