2008 Living Traditions Local Perfomers

• 2008 Featured Peformers
• Schedule: Friday May 16
• Schedule: Saturday May 17
• Schedule: Sunday May 18
• Full list of performers

FRIDAY, May 16th (north stage)

TOCCATA
Chinese Dance
Friday, May 16, 5:00-5:30 p.m.
North Stage
Utah has a large and active Chinese community.  Under the leadership of Fay Fay Ye, Teens of Creative, Classical and Traditional Arts (TOCCATA) presentsChinese dance at community celebrations like Chinese New Year, and for festivals and celebrations year-ound.

German Chorus Harmonie
German Music
Friday, May 16, 5:45-6:15 p.m.
North Stage
Particularly in the mid-twentieth century, Utah had a number of organizations that helped German-speaking immigrants to feel at home in their new country.  Some groups addressed social functions, some were fraternal organizations and businesses such as credit unions, and others celebrated the cultural aspects of German heritage.  The German Chorus Harmonie, performing traditional German songs was founded almost forty years ago.

Fraternidad El Salvador
Salvadoran Dance
Friday, May 16, 6:30-7:00 p.m. 
North Stage
El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America, renowned for its rich volcanic soil and lush vegetation.  Here in Utah, several Salvadoran community organizations join together as Fraternidad El Salvador to perform their traditional folk dances.

Venezuela Cantando
Venezuelan Music
Friday, May 16, 7:15-8:00 p.m.
North Stage
Accompanied by friends, the Garcia family is at the heart of this performing group that plays traditional Venezuelan music.  Originally from Barquisimeto in Venezuela, the Garcias program a diverse performance including Caribbean-style drumming from the Lake Maracaibo region, Andean music from the western mountain regions, and music from the plains and savannas where the “plains harp” (harpa llanera) originated.

FRIDAY, May 16th (south stage)

Desert Wind
Jewish/Israeli Music
Friday, May 16, 5:00- 5:45 p.m.
South Stage
Band leaders Alan and Andalin Bachman are members of Chabad of Utah and Congregation Kol  Ami.  Their performances include special musical services for Congregation Kol Ami, Orthodox weddings, Purim Festivals, Chanukah celebrations as well as at private functions such as Orthodox weddings and Bar and Bat Mitzvahs.  At the Living Traditions Festival, Desert Wind will be playing music from the Chassidic, Jewish mystical and Israeli traditions. The performance begins with a blast from the shofar, an ancient hornused by Jews at special occasions for thousands of years.

Chris Dokos Band
Greek Music
Friday, May 16, 6:00-6:30 p.m.
South Stage
Utah’s vibrant Greek heritage dates back to the late 19th century, with a strong immigration pattern primarily related to jobs in the mining and railroad industries.  Music, dance and cultural tradition in general have helped Utah’s Greeks maintain and reinforce their ethnic identity.  For over twenty years, the Chris Dokos Band has supported the community by playing dance music for Greek celebrations across the Intermountain West, at festivals, church gatherings, weddings and private parties.

Lac Viet Band
Vietnamese Music
Friday, May 16, 6:45-7:15 p.m.
South Stage
Under the direction of master musician, Lan Nguyen, this ensemble of Vietnamese musicians performs the traditional music of their homeland.  Lan Nguyen has traveled extensively through her native Vietnam to collect authentic examples of the traditional music in order to preserve it for future generations.  She has adapted western-style music notation to teach performance, presenting the heritage of this Southeast Asian country to American audiences. 

LIKHA
Philippine Dance
Friday, May 16, 7:30 -8:15 p.m.
South Stage
The Philippine Islands have been at the political and religious crossroads of Southeast Asia for centuries, with such wide-ranging cultural influences as Chinese, Spanish, Malaysian and Indonesian.  Consequently the folklore is rich and diverse.  LIKHA is a cultural organization that works to perpetuate their Philippine heritage here in Utah.

