Festival - World Arts West

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MORE EVENTS
750 INSPIRING
PERFORMING ARTISTS
JOIN US
NEW LOCATIONS:
- Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley
- Yerba Buena Center
for the Arts, San Francisco
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We are honored to feature at the center of this year’s
programs the re-emergence and return of the Ohlone,
We are honored
to feature
at the center of this year’s
native people of San Francisco, who many erroneously
This year, we walk out on a limb towards
realizing
our dream
FG<E@E>:<I<DFE@<J
assume to have been driven to extinction.
programs the re-emergence and return of the Ohlone,
of
presenting
the
San
Francisco
Ethnic
Dance
Festival
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native people of San Francisco, who many erroneously
our dream
Ohlone people lived on these lands for many millennia
assume to have been driven to extinction. N<GIFL;CP before 1775 when the first European ship arrived.
throughout the city and regionally.
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In 1776, life changed drastically when the Hispanic
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in multiple new venues,
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before 1775 when the first European ship arrived.
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In 1776, life changed drastically when the Hispanic
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Empire established the Mission in San Francisco.
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Within six weeks, all of the Ohlone that were living
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in what is now San Francisco were decimated,
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scattered, or brought into service at the Mission.
The approximately 20,000 Ohlone people who had
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been living in the Bay Area at this time were reduced
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to less than 2,000 by 1810.
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In the Missions, the Ohlone were strictly prohibited
9l\eX:\ek\i]fik_\8ikj=fildXe[P\iYX9l\eX>Xi[\ej\m\ekj%
from practicing their ceremonies, and many of their
dances and songs were lost, as well as much of their
8ck_fl^_dlZ__XjZ_Xe^\[k_`jp\Xi#n_Xki\dX`ejZfejkXek`jk_\afp
language. Their numbers continued to decline and in
Xe[Z\c\YiXk`fek_Xkn`cckflZ_k_fljXe[jf]c`m\j#Zfee\Zk`e^g\fgc\
1834, Mexico ended the Mission system and most of
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the remaining native people in San Francisco, including
DXppflY\Xj`ejg`i\[Ypk_\Xik`jkjXe[k_\`ijkfi`\jXjn\Xi\#
ancestors of the Rumsen Ohlone Tribe, moved south
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to Carmel.
When the United States defeated Mexico in 1848
and took control of California, the Ohlone were never
N\Xi\`ek_\ki\d\e[fljcpZ_Xcc\e^`e^gfj`k`fef]jk`cce\\[`e^]le[`e^
recognized by the government. At that time, the
kfd\\kk_\\og\ej\jf]Zi\Xk`e^Xe[gi\j\ek`e^k_`jp\XiËj=\jk`mXc%
murdering of native people was common and the
Rumsen Ohlone fled to Southern California, where
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they could more easily survive, working on ranches.
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Gc\Xj\ZXcc+(,%+.+%*0(+`]pflZXeXjj`jklj%K_Xebpfl Today, the Rumsen Ohlone Tribe lives in and near
Pomona, California, under the leadership of Tony
Cerda. The 2,000 members continue to sustain their
cultural traditions, and although the United States
government refuses to acknowledge the existence of
the Ohlone, we invite you to join with us in celebrating
their return to San Francisco, sharing the joy and
beauty of their culture.
Their return to San Francisco will include a ceremony
and performance at San Francisco City Hall, a
traditional healing ceremony at Yerba Buena Gardens
—which was an ancestral Ohlone burial ground—and
a culminating Festival appearance at Yerba Buena
Center for the Art’s Novellus Theatre by the Rumsen
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Ohlone Tribe’s Humaya
Singers and Dancers.
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Join us for a very special Opening Ceremony
and performance honoring the Rumsen
Ohlone Tribe, including the presentation of the
Empire established the Mission in San Francisco.
Festival’s annual Malonga Casquelourd Lifetime
Within six weeks, all of the Ohlone that were living
in what is now San Francisco were decimated,
Join
us for a very special Opening Ceremony Achievement Award to the tribe’s Chairman
Tony Cerda, a descendant of Head Chief Sumu,
scattered, or brought into service at the Mission.
