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Victory e-Mag

Pacific Northwest folklife festival 2015

5/22/2015

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HOORAY, IT’S FOLKLIFE TIME AGAIN!

On behalf of the Northwest Folklife Festival, Victory Music, myself and any other concerned cultural entity, I’m proud to announce that the 44th annual Northwest Folklife Festival, featuring a wide world view of the many creative and traditional cultures that come from all over our planet and live right here in the Northwest, will take place at Seattle Center on the 22nd-25th of May.

For you newbies (and we hope there’s a lot of you to add to our veteran Folk lifer’s) this will be an opportunity to become aware of the many diverse and valuable  cultures that live, work and celebrate themselves all around us all the time. Since our lives are so cluttered or sheltered that we often don’t realize how close and connected we are there is much education to be had while enjoying so many styles of music, dance, crafts, foods, jamming and so much more. So welcome all; Old, new and in-between to one of the finest and most diverse festivals of culture anywhere! Here’s some of what you’ll fine if you attend this year’s event.

The 2015 Cultural Focus: BEATS, RHYMES & RHYTHMS: Traditional Roots of Today’s Branches

Each year Folklife chooses a particular culture as our focus and this enables the festival and you the public to observe a deeper Knowledge of and connection to a valuable entity in our Northwest community that goes above and beyond what we would ordinarily receive from a mere performance or 2. This wider view includes performances, workshops, lectures, demonstrations and anything else that contribute to the history, value and meaning for the culture, and it has proven to be a valuable part of the festival for entertainment and bringing our regional peoples together in a healthy way, which is why we keep presenting it.

This year the focus on BEATS, RHYMES & RHYTHMS: Traditional Roots of Today’s Branches, will explore the cross-cultural roots of arts expressions from African and Latin countries, the blues, gospel. scat singing and other traditions that have grown into the contemporary cultures of today with specific reference to the traditional roots of Hip Hop. Folklife recognizes that tradition is a living, breathing entity and expands from moment to moment, serving as a guidepost as opposed to a ball and chain.

This allows us to understand that today’s hot item is tomorrow’s tradition and is considered primitive by future generations, who hopefully will respect and learn from it (And let me take this moment to assure all our veteran Folklifers that all the styles you’ve loved in the past 43 years will be at Folklife in abundance. Parent cultures never go away.

They simply make room for their children). We’re proud to be offering our community an opportunity to glean a greater understanding of Hip Hop culture and feel that it will bring us closer together and perhaps alleviate some misunderstandings concerning Hip Hop that mainstream media have perpetuated.

The program which stretches over all 4 days of the festival will tie in the 5 key elements of HIp Hop: Music (DJing), Dance (B-boy and B-girl), storytelling (MCing), Public Art (Graffiti), and Social Awareness, back to the origins of Hip Hop. Among the presentations will be the panel discussions on Intersections In Hip Hop: Miogony, Violence and Homophobia with Maomi Ishisaki and Moni Tep, and Music of the Movement with Steve Sneed, Janet Stecher and Aaron Dixon.

These and others will take place in the JBL Theatre. Musical performances will include a Traditional Roots of Hip Hop Showcase and a Brazil Showcase at the Mural Amphitheatre, a Black Church showcase and Black Magic Noize show at the Vera Project, Women of the Blues at the Fountain Lawn and Parallels In Motion: From the Village to the Streets, in the Bagley Theatre.

The SIFF Film Center partners with us to present 6 films and 3 Q&A sessions over the course of the event. The films will include titles such as Louder Than A Bomb, Sample This and Hip Hop Fellow and Q&A will include subjects such as 50 Next: Seattle Hip Hop Worldwide, which will discuss the possible evolution of the culture as the present styles give way to progress and become the folk music of the future.

Additional treats (among so many more) will offer a performance by Arts Corps Breakin’ Challenge (by Massive Monkees) in the Bagley Theatre, A 20-6 Zulu/UW Ladies Break Show at the Mural Amphitheatre, visual displays such as Graffiti Gallery Exhibit at the International Fountain Pavilion, and Coolout Network Visual Art Display and workshop on the Art of B-Boying and Capoeira Dance in the Armory.