Salt Lake Russian Performing Group
Russian Music
Friday, May 16, 8:30-9:00 p.m.
South Stage
Salt Lake’s Russian community dates back to the 1980s when many Russian immigrants arrived as refugees from the former Soviet Union.  Today Utah’s Russian community is vibrant, religiously diverse and culturally active.  The SLC Russian Performing Group maintains ties to their homeland through the performance of folk songs and traditional Russian choral music. 

Utah Hispanic Dance Alliance
Latino Dance
Friday, May 16, 9:15-10:00 p.m.
South Stage
Under the direction of Jessica Salazar, the Dance Alliance is composed of dancers, teachers, and choreographers from local Hispanic folkdance groups.  Because the dancers in this group share their own traditions while learning those of other Latin American countries, the performances represent a diversity of Latin American ethnic dance traditions.

Saturday, May 17 (North Stage)

Liberian Culture Troupe
Dances of Liberia
Saturday, May 17, 12:00-12:30 p.m.
North Stage
Among the newest residents in Utah are refugees from the West African country of Liberia.  They have recently organized community celebrations including Liberian Independence Day, and have formed an ensemble which celebrates Liberian culture in dance and song to share their heritage with their descendants born in Utah

Chinese Performing Arts Group
Chinese Dance
Saturday, May 17, 12:45-1:15 p.m.
North Stage
Utah has one of the oldest Chinese communities in the United States and recent immigration has further contributed to its growth.  Rachel Yee directs the Chinese Performing Arts Group which performs traditional folk dances to assist in the preservation of Chinese culture in Utah.

Wesleyan Tongan Church of America in Utah Brass Band
Tongan Music and Dance
Saturday, May 17, 1:30-2:15 p.m.
North Stage
European and American colonizers in Polynesia brought with them the sounds and instruments of the traditional brass band in the 18th and 19th centuries.  As performed by the Wesleyan Tongan Church of America in Utah Brass Band, the music is a fascinating blend achieved over time of traditional Tongan tunes and melodies with European influence.

Swiss Chorus Edelweiss
Swiss Music
Saturday, May 17, 2:30-3:15 p.m.
North Stage
The Swiss Chorus Edelweiss was recognized with the Governor’s Cultural Heritage Award in 1988   and has been performing in Utah for over seventy years.  The chorus performs songs in all the national languages of Switzerland, accompanied by such traditional instruments as accordions and a full ensemble of ten-foot long alphorns. 

Kausachun Peru
Peruvian Music & Dance
Saturday, May 17, 3:30-4:15 p.m.
North Stage
The group Kausachun Peru presents regional folk dances from their native Peru, specializing in the dances that come from the high Andes Mountains. Everyone in the group is a native Peruvian and they have been dancing as an ensemble in Utah since 2002.  Jaime Alvaro provides the musical accompaniment.

Los del Sur
Music of South America
Saturday, May 17, 4:30-5:15 p.m.
North Stage
The music of Los del Sur comes from the pampas of Argentina and Uruguay, the Andes Mountains of Peru and Bolivia, the jungles of Colombia and the savannas of Venezuela.  The members of this group hail from different countries and blend their folkloric traditions for a musical tour of South America. 

Tongan Singers of Utah
Tongan Music & Dance
Saturday, May 17, 5:30-6:00 p.m.
North Stage
This group serves Utah’s Tongan community by performing at important community functions including festivals, weddings and funerals.  They present old-style Tongan songs, often incorporating traditional dance into their performances.

Okinawa Kenjinkai
Okinawan Dance
Saturday, May 17, 6:15-6:45 p.m.
North Stage
Okinawa is the main island of the Ryuku archipelago located near the far south of Japan, about 800 miles from Tokyo in the Pacific Ocean.  Remote from mainstream Japanese culture, these islands have their own distinct heritage and traditions, as demonstrated by the Okinawan Kenjinkai.