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When the United States defeated Mexico in 1848
and took control of California, the Ohlone were never
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recognized by the government. At that time, the
murdering of native people was common and the
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they could more easily survive, working on ranches.
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Pomona, California, under the leadership of Tony
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the Ohlone, we invite you to join with us in celebrating
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Come take part in an historic event honoring
the Ohlone, including performances, rituals,
ceremonies, and craft presentations hosted
by the Rumsen Ohlone Tribe and including
participatory opportunities for the public
throughout the day. The Ohlone will be joined
by members of other California tribes, including
the Elem Indian Colony Tribe, Pit River Maidu
Tribe, Winnemum Wintu Tribe, Shingle Springs
Miwok Tribe, Stewarts Point Kashaya Band of
Pomo, and Manchester Pomo Tribe.
their return
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by the Rumsen Ohlone Tribe and including
You can find out more about the Ohlone at
traditional healing ceremony at Yerba Buena Gardens
participatory
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ohloneprofiles.org, the website of the Ohlone
—which was an ancestral
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Yerba Buena
throughout
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in San Francisco for an ongoing Ohlone cultural
Center for the Art’s Novellus Theatre by the Rumsen
by
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Ohlone Tribe’s Humaya Singers and Dancers.
the Elem Indian Colony Tribe, Pit River Maidu
Tribe, Winnemum Wintu Tribe, Shingle Springs ;\j`i\\DlefqXe[Kfep:\i[Xf]Ildj\eF_cfe\Ki`Y\
Miwok Tribe, Stewarts Point Kashaya Band of
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You can find out more about the Ohlone at
ohloneprofiles.org, the website of the Ohlone
Profiles Project, an organization building support
in San Francisco for an ongoing Ohlone cultural
presence.
;\j`i\\DlefqXe[Kfep:\i[Xf]Ildj\eF_cfe\Ki`Y\
This year, we walk out on a limb towards realizing our dream
of presenting the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival
throughout the city and regionally.
While the Palace of Fine Arts Theater was our home for the past 23 years,
the massive Doyle Drive construction project impacted our ability to
continue to present the Festival there. The result was an opportunity to
bring this year’s Festival to three new locations and share the incredible
breadth of cultures with even more audiences via performances at Zellerbach
Hall on the campus of UC Berkeley, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in
downtown San Francisco, and San Francisco’s City Hall.
These new venues also provide us the opportunity to listen to our artists
and our audiences, who wanted more depth and involvement with each other.
This year’s Festival includes exciting events that utilize the strengths of
the new venues while adding more participatory events to our “classic”
Festival programming. We invite everyone to join in the dancing, at the Yerba
Buena Center for the Arts Forum and Yerba Buena Gardens events.
Although much has changed this year, what remains constant is the joy
and celebration that will touch thousands of lives, connecting people
and building community.
May you be as inspired by the artists and their stories as we are,
and join us for an outstanding Festival season.
FESTIVAL SPONSORS NEEDED
We are in the tremendously challenging position of still needing funding
to meet the expenses of creating and presenting this year’s Festival.
Sponsorship and donation information is available online at
www.sfethnicdancefestival.org.
Please call 415.474.3914 if you can assist us. Thank you!
We are honored to feature at the center of this year’s
programs the re-emergence and return of the Ohlone,
native people of San Francisco, who many erroneously
assume to have been driven to extinction.
WE PROUDLY
FEATURE
THE RETURN
OF THE
OHLONE
Ohlone people lived on these lands for many millennia
before 1775 when the first European ship arrived.
In 1776, life changed drastically when the Hispanic
Empire established the Mission in San Francisco.
Within six weeks, all of the Ohlone that were living
in what is now San Francisco were decimated,
scattered, or brought into service at the Mission.
The approximately 20,000 Ohlone people who had
been living in the Bay Area at this time were reduced
to less than 2,000 by 1810.