A special addition to these fun times is the Seattle Youth Arts & Lectures Seattle Youth Laureate competition, which is another new event featuring 8 finalists. Folklife is pleased to be a partner w/Arts & Lectures for this program which will happen on Saturday at 1 PM in the Cornish Playhouse. And there’s a lot more of this to be had, as you can find out on May 1st when the entire schedule of events with all days, times and stages will be available on the Website: www.nwfolklife.org.

Even if you’re not a fan of Hip Hop there’s much to be gained simply by becoming aware of this culture and its presence and affect on our greater community. And if you are, then you’ll be entertained while becoming more cognizant of where it all comes from and how you can better relate to it. It’s a win/win all around and can only add to the magic of the annual event.

SO WHAT’S NEW THIS YEAR?

A whole lot, that’s what! The only constant is change, and so it is for Folklife. The Back Porch Stage is coming Back after about a 10 year hiatus and will celebrate American Roots w/the Blues, Zydeco, old timer, bluegrass, country, R&B and Indie roots in an intimate setting. During stage down times the beer gardens will have local favorite DJ’s from local radio stations spinning a variety of tunes to keep the energy flowing and the feet tapping. Several of our Native American Tribes will present “Welcome To Our Native Land”, Powwow and Coastal Celebrations, which is an expanded version of a previous presentation.

They will take place at the Space Needle by the John T. Williams Pole off Broad Street and 5th Avenue on Sunday from 11 AM-7 PM featuring the Duwamish Tribe and on Monday from Noon-7 PM featuring a variety of tribes. Along with these ceremonies there will be storytelling, crafts demonstrations, totem teachings and more interesting entertainments and history for the whole family.

Also new are the Tahian Showcase on Saturday as 4 PM, a Basque Showcase w/a participatory dance Saturday at 1 PM in the Armory and an Oinkari performance (I can’t tell you about this one. You’ll have to show up) on Sunday at 11:40 AM in the Exhibition Hall. Several new dance workshops are Dances of the Arab World on Saturday at 1 PM, Peruvian Scissor Dance Monday at noon and West African Dance Monday at 2:30 PM. In addition and expanded version of the Native American Memorial Day Ceremony will happen on Monday and include Drumming, PowWow dancers, a color guard and Native American speakers.

There’s more new stuff and recent additions that many of you haven’t caught up with yet and all this and more awaits you after you and your guests pass the gate/donation boxes and enter the carnival!

THE WIDE WORLD OF SHOWCASES

If I reported on every excellent showcase at Folklife this year it would take you until Sunday of the Festival to finish reading.  I’ll simply wet your appetite with a few really good ones from several cultures. We’ve partnered with community groups such as Hearth Music, Seattle Living Room Shows and Underwood Stables to present 5 Indie Showcases: The Seattle Living Room Showcase is on Saturday at the Fountain Lawn Stage, Underwood Stables is Sunday at Vera as is Heavy Harmonies and Folk Redefined (always an interesting and sometimes controversial topic. Hooray! Let’s talk about it!), while Ear To the Ground is on Monday at Fountain Lawn.

Other fine showcases among many dozen are Fisher Poets On the Road on Sunday at the Folklife Cafe from 6-9 PM, South Indian Classical Dance on Monday, 1 PM in the Center Theatre, Arab, Persian and Central Asian Dance, Sunday at 7 PM in the Exhibition Hall (International Dance Stage), Songs From The Mountains on the Back Porch Stage Sunday at 2PM, Maidens of the Sea and Maritime Showcases back to back on Saturday from 1-6 PM on the Traditional Stage, the Single Man Blues Showcase Monday at 3 PM at the Back Porch, the Bulgarian Showcase on Saturday at 11AM in the Bagley Theatre, Vietnamese on Sunday at 11 AM in Cornish, The Filthy Fingers United Showcase on Monday at 4 PM in Vera, and also on Monday at 7:30 PM on the Fountain Lawn will be Out With A Bang: A Big Brass Showcase.

And there are several dozen more of these showcases featuring every continent and too many countries to count without a calculator. So much to enjoy, so much to learn, so much to share. And as above, you can find it all on May 1st when the entire schedule is posted on-line at www.nwfolklife.org.