New Zealand-American Society
Maori Dance
Saturday, May 17, 7:00-7:45 p.m.
North Stage
The Maori people are indigenous to New Zealand, believed to have migrated from Polynesia in canoes between the ninth and thirteenth centuries. Here in Utah, the New Zealand American Society represents the heritage of the native New Zealanders and their families.  The Maori dance traditions are both rhythmic and dramatic.

Saturday, May 17 (South Stage)

Salt Lake Scots
Scottish Music
Saturday, May 17, 12:00-12:45 p.m.
South Stage
The Salt Lake Scots, founded in 1962, represent the Scottish bagpipe tradition with pride and flair.  Over the years the band has appeared in numerous parades, programs and competitions in this country and abroad, winning awards and representing Utah’s Scots traditions.

Hui O Hawaii O Utah
Hawaiian Dance
Saturday, May 17, 1:00--1:45p.m.
South Stage
Utah's Hawaiian Civic Club, Hui O Hawaii O Utah, was organized in 1985 to preserve Hawaiian culture in Utah and to instill in future generations a knowledge of and respect for their cultural heritage.  The dance forms are familiar to many and evocative of the island culture they represent.

Rinceori Don Spraoi
Irish Dance
Saturday, May 17, 1:55-2:20 p.m.
South Stage
Rinceori Don Spraoi, pronounced “Rinkory don Spry,” is Gaelic for “dancing for fun.”  This group is a non-competitive, nonprofit group that revels in promoting Irish culture in Utah. 

PAAU
Philippine Dance
Saturday, May 17, 2:30-3:00 p.m.
South Stage
The Philippine Islands have been at the political and religious crossroads of Southeast Asia for centuries, with such wide-ranging cultural influences as Chinese, Spanish, Malaysian and Indonesian.  Consequently the folklore is rich and diverse.  The Philippine-American Association of Utah (PAAU) is a social and cultural organization that works to perpetuate the Philippine heritage here in Utah.

Poleviyaoma Hopi Group
Hopi Dance
Saturday, May 17, 3:15-3:30 p.m.
South Stage
The Hopi people come from a group of small villages or pueblos in northeast Arizona.  Their pottery and kachina-making is world renowned.  They also have a very rich heritage of music and dance, as performed by the Poleviyaoma Hopi Group and rarely seen outside their traditional homeland.

Rastko Serbian Dancers
Serbian Dance
Saturday, May 17, 3:40 -4:00 p.m.
South Stage
Utah’s Serbian population dates back to the late 19th century when immigration swelled due to the abundance of employment opportunities in Utah’s booming industrial and mining economies.  Another wave of immigration followed the breakup of the Yugoslav federation at the end of the 20th century and the Rastko Serbian Dancers provide a fresh addition to Utah’s Serbian community. 

Sewa Cultural Dance Troupe
Dance of Sierra Leone
Saturday, May 17, 4:10-4:30 p.m.
South Stage
Sierra Leone is a small country in West Africa.  In the past few years Sierra Leonean refugees have been settling in Utah, keeping their culture alive through the Association of Sierra Leoneans in Utah.  The Association meets regularly to provide cultural support and sponsors the Sewa Cultural Dance Troupe.

Latin Dance Heritage
Latin American Dance
Saturday, May 17, 4:45-5:30 p.m.
South Stage
With a cast of dancers native to various Latin American countries, Latin Dance Heritage presents a wide selection of traditional dance styles from a multitude of nations. Bolivian native Orlando Zurita directs this ensemble of experienced folkloric dancers who are well known performers of ethnic dance in Utah.   

Kanamu Productions
Tahitian Dance
Saturday, May 17, 5:45-6:15 p.m.
South Stage
Tahiti is one of the largest islands in French Polynesia, and its residents retain much of their traditional culture to this day.  Although members of this dance troupe perform many other Polynesian styles of dance, they specialize in presenting the dances of their director’s native home, the island of Tahiti. 