In the Missions, the Ohlone were strictly prohibited
from practicing their ceremonies, and many of their
dances and songs were lost, as well as much of their
language. Their numbers continued to decline and in
1834, Mexico ended the Mission system and most of
the remaining native people in San Francisco, including
ancestors of the Rumsen Ohlone Tribe, moved south
to Carmel.
When the United States defeated Mexico in 1848
and took control of California, the Ohlone were never
recognized by the government. At that time, the
murdering of native people was common and the
Rumsen Ohlone fled to Southern California, where
they could more easily survive, working on ranches.
Today, the Rumsen Ohlone Tribe lives in and near
Pomona, California, under the leadership of Tony
Cerda. The 2,000 members continue to sustain their
cultural traditions, and although the United States
government refuses to acknowledge the existence of
the Ohlone, we invite you to join with us in celebrating
their return to San Francisco, sharing the joy and
beauty of their culture.
Their return to San Francisco will include a ceremony
and performance at San Francisco City Hall, a
traditional healing ceremony at Yerba Buena Gardens
—which was an ancestral Ohlone burial ground—and
a culminating Festival appearance at Yerba Buena
Center for the Art’s Novellus Theatre by the Rumsen
Ohlone Tribe’s Humaya Singers and Dancers.
OPENING CEREMONIES
SAN FRANCISCO
CITY HALL ROTUNDA
Friday, June 3 at 12pm
Join us for a very special Opening Ceremony
and performance honoring the Rumsen
Ohlone Tribe, including the presentation of the
Festival’s annual Malonga Casquelourd Lifetime
Achievement Award to the tribe’s Chairman
Tony Cerda, a descendant of Head Chief Sumu,
who visited the Spanish ship in 1775 off Angel
Island in the San Francisco Bay.
CALIFORNIA INDIAN
BIG TIME GATHERING
YERBA BUENA CENTER
FOR THE ARTS
FORUM AND GARDENS
Saturday, June 18
from Noon-11pm
Come take part in an historic event honoring
the Ohlone, including performances, rituals,
ceremonies, and craft presentations hosted
by the Rumsen Ohlone Tribe and including
participatory opportunities for the public
throughout the day. The Ohlone will be joined
by members of other California tribes, including
the Elem Indian Colony Tribe, Pit River Maidu
Tribe, Winnemum Wintu Tribe, Shingle Springs
Miwok Tribe, Stewarts Point Kashaya Band of
Pomo, and Manchester Pomo Tribe.
This will be the first Big Time
hosted by Ohlone on their land
in over 200 years.
You can find out more about the Ohlone at
ohloneprofiles.org, the website of the Ohlone
Profiles Project, an organization building support
in San Francisco for an ongoing Ohlone cultural
presence.
Desiree Munoz and Tony Cerda of Rumsen Ohlone Tribe
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The drums act as an extension of the voice
in this dance encompassing drumming
repertoire from the Fon-Ewe people of Benin
and the Anlo-Ewe people of Ghana. Passed
down from one generation to another for
centuries, this powerful dance expresses
themes of divinity and community well-being.
Choreographed specially for the Festival, this
impressive and hopeful work features nearly
100 artists united by the inspiring legend of
Ta‘aroa, the Tahitian god of creation, who
broke out of Rumia, the shell, representing
a breakthrough journey towards freedom,
enlightenment, and a
brighter future.
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Dances and rituals from the Subanen people
of Lapuyan, Zamboanga in the Philippines
feature dancers leaping onto a sinalimba,
a type of swing, which represents a mythic
vessel used for journeying.
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Synergy is created when
bharatanatyam, a classical
dance from Southern India,
meets taiko, Japanese
drumming and dance,
resulting in a high-energy,
lively interplay between
two ancient art forms.
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With awe-inspiring
finesse, eight female belly
dancers pay tribute to the
elegance of the golden age
of cinema. Tradition meets
modernity with razor-sharp
hip isolations, astonishing
balances, and energetic
shimmies, creating
a flirtatious and deeply
feminine experience.