 SO WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO AREN”T IN THE FOCUS OR A SHOWCASE??

Yes, by all means don’t forget to frequent some of the many performances that are solo or small bands who are simply there out of love of music and the culture, are almost always non-professional (though many of them are of high professional quality), and to whom Folklife is one of the very few times they get to show their music to the public.

There are thousands of players and dancers who follow the time honored custom of simply playing music because it’s one the finest ways to enjoy life and connect with other people that there is. This is their moment, they’ve got the goods and we should take some time out for them. The good stuff and good feelings are everywhere, and at Folklife you don’t even have to do much searching to find them!

SO WHAT ABOUT THE KIDS??

You bet we want the kids!! The Discovery Zone will be in the Next 50 Plaza and open from 11 AM-7 PM all 4 days for your entertainment and picnic pleasure with the Grand Opening of Seattle’s new playground at Noon on Friday. This new area will offer a 35-foot climbing tower, colorful Labyrinth, ADA-accessible Carousel, child-inspired musical instruments, listening stations. sound swings and play mounds. Designed by celebrated Northwest artists Trimpin and Judith Caldwell, this area will be a place for safe child friendly entertainment that is totally in keeping with the Folklife and Seattle Center mission and purpose.

In addition to the new area we will also have Instrument Play and Presentations featuring instruments from around the world for children to test out, Lessons and practice of drawing w/free drawing supplies, Rhythm sessions for kids, Making Their Own Mosaic w/recycled materials, Toy Boat Building, Fiber Arts, Surface Elements (A showcase of Graffiti Forms) and more.

There will also be many performances from some of the most creative and friendly musicians and storytellers covering the usual wide variety of culture: Paul “Che Oke Ten” Wagner, Crow Valley String Band, Shake It Up Stories, The Canote Brothers, The Somali Youth and Family Club, The Seattle Women’s Steel Pan Project, Mikey Mike the Rad Scientist and Afro Cuban and Puerto Rican Music are less than half of what will be on stage in the Discovery Zone. Your kids (and grandkids) will love it so bring that picnic basket, kick back and let them enjoy while you take some time off.

SO WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO MENTION DANCING?

I’m glad you asked. Of course there will be dancing all over the yard for all 4 days. There are 90 hours of participatory dance at the Roadhouse (what else?), the Armory Court and elsewhere as well as several dozen demonstrations ( primarily in the Exhibition Hall), and both celebrating cultures from all over the planet. It’s not a reach to state that Folklife wouldn’t be near as meaningful without our dances and possibly wouldn’t even exist! We know that large amounts of our Northwest Folk and folk-related family find their bliss on the dance floor and we’ll always aim to comply with your needs as much possible.

And of course that enables you to also hear some of our most beautiful and rhythmic music’s that are the engine that propels the feet! Hey, if you can get it 2 hits in 1 why not just go for it! If I don’t see you at a stage I’ll look for you on the floor!

SO CAN I PLAY MY OWN MUSIC EVEN IF I’M NOT ON THE SCHEDULE?

YES, YES, YES!!!  We want you to do exactly that! Instrument check will be open from early to late each day so you can bring that instrument and be free of it when need be. There are more than enough spaces all over the Center where you can gather w/friends (and eventual new friends) and celebrate any of the sounds that move you and create beautiful and energetic sounds that will captivate passersby without creating a nuisance for any of the stages. Friends simply getting together to play is the essence of our culture and only adds to the overall atmosphere. NO, you don’t have to get accepted to a stage to play! Just crash the party and party down!

HEY, I WANT TO LEARN SOMETHING TO!

Of course you do. Why be stuck in the same old place w/your music or dance or knowledge of musical/dance culture or business? A complete gathering is when you gain something and give something. That’s why we always have a full schedule of workshops and panel concerts from Saturday through Monday that cover a very wide range of topics dealing with artistry, creativity, business acumen and so forth. The presenters are knowledgeable and deadicated, the information is meaningful and receiving it can only add to your overall festival experience. This has happened to me at Folklife more than once and can happen to you as well. Check it all out at the Website starting May 1st.