Vientos del Sur
Dances of Southern South America
Saturday, May 17, 6:30-7:15 p.m.
South Stage
Dancers in Vientos del Sur, “Winds from the South,” come from the southernmost countries of the Americas including Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay.  As these immigrant communities grow in Utah, the children learn the traditions of their homelands and are an important part of the performing ensemble.

Dionysius Greek Dancers
Greek Dance
Saturday, May 17, 7:30-8:00 p.m.
South Stage
The Dionysius Greek Dancers attend either the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox or Prophet Elias Church and all of the members are of Greek heritage.  This group performs at community celebrations, including the annual Greek Festival, church functions, and cultural events throughout the region. 

Hispafric
Music & Dance of Equatorial Guinea
Saturday, May 17, 8:15-8:45 p.m.
South Stage
On the west coast of Africa, Equatorial Guinea is one of the smallest nations on the continent. There the Macias family learned the popular styles of contemporary African dance, and the folk songs which they sing both in their tribal language of Fang and in Spanish, the national language introduced during European colonization.

Ballet Folklorico Citlali & Sol de Jalisco Mariachi Band
Mexican Music & Dance
Saturday, May 17, 9:00-10:00 p.m.
South Stage
Under the direction of Martin Marquez, Ballet Folklorico Citlali performs dances from many Mexican states including some from native tribal traditions. Citlali performs with live accompaniment by the Sol de Jalisco Mariachi band.

Sunday May 18th (North Stage)

Samakee Lao Dancers
Laotian Dance
Sunday, May 18, 12:30-1:00 p.m.
North Stage
The Samakee Lao Dancers help keep the culture of their Southeast Asian country alive in Utah by performing at community events like the Laotian Water Festival that celebrates the Laotian New Year.  These dancers present classical dance forms that are centuries old.

The Best of Central African Dance
Dance of Congo & Burundi 
Sunday, May 18, 1:15-1:45 p.m.
North Stage
Recent immigration by refugees from Rwanda, Burundi and Congo has engendered a community of people who gather to celebrate their Central African heritage here in Utah. These dancers perform a mix of modern, popular dances, and dances of traditional tribal origin

KlezBros
Jewish Klezmer Music
Sunday, May 18, 5:30 - 6:15p.m.
North Stage
Modern Klezmer music has its musical roots in the Jewish communities of Eastern
Europe and was brought to the United States by immigrants in the 1880s.  The name Klezmer is said to mean “vessel of music,” and is often considered an invitation to dance, hence its popularity at weddings, bar mitzvahs and other community celebrations. 

Kenshin Taiko Group
Japanese Music
Sunday, May 18, 3:00-3:30 p.m.
North Stage
Taiko drumming requires the combined skills of musicianship and choreography and is becoming a prominent symbol of Japanese culture in America.  Sponsored by the Japanese Church of Christ in Salt Lake City, the Kenshin Taiko Group represents a centuries-old drumming tradition that has been adapted for presentation to modern audiences.

Utah ‘Ko Triskalariak
Basque Dance
Sunday, May 18, 3:45-4:15 p.m.
North Stage
After the turn of the 20th century, Basques immigrated to Utah to work as sheepherders.  Today, the Intermountain West has one of the largest concentrations of Basque people found anywhere in the world.  All the dancers in Utah ‘Ko Triskalariak are of Basque descent. 

Salt Lake Capoeira
Brazilian Music & Capoeira
Sunday, May 18, 4:30-5:00 p.m.
North Stage
Capoeira is a very physical, gracefull artform that mixes martial art with music and dance.  Originally practiced by Brazilian slaves to fight for freedom, today capoeira is a symbol of Brazilian identity.

Sunday May 18th (South Stage)

Scottish Country Dancers
Scottish Dance
Sunday, May 18, 12:00-12:20 p.m.
South Stage
Scottish country dancing originated in Scotland, but by the end of the 20th century it became a form of recreational dance that is popular around the world.  With Utah’s strong Scottish heritage, it is not surprising that there is more than one Scottish country dance group, and today the Celtic Country Dancers and the Salt Lake Scottish Country Dancers perform together.