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From the Balinese village of Ngis,
flower petals cast from ceremonial
bowls symbolize a blessing and a
prayer offering, while flower petals
tossed from the trains of skirts are a
symbolic cleansing calling for health,
safety, and peace throughout
the world.
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San Francisco’s second oldest dance
company performs an intimate,
barefoot milonga style of flamenco
from Spain, with quiet, dreamlike choreography utilizing
the bata de cola (long
train skirts), and exploring
essential characteristics
of identity and being.
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With exciting percussive footwork and
gorgeous swirling dresses, three dances
influenced by Spanish, Caribbean, and
African cultures express the exuberant
zest for life in Veracruz, Mexico.
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n_\i\ZfdgXe`\ji\gi\j\ek`e^[`]]\i\eknfic[[XeZ\
Xe[dlj`ZkiX[`k`fejn`cc^`m\Xj_fikg\i]fidXeZ\#
]fccfn\[YpXe`em`kXk`fe]fiXl[`\eZ\jkfaf`ek_\d
fek_\[XeZ\Õffi]fiXÈ]\\k$feÉ\og\i`\eZ\%
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The Four Seasons of Edo is a tranquil and
dignified dance elegantly expressed by
women wearing ornate kimono and katsura
(traditional wigs). The beauty and serenity of
old Japan is subtly portrayed in the graceful
movements of the dancers’ sensu (fans).
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A flowing silk scarf represents a soul in this
dance melding Korean and Chinese culture,
clearing away evil spirits and assisting the
newly departed to pass into paradise.
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A high-spirited suite of American dances
features an energetic square dance and an
intricate Appalachian clogging dance, with
roots in English, Irish, German, Cherokee,
and African American steps and formations.
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kXb\Z\ek\ijkX^\n`k_k_\]fccfn`e^
g\i]fidXeZ\j1
The diversity of Persian dance is represented
by both folkloric and celebratory Qashqa’i
and Nouveau Classical, giving rise to an
imaginary world filled with magical creatures.
The accompanying live music is as diverse,
featuring the sorna, a double-reed woodwind; the dahol, a large bass drum; and the
santur, a 72-stringed hammered dulcimer.
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In Gampang, a Filipino Subanen riverside
ritual—accompanied by the agong, kulintang,
durugan, sigitan, and tambol instruments—
blessings are sought for good health,
harmonious living, bountiful harvest, and
protection for the community.
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8eX]k\ieffef]jldd\ijfcjk`Z\
]\jk`m`k`\jn`k_k_\]fccfn`e^
g\i]fidXeZ\j1
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J\bXiAXpX W
Cfn`ZqXe`\Gfc`j_=fcb
<ej\dYc\f]JXe=iXeZ`jZf
Teruna Jaya (The Victorious
Youth) is one of Bali’s most
beloved dance masterpieces,
inspired by the unparalleled
energy and emotional
expressiveness of youth,
from playfully flirtatious
and coy to powerful and
fearless. Gamelan Sekar
Jaya, an ensemble hailed
as the finest outside of
Indonesia, will present this
piece just as performed in
the village of Peliatan.
A variety of dances are set to well-known and
beloved folk melodies from Eastern Poland
and the territories of current-day Belarus and
Ukraine, influenced by the myriad of cultures
that inhabit the area.
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pineapples perched on their shoulders,
representing the harvested fruit from the
Papaluapan region of Oaxaca, Mexico.
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In their Festival debut, this English/American
company offers two different dance forms:
a traditional, athletic Morris and an English
style longsword, combined with Americaninfluenced stepping.
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In a glorious pageant of color, women
dressed in beautiful huipiles dance with
Enclosed in a circle of elevated mountains
is the magical world of Anáhuac. With the
sounding of a conch shell and the fierce
beating of drums, the Aztecs rise to take their
place on the battle field in The Fight of Anáhuac.
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898;Ý$:Xgf\`iXJXe=iXeZ`jZf
G\i]fidXeZ\Kiflg\
Presented by an intergenerational cast of
renowned local and international music, dance,
and martial artists, Spirit of Brazil takes us on
a non-stop journey into the powerful athletic,
musical, and ceremonial aspects of AfroBrazilian capoeira, maculelê, and percussion.
