The structure of Bone Dance reflects its themes. It is nonlinear, shifting in point of view between Alex and Lonny, moving between the past and the present. The novel is separated into two balanced parts: "The Spirits" and "The Legacy." The first section moves between locations, in and out of time, to describe the haunting of Alex and Lonny by visions and ghosts. In the second section, Alex moves to her father's cabin and the two young people find themselves by coming to terms with themselves as products of their heritage.

Brooks makes extensive use of motifs to link characters and moments. In her efforts to respect the First Nations motifs, she does not provide a great deal of detail but she does honor the world view. One of her book's prominent motifs is the buffalo.

Alex's grandfather tells her she has buffalo hair. The buffalo...