DiDinga Hills of Sudan
Sudanese Music & Dance
Sunday, May 18, 12:40-1:00 p.m.
South Stage
Utah has a growing community of refugees who belong to the DiDinga Tribe of southern Sudan.  Music and dance are important elements in sharing the stories and cultural heritage of their people. This group meets weekly to practice their cultural traditions which were endangered by the escalating war in Sudan.   

Anatolian Band 
Turkish Music
Sunday, May 18, 1:15-1:45 p.m.
South Stage
Anatolia is the name of the geographic peninsula between the Black and Mediterranean Seas where the Republic of Turkey is located.  The members of the Anatolian Band are all natives of Turkey who now live in Utah, and they play traditional dance music and tunes learned while growing up in Turkey.

Khemera Cambodian Dancers
Cambodian Dance
Sunday, May 18, 2:00-2:30 p.m.
South Stage
Cambodian classical dancers trace their choreography to carvings of celestial dancers on temples dating back a thousand years.  Their earthly counterparts—dancers of the Kingdom of Cambodia—have for centuries been linked both to religious beliefs and the monarchy.  People of Cambodian heritage have lived in Utah for almost three decades.

Tarek Omar and Rajab Juma
Music of North Africa and the Middle East
Sunday, May 18, 2:45-3:15 p.m.
South Stage
The Arabic-speaking people of North Africa share many traditions with the people of the Middle East.  This is evident in their styles of music which range from old traditional songs to more contemporary styles.  Tarek Omar and Rajab Juma have been playing Middle Eastern music at private parties and public festivals in Utah for over twenty years. 

Anton Family Band
Lebanese Music
Sunday, May 18, 3:30-4:00 p.m.
South Stage
The Lebanese community has had a presence in Utah since the turn of the 20th century.  In 1996, John and Helen Anton received the Governor’s Folk Art Award for perpetuating Lebanese music and culture in Utah.  Although we mourn Helen’s recent passing, we celebrate the three generations of family members who continue to play for community functions including weddings and celebrations at St. Jude’s Maronite Church. 

Utah Tibetan Community
Tibetan Music & Dance
Sunday, May 18, 4:15-4:45 p.m.
South Stage
Tibetan settlement in Utah dates to the early 1990s when a small group of Tibetans relocated to Salt Lake.  They have since brought their families and friends, and have started numerous restaurants and businesses.  The perpetuation of Tibetan music and dance traditions helps local Tibetans keep their culture alive and reinforce their heritage with their children.

Kolo Bosnian Dancers
Bosnian Music & Dance
Sunday, May 18, 5:00-5:45 p.m.
South Stage
Recent Bosnian immigration has increased their presence in Utah to nearly 8,000 people.  The American Bosnian & Herzegovinian Association meets monthly and presents an annual festival where the Kolo dancers and musicians are featured.  Under the direction of Edin Curic, the Kolo dancers have toured Western communities from Las Vegas to Seattle.

Banda Samaki
Brazilian Music
Sunday, May 18, 6:00-6:45 p.m.
South Stage
Brazilian music is famous throughout the world for its African-influenced musical styles of Samba and Bossa Nova. Banda Samaki helps keep Brazilian culture alive in Utah by performing in local restaurants, at festivals, and Brazilian community events. 

Sunday, May 18, 3:00-5:00 PM
Southwest Lawn
Pow Wow Demonstration
Native American Dancers & Singers

Intertribal pow wows have become popular all across North America because they are lively social gatherings providing Native Americans the opportunity to gather and share music, dance and cultural traditions.  Regardless of race or ethnicity, everyone is welcome at a pow wow; respect for tradition and diversity is required.  Many of Utah’s finest Native American singers, drummers and dancers come together to present the many components of a traditional pow wow, and they will explain the background and importance of maintaining these traditions in modern times.