SO WHAT MAKES OUR FABULOUS FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL HAPPEN IN SUCH A WONDERFUL WAY!

You didn’t ask me this because you’re (usually) too busy having a fine time at the festival, but I feel the need to tell you anyway. What makes our festival happen, and in such a wonderful way, are your volunteering and financial contributions! This is basically a free festival, but nothing is actually free! Everything has a price in some way, shape or form and a huge budget is required to put on this very large free festival each Memorial Day Weekend. We aren’t tied in to major corporations who would control our every move, but are dependent upon a few businesses who believe in us and the donations from our members and many other true believers.

This is why we have donation boxes at each gate and around the festival and also deploy volunteers to sell pins and buttons at the stages. We also are pleased when any of you join Friends of Folklife on an annual basis which keeps the cash coming in and gives you access to all information early as well as an occasional discount for a paid event. Because we obviously can’t afford to pay every volunteer (We have a very small paid staff) we recruit hundreds of volunteers to perform thousands of shifts for each festival. And this is more than a job or a contribution.

Folklife is a family (at least that’s always been my take on it) and I find that the more energy I put out the better time I have of it. It gets me closer to the action and allows me to interact with my Folklife Family and meet new people with whom I may then form relationships that may have little to do with the festival itself. After all, once you meet someone in one situation you may discover that you have a lot more in common. It happens all the time and it can happen to you.

There’s an old cliché that says, “Love makes the world go round”. It sound good but actually money and labor make the world go round and love is what makes the ride worthwhile. By donating and volunteering at Folklife you inject yourself further into the love stream and can enjoy the whole package. And why not? Don’t we all deserve it?!

IT’s NOT ALL MUSIC AND DANCE! WE HAVE INTERNATIONAL CRAFTS AND FOODS TO!

THAT’S RIGHT! You’ll find crafts booths all over the grounds (and especially on or right around the Crafts Pathway) and these creations are the work of many full and part-time crafts people who create their various goods from scratch and have become experts at what they do. All of these crafts are functional in everyday life or highly entertaining or both and come from the hearts of each crafter just as much as any of the musicians or dancers that you’ll see.

And like the music and dances, they will cover a wide range of  styles, looks, and usage,  so that there’s bound to be something you can take home and have as a part of your house, or as a gift for that Birthday or graduation and so forth. Of course these creations aren’t free like the music/dance but will last a lot longer and remind you of the great time you had as well as providing much needed support for these valuable and deadicated members of our community.

The food booths don’t have trouble getting customers (So what else is new?) but if you can, rather than bring something you always eat, why not stand in line for one of the many culinary treats that come from our so-called foreign friends (What’s really foreign anyway?) and get into the full flavor (pun intended) of the festival?

SO IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE?

Well, I can’t think of anything right now that would add to what’s above. You might bring light and heavy clothes if it looks like you’ll need them, you might want to arrive early enough to find close parking if there is still such a thing, and who knows what else. At any rate the community will gather in the thousands at Seattle Center from Friday, May 22nd through Monday, May 25th for our annual very multi-cultural celebration and the beat thing any of you can add to it will be yourselves. See you there!

(Percy Hilo: percivalpeacival@gmail.com   or 206-784-0378. All comments welcome!)

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Folklife Festival 2014: Changes, Non-Changes and India

5/23/2014

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Article by Percy Hilo

With the arrival of spring we experience expectations of outdoor enjoyment on a variety of levels, and one of the most eagerly awaited is the annual Northwest Folklife Festival and the hundreds of possibilities for enjoyment and participation. This 43rd edition offers more of the same, which is also always different and never fails to entertain, educate and expand the lives of all who become a part of it in any capacity. There are always a few changes to conform to and to exercise new creativity in packaging, and this year brings more changes than usual. SO, before I overload you with the goodies, let me inform you of where we’ll be and not be from May 23rd to 26th.

Location changes

Due to their acquisition by our partners KEXP-FM we will lose the Northwest Rooms, as well as the Northwest Court Stage and the Alki Court Stage. The music and dance workshops have been moved from the Northwest Rooms and EMP Learning Labs to the Armory Lofts (3rd floor of the Armory – formerly Center House). Also, we have a new stage, the Traditional Stage, which will have 80% of the Northwest Court entertainment and then some, and you can expect a wide variety of American, Irish and other traditional forms at this venue.