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An all-women embodiment of the masculine
energy of Shango, the orisha (Yoruba deity)
of thunder and lightning, presents a dance
tradition brought to Cuba and Brazil by
enslaved Africans, accompanied by sacred
bata drums and songs of praise and prayer.
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G<I=FID8E:<J=i`[XpXk/gd#JXkli[XpXk).gd!#Jle[XpXk*gd
9XiXe^Xp;XeZ\:fdgXepW
The Tausug’s serene nature is reflected in
the ancient pangalay dance of the Southern
Philippines’ Sulu Archipelago, characterized
by fluid, eloquent movements amplified by
janggay, elongated brass fingernails.
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PlgË`b<jb`dfJ`e^\ijXe[;XeZ\ij
Mystical and transformative, this ancient Central
Yup’ik Eskimo dance is from Kuskokwim Bay,
Bering Sea, Alaska, and includes evocative,
prayerful song accompanied by the graceful
fluttering of the dancer’s spirit hands.
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The evolution of the Roma people, and the
way their culture has been influenced by their
existence as a migrant population, is reflected
in this dance incorporating traditional
movements from Hungary and Transylvania
(Romania) with energetic, contemporary styling.
A magnificent raks al sharki from an exquisite
dancer, who skillfully interprets richly layered
music through intricate isolations in this fastpaced belly dance rooted in the Egyptian
cabaret tradition.
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The Korean Shaman Dance is a ritualistic
cleansing of the spirit in which the shaman
becomes an intermediary between the
human and the spirit worlds, communicating
with the aid of brass cymbals (bara), large
fans, and bells streaming with brightly
colored ribbons.
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Inspired by traditional rituals of the Gola
people of Liberia, the powerful dance
Breaking of the Poro Bush depicts boys being
welcomed into their community as men after
seven years spent in the forest learning about
strength, endurance, and pride.
In Tahitian tradition, it is the responsibility of
each generation to cherish and protect their
beautiful environment, from the majestic
mountain peaks to the white sand beaches
and crystal blue waters. This message
resonates in a joyful celebration created
specially for the Festival.
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The crossroads of rural Ireland come to
the stage with the Slip Jig, Irish Whooley,
and more in an authentic Irish gathering,
accompanied by fiddle, bodhran (Irish frame
drum), accordion, banjo, and concertina.
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Lord Krishna dances with gopikas, beautiful
maidens, in this rich kuchipudi piece, a
fascinating Indian dance form that combines
the intricate, graceful movements of classical
dance with narrative theatrical elements and
vivid dramatic expression.
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This suite of dances evokes the festivity of
being in Plaza de Armas in Guadalajara,
Mexico in the mid-19th century, incorporating
many social dances and traditional sones
of the time, played by the lovely musical
ensemble Conjunto Perla.
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Support
the Festival!
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The Benefit begins at 7pm and tickets are
$125 and $50, based on seating location.
$125 ticket includes a special hors d’oeuvres
reception from top Bay Area restaurants from
6-7pm, and free entrance to the 9:30 Pasión
dance party in the YBCA Forum.
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The evening continues from 9:30–11pm
in the YBCA Forum with a program titled
Pasión, featuring sultry dance sure to
turn up the heat, with performances by
the following companies, and plenty of
opportunities to get up and join the dancing
late into the evening:
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En La Fiesta Santiagueña presents a suite of
lively dances from the province of Santiago
del Estero, Argentina. These playful games
of love in the norteño style highlight men’s
footwork and the coy manipulation of the
women’s skirts.
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This contemporary Argentine tango is a
dramatic exhibition duet, choreographed
to Amorando—written by one of the great
musicians of the Golden Age of tango, Osvaldo
Pugliese—and featuring the characteristic
senses of melancholy, longing, and power.
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To this day, many flamenco singers refuse to
perform La Petenera, believing it brings bad
luck, but this flamenco dance, one of the
oldest forms from Andalucia in Spain, offers
an irresistible combination of slow, fluid
movements with vigorous bursts of sharp
poses and intense footwork.
