FAIRBANKS - The Lakota Indians of the American West have a long history. The story of the Sioux is a carefully woven fabric of hard fought battles against man and nature, subsequent relocation to the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota and today’s struggle to balance tradition with modern-day living.

The Sioux tell their stories in many ways. They use their feet for exuberant interpretive dancing, their hands for thunderous drumming, and their powerful and wistful voices for singing. The Lakota are known for their vibrantly colored regalia with detailed beadwork and abundant feathers and for their haunting melodies in their ancient songs and narratives, both of which tell a vivid story of struggle, perseverance and affection. The name “Lakota” translates to a friendly, affectionate people.

The nationally renowned Lakota Sioux Dance Theatre will share the story with the Fairbanks community Tuesday evening inside the Hering Auditorium. Tickets are available through the Fairbanks Concert Association, which is bringing the Lakota group back for a second performance with some added perks for the public.

“This is the pre-eminent Native American dance company performing today,” said Anne Biberman, executive director for the Fairbanks Concert Association. “Ethnic dancing is very popular with our audiences, and I advise people to come Sunday for a sneak preview.”

As a special welcome for the Lakota Sioux Dancers, the Fairbanks Concert Association will host a community-wide potluck at the David Salmon Tribal Hall at 4 p.m. Sunday. Anyone attending should bring a side dish to share. Alaska main dishes like moose stew and other Alaskan meats will be provided.

“It’s going to be a very special occasion,” Biberman said. “It’s a true culture sharing event because we’re bringing together our own diverse local population and getting to know the Lakota Sioux on a more intimate level.”

Come prepared to eat, dance and sing in the company of others as the potluck will include a variety of Indian and Native performances from the Young Native Fiddlers, the Inu Yupiaq Dance Group, Pavva Inupiaq Dancers of Fairbanks and Soaring Eagle Drum. Students from Effie Kokrine Charter School’s Early College Native Dance class will also give a solo performance along with the Lakota Sioux Dance Theatre.

The grand performance will be at 8 p.m. on Tuesday in the Hering Auditorium. The Lakota Sioux performance will not only keep feet stomping and hearts pounding with the thunderous drum beats but also a festival for the eyes.

Bringing in culturally diverse performances has been an ongoing goal for the concert association, Biberman said.

“We have such a large-scale, diverse community,” she said. “We really want to serve all of the community.”

There are two things Biberman said she knows the community values about the concert association, one, that the organization does a good job at bringing high-quality performances to Fairbanks and, two, that the organization offers a wide variety of programming.

“It’s fun to look around at audience members of our various shows and see who we attract,” Biberman said. “It’s a different crowd every time and that tells me we’re serving a wide variety of tastes.”

For those new to the art of native dance, Biberman advises to come with an open heart and be prepared to be wowed by the performance.

“For me, every time I walk into a performance with a little skepticism, I am blown away and always touched with the experience of seeing something new. It’s been one of the biggest joys and privileges of this job.”

IF YOU GO

What: Lakota Sioux Dance Theatre

When: 8 p.m., Tuesday

Where: Hering Auditorium, at Lathrop High School

Tickets: Available at Grassroots Guitar, www.alaskatix.com or by calling 490-2858