We also have the Cornish Playhouse (formerly the Intiman Theatre) as a brand new stage this year; it will be the site of many of our music and dance showcases. The Discovery Zone will be expanded in size and activities that will be family-friendly (no Folklife Commons anymore) and the International Fountain Pavilion (between Alki Court and the Fountain Lawn Stage) will serve as our home to the visual arts. The Narrative Stage will be relocated to the JBL Theatre inside the EMP museum and two workshop spaces will be found on the 3rd floor of the Armory in the Center’s newly refurbished conference rooms. The All Ages/All Day program will move from Sunday to Monday and will be held in the EMP Museum’s Sky Church, and will feature the vibrant hip hop community of the Pacific Northwest.

Participant changes

Aside from the changes that will affect everybody there are two important changes for participants to be aware of. Performer registration will move from the Armory to a tent directly in front of hospitality (which is in its usual location), and volunteer check-in will move from the Armory to the Next 50 Pavilion, east of the Center Theatre outdoors of the Armory. And as usual, our resilient groups of participants and audience members will adopt to the changes in a seamless manner and a joyous and expansive weekend of traditional and contemporary folk and folk-related arts and entertainment will ensue to the delight of thousands.

Non-changes

Everything that hasn’t changed will obviously remain the same, but I feel it’s important to assure all of our Folklife Family (and millions of potential family) that of all the non-changes the most important is that of quality. We will continue to offer the very finest examples of folk culture in all areas of the Folklife experience, so if you’re a bit let down by the disappearance of a favorite area or stage, let it go, surrender to the fact that the only constant is change and be prepared to enjoy the 2014 festival as much as any in our 43-year history.

Cultural focus: India and its people

India has a long, colorful and proud history of music, dance, crafts, culinary delights and spiritually enlightening traditions that have remained vital over the centuries for all the right reasons. These ways of living have attracted admirers, collectors and non-Indian practitioners from all over the globe, and Folklife is proud to finally be able to host the colors and culture of India for enjoyment and edification of all. Colors And Cultures of India, on Saturday from 11AM-1PM in the Bagley Wright Theatre, will present an elaborate array of all-ages Kathak Dance, a classical Indian dance style. Music Across India will feature three incredible performances from local players of traditional Indian music and will include a presentation by internationally known artist Priya Raghav and two groups of dedicated young players in the Center Theatre (downstairs in the Armory) on Sunday from 11:45AM-1:45PM.

Later on Sunday, from 5:40PM-7:50PM there will be a Kirtan Showcase (Kirtan is Hindu chanting in call and response) with many of Seattle’s Kirtan singers that will offer audience participation throughout. Bollywood will come into play at the Exhibition Hall on Friday evening from 6:45PM-8:15PM and will feature a gorgeous array of Bollywood Dance. The grand traditional operatic dance ballet Mahishasura Maradini Kuchipudi will fill the Bagley Wright Theatre with lovely music and dance, featuring the internationally known dancer Sri Pasumarthi Venkateswara Sarma from 7-10PM on Sunday. These dance performances will put you in the mood to learn Bollywood dancing yourself on Monday from 1-2PM on the Armory Stage, so that you can take your good times out into the world with you the rest of the year.

And in addition to all this, there will be a festival-long Indian Cinema presentation of many films at the SIFF Film Center from 11AM-7PM every day and a spectacular Indian Fashion Show, Reflectionz, in the Exhibition Hall on Sunday from 5-6PM. The printed program will contain a special icon to mark each India program so that you’ll have no trouble finding them. India is just one more of the annual cultural themes that showcase various parts of the planet, their people and their lifestyles as practiced in the Northwest. Folklife themes enable us to attain a fuller realization of all the varied and interesting people and cultures that exist right here amongst us; they also help us understand that we can add any of them to our own lifestyle without having to travel the world over.

