Annual Ethnic Dance Festival
June 12 & 13, 2010 • Saturdays at 2 pm & 8 pm; Sundays at 2 pm
Palace of Fine Arts Theatre in San Francisco
Mexican Bicentennial Tribute (Mexico) – Special Festival Commission
WORLD PREMIERE
This special commission commemorates both Mexico’s Bicentennial and the 100th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution. It focuses on Mexico’s revolutionary heroines, courageous women soldaderas. This inspiring new work brings together acclaimed choreographer Zenón Barrón and dancers from six local companies:
Ballet Folklórico Alma de México of South San Francisco
Ballet Folklórico de Carlos Moreno
Compañia Mazatlán Bellas Artes
Ensambles Ballet Folklórico de San Francisco
Los Lupeños de San José
Grupo Folklórico Raíces de Mi Tierra
Hearan Chung (Korea)
WORLD PREMIERE
In this traditional dance from Korea, a shaman channels spirits in a dramatic attempt to send the soul of a playful child to the next world, but the soul mischievously escapes being captured.
Natyalaya (India)
WORLD PREMIERE
Originating in Indian classical dance and narrative drama, this kuchipudi piece celebrates the goddess Parvathi, the Divine Mother, using fast rhythms, vivid expressions, and complex yet delicate movements.
Tara Catherine Pandeya/Doira va Raqs (Uzbekistan & Uyghur Autonomous China)
WORLD PREMIERE
A young woman playfully attempts to find the sweetest grapes, showcasing movement from Uzbek and Uyghur dance, and accompanied by extraordinary master drummer Abbos Kosimov on the Uzbek percussive instrument, the doira.
Rara Tou Limen (Haiti)
Powerful rada drums begin this depiction of an initiate’s Kanzo ceremony into the Vodou tradition of Haiti, where dancing and drumming become a channel of communication with the Lwa—spiritual entities—and the ancestors.
LIKHA-Pilipino Folk Ensemble (Philippines)
Two dances from the Philippines’ Northern Luzon showcase the dexterity of Kalinga women handling and balancing banga (earthenware pots) on their heads, accompanied by mesmerizing live music, including gansa (gongs), pattangok (bamboo drums), flute, and song.
Eszterlánc Hungarian Folk Ensemble (Transylvania)
This energetic piece offers a glimpse into Hungarian village life with traditional celebratory dances and song from the Magyarszovát region, performed in beautiful authentic costumes with live music passed down through many generations.
Halau o Keikiali‘i (Hawai‘i)
WORLD PREMIERE
A stunning ancient Hawaiian hula tells the story of the Goddess Hi’iaka, Pele’s sister, as she battles fiercely with the divine ancestors—rain, wind, lightning, and earthquakes—during her journey to fetch Pele’s lover Lohi‘au from Kaua‘i.
Mona Sampath Dance Company (India)
WORLD PREMIERE
Inspired by the haunting melodies of A.R. Rahman’s Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack, The Shapes of Dreams is a journey through the movement of Bollywood dance, combining Indian classical, contemporary, and folk dance forms with modern dance and hip hop.