Fancy Dance ending explained: Is Tawi dead?

Fancy Dance, a new movie on Apple TV+ focuses on how indigenous people face disadvantages in American culture. This movie was released in the U.S. on June 21, 2024, and follows a woman named Jax (Lily Gladstone) and her adolescent niece named Roki (Isabel DeRoy-Olson). The title highlights how they struggle to find Roki's mother Tawi, who has been missing for two weeks.

In the end, it is revealed that Tawi is dead and her body is recovered from a nearby lake. While this is a heartbreaking moment in the film, it also gives her family closure.

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What is Fancy Dance about?

Fancy Dance starts in the serene outdoors as viewers are introduced to Jax and Roki. They were both raised on the Seneca-Cayuga Nation Reservation, which is reserved for people of the Seneca-Cayuga Indigenous tribes. The residents' lives appear to have been made easier by the area and the tribe's protected status because they are guaranteed assistance from the FBI and are recognized by the federal government, however, this is far from the truth.

In the film, Jax is revealed to be Roki's aunt and she teaches the youngster some tips to survive in the wild outdoors. The plot takes a turn when the former's sister, who is Roki's mom, Tawi, has been missing for two weeks.

The synopsis of the title reads:

"Following her sister's disappearance, a Native American hustler kidnaps her niece from the child's white grandparents and sets out for the state powwow in hopes of keeping what is left of their family intact."

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Who is Tawi and what happened to her in the Fancy Dance?

Tawi has not been seen for the last two weeks and is believed to be missing. The authorities do not go far enough in their search for her, despite Jax's best efforts, and have consistently hinted that she might have fled the reservation.

Despite Tawi's half-brother JJ working for the tribal police department, which was established especially to support indigenous people, no significant efforts are made to ascertain what happened to Tawi.

Jax has been looking after Roki since Tawi vanished and has been lying to her about her mother's whereabouts. Roki is ecstatic about her mom's impending return and hopes to dance with her like she does every year.

Unable to find her sister, Jax is forced to organize search parties with her friends and acquaintances. When Child Protection Service officers refuse to grant her official custody of Roki due to her criminal record, she becomes even more distraught.

Instead of staying on the reservation, the young girl is sent to live with Frank, the father of Jax and Tawi, who resides in a nearby city. With this, Roki is forced to leave her culture and everyday life. To ensure she grows up among her own people and to bring her back to the reservation, Jax decides to take drastic measures while continuing her search for her sister.

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What happens at the end of Fancy Dance?

At the very end of Fancy Dance, Tawi's disappearance is finally solved. Jax manages to piece together information about her sister's recent sighting with a man in a red truck. She met this man when she started working with a local drug dealer to earn some extra money.

While the reason for her death remains unclear, the man got violent and killed Tawi in his red truck. He dumped her body in the nearby lake and the police later discovered her remains there.

Since Tawi technically died before the events of the movie, her character is never seen on screen. However, her tragic story highlights how difficult life can be for indigenous women.

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Directed by Erica Tremblay, Fancy Dance is currently streaming on Apple TV+.