Brand new to Folklife in 2014

Each year brings the joy of introducing new performances to the festival which, when mixed with the usual performances, serve to infuse the festival with new and exciting energy that keeps us vital from year to year. This year we’re excited to be partnering with The Centrum Arts Organization to bring Blues Workshops on Saturday, Sunday and Monday in the Armory Loft from 11-11:50AM, which will exhibit some of the Northwest’s finest blues musicians such as Orville Johnson, Eric Freeman and Jon Parry. We’ll also debut a showcase on Chicano Stories in the Center Theatre on Saturday from 1-2PM, which will feature poet Raul Sanchez and musician Jacque Larrainzar who come from a place to the south where the sun shines fiercely and where they are well-known and respected in their artistic fields. The Diaspora Negra: Afrolatino Showcase (a preview of a year-long project) will take place on Saturday from 2-2:50PM in the Cornish Playhouse (formerly the Intiman Theatre) and will feature music and dance from various groups who are part of the AfroLatino Arts Education Project. These groups aim to preserve the rich heritage of folk arts to be found in Haiti, Peru, Brazil, Cuba and other Central and South American countries as well as ours – where African and Latino cultures mix, create and entertain for the benefit of all. This event should be among the most entertaining and educational events of the entire festival. And for dancers who appreciate Latino culture there is a Latin Dance Party: iA Bailar on Sunday from 7-10PM outside at the Mural Stage and Amphitheatre will feature the Cumbieros, an exciting fusion band rooted in traditional Chilean styles that never fails to get everyone up and moving. This event will follow in the footsteps of Brazilian Showcase Aquarela Do Brazil and combine to provide a day of super exciting Latin American music and dance. That’s just some of what’s new and waiting to be discovered and enjoyed on the Center grounds this Memorial Day Weekend.

Some other great showcases among several dozen

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of the contribution that Pete Seeger made to the folk culture, the peace and justice culture and the planet in general during the more than 94 years he spent amongst us, except to say that it will never be forgotten and that Folklife will do our humble best to carry on his legacy with a weekend-long tribute. A special tribute sing will be held on Monday from 1-4PM at Fisher Green and will feature Tom Rawson, Peter McKee and Jean Geiger among others. Tom will also present a Children’s Pete Seeger Sing Along at Cornish Courtyard on Saturday at 2PM and Mckee will present Pete: The Songs and Times of Pete Seeger on Saturday at the JBL Theatre in the EMP at 12 noon. And you can be assured that Pete will appear in many places and in many different songs and situations over the weekend as we join the rest of the world in remembering and passing along his noble legacy in the hope that it will continue to entertain, educate and help heal our beautiful yet ravaged planet.

Scandinavian culturists will be pleased with a music showcase on Saturday from 11AM-1PM in the Cornish Playhouse, and there are dozens more that would take up way too much space and include almost every facet of Northwest folk culture. For example, Friday will offer a Rhapsody Showcase on the Traditional Stage from 7-10PM and a Honky Tonk Show at the Fountain Lawn from 6-9PM, Saturday has the Fiddle Powerhouse on the Traditional Stage from 11:40AM-1PM and the annual much beloved Maritime Showcase, also on the Traditional Stage from 3-6PM. Sunday offers Sounds From the Gramophone at Fisher Green from 1-3PM and a Liar’s Contest in the Armory Loft from 3-5PM, while Monday presents a Ukrainian Showcase in the Exhibition Hall from 1-2:30PM and a 206 Zulu Showcase at the EMP Sky Church from 4-6PM. As I’ve stated, these are but a few of many dozens of fine showcases that will reveal the excellence and expansiveness of folk culture in our region.

But that’s not all for the musical sets

The showcases are attractive and well put together by dedicated practitioners, but there is so much more to our musical program! And by that I mean all the varied and meaningful individual and small group performances. These friends, neighbors and fellow Northwesterners (and beyond) are mostly non-professional at their music and play for the love and enjoyment they derive from it and to share it with their friends. Most of them hardly ever play out and Folklife gives them a rare (sometimes only) opportunity to share their skills and feelings with the greater community. It’s only fitting to pick out a few that you resonate with and include their music in your weekend. And the individual sets will offer at least as much variety as the showcases.

Yes, bring your own instrument!