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Elegantly dressed men and women perform
romantic, graceful movements to the sounds
of a marinera band in this enticing dance
from Peru.
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The Festival’s producer, World Arts West,
is a non-profit organization serving as the
hub of the extraordinary ethnic dance
community in the San Francisco Bay Area.
We work with over 450 local dance companies,
representing many thousands of artists who
are sustaining important cultural traditions
from around the world. We help artists
share their cultural traditions while creating
opportunities to access and learn about
dance, increasing both appreciation and
cultural literacy. Our work is credited for
creating the most vibrant dance community
in the world, while serving as the nation’s
model for building bridges of cultural
understanding between diverse communities.
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The powerful beat of the
Petwo drums creates a fiery
mood on the eve of the
Haitian revolution, one of
the most important events
in Haitian folklore and the
impetus for the uprising
of enslaved Africans and
the defeat of powerful
colonial forces.
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Flamenco dancers celebrate
the spirit of community as
they sing and dance about
walking the Road to Zaafra.
The solid rhythms of this
piece from the Extremadura
region of Spain are rooted in
Roma culture and enhanced
on stage by the cajón, a
wooden box drum.
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Spring has sprung in this
Han majority dance from
China where the dancers’
fans flash like butterflies
and their umbrellas twirl like
brightly-colored flowers in a
fresh breeze.
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A feast of elegant motion expressing the many
facets of love abound in this gorgeous suite of
hula ‘auana, modern hula from Hawai‘i.
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A vibrant dance paying tribute to the legacy
left in Peru by women of African descent,
the Afro-Peruvian zamacueca has spawned
a multitude of dance styles throughout the
Americas and has been a unifying force in
Latin America, mixing African, indigenous,
and Spanish cultures.
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Staying true to classical Cambodian roots,
Caressing Nostalgia pushes the boundaries
of tradition by transforming classical
gestures and movements to express a
sentimental yearning for a treasured past.
A cellist accompanies the dancer, playing
original Western classical style music in
combination with Khmer poetry in song.
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This harvest dance from the Shona people of
Zimbabwe teaches the importance of family
and community through a cautionary tale.
Men imbibe from clay pots, women carry out
the day’s work while balancing seed-filled
baskets on their heads, and ancestors are
invited to visit and share their wisdom in a
poly-rhythmic conversation.
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From a delicate sword dance to the rhythmic
Dance of the Finger Cymbals, seventeen
female belly dancers perform three dynamic
dances from renowned choreographers
Jamila and Suhaila Salimpour.
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Land and Liberty! A journey through northern
Mexico during the revolution features corridos,
poetic and narrative songs with political
meaning, and powerful dances that capture
the solidarity and bravery of that period.
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MORE EVENTS
750 INSPIRING
PERFORMING ARTISTS
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nnn%j]\k_e`Z[XeZ\]\jk`mXc%fi^
JOIN US
NEW LOCATIONS:
- Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley
- Yerba Buena Center
for the Arts, San Francisco
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New York Times
33rd ANNUAL
“What surely nobody could miss—
the transcendent element—
were the joy in performance
and the intricate professional skill…”
- Alastair Macaulay,
SAN FRANCISCO
ETHNIC
DANCE
FESTIVAL
Spanning five weeks
in multiple new venues,
this Festival speaks
from the heart of
our community.
World Arts West / Fort Mason Center / San Francisco, CA 94123
SAN FRANCISCO
ETHNIC DANCE FESTIVAL
June 3–July 3, 2011
MORE EVENTS
750 INSPIRING
PERFORMING ARTISTS
ORDER YOUR
TICKETS NOW
www.sfethnicdancefestival.org
JOIN US
NEW LOCATIONS:
- Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley
- Yerba Buena Center
for the Arts, San Francisco
Dancers left to right:
Yup’ik Eskimo Chuna McIntyre,
Maricris Macabeo and Jet Tagle
of Parangal Dance Company, and
Rumsen Ohlone Jessie Peralez