Why let all the programmed players have all the fun? Folklife is about participation and not just as part of some of the showcases. There is always ample room for jamming, many others looking to jam, and an instrument check in the hospitality room that opens early and closes late so that you won’t be burdened with the extra weight of your instrument when you want to see a performance or simply stroll around. WE WANT YOUR MUSIC, whether you’re on the schedule or not, and it’s also an important addition to the overall quality and mission of our festival.

The Discovery Zone

This new family-friendly hands-on activities area is important because it allows for the entire family to play and enjoy together! There’ll be Games of the World, Ropeworks, Toy Boatbuilding, Making Your Own Mosaic, Make & Take Pop-Up Puppets, a Seafair Milk Carton Derby and the innovative early childhood music education program, Little Wing. And that’s just the off-stage doings. The stage will offer a Jumpworks show, a Kaleidoscope Collective, a Magic show, Singing Games for All Ages, North African Songs in French and a bunch more. Not only will families love it all, but it will enable a more complete understanding of our culture and possibly serve as groundwork for children in the workings of folk arts and crafts so they won’t have to start from scratch later in life (as I did). The Discovery Zone is as important as any stage or theatre at the festival.

Do you wanna dance? I thought so!

Dancing will be everywhere at the festival, including showcases, individual performances and participation. Participants will find square, contra, Cajun/Zydeco, swing, African, Latin American, Nordic, Balkan and other forms available in the Fisher Pavilion (Warren’s Roadhouse) and demonstrations of dance styles from the world over as well as belly dancing will be presented primarily in the Exhibition Hall and the Armory Stage but also at the Mural and other venues. Like the musical sets, it would take forever to mention them – but suffice it to say that dance lovers will have no excuses for not getting their fill. And what’s more, we simply couldn’t call in a Folklife Festival without you!

Give it up for our vendors

Crafts people are as creative as our musical and dancing performers and it’s important to realize that their contribution to folk culture is equal to all other creators and instructors. And unlike most of the performers, many of our vendors make a full or partial living from their art or craft and have to pay for their booths. SO why not have some empathy for the interesting, colorful and homemade creations that always brighten up the vendors’ walkway as well as other portions of the festival and purchase that functional and beautiful item that attracts you or that graduation, birthday or anniversary gift that you’ve been looking for from one of our own. It’s in the spirit of the Folklife Mission and is a win/win for both crafter and buyer.

What makes Folklife possible?

Well, lots of things really, but when it comes to labor, volunteer help makes or breaks it, as with almost any other event of this kind. Volunteers are needed to fill more than 1,000 shifts over the four days as well as pre- and post-festival work and since this is a community event, we the people are charged with the task of doing the work at all levels. And the excellent news is that it’s much more than a job. In fact, it’s a family working together in a good way for the best of reasons. I’ve found in almost 30 years of volunteering for Folklife that it’s a labor of love that enables people who have one thing in common to meet and discover that they have other things in common as well. Many fine relationships of various kinds have begun through the avenue of volunteering for Folklife and there’s also much satisfaction in working for something we really believe in. So why not be in touch with our volunteer coordinator, Christina, at 206-684-7326206-684-7326 or christina@nwfolklife.org and get the ball rolling. You’ll be glad you did and so will we. Welcome aboard!!

So what else makes Folklife possible?

You knew I’d get around to the financial matters at some point, didn’t you? Well, love may make the world go ‘round but money puts food in your belly and keeps the Folklife engine revved up as well. We have a great relationship with the city of Seattle and Seattle Center but do not receive financial help from them. We do have some sponsors for our stages but that’s just the staging. We also have expenses for sound, infrastructure, production crew and staff, and a number of other smaller but still significant bills to pay. And since we’re a people’s community event, we, the people, have to take on the task of making up much of the million dollars a year it takes to keep the festival alive. SO we ask for your donations at the gate as well as your philanthropy the year round (Friends of Folklife, etc.). We understand that times are tight and that you will already be spending money for the festival in other ways, but your donations at the gate each day you attend and for each member of your party will go a long way (an awful long way) toward making our favorite yearly event possible for next year and many years in the future. After all, shouldn’t our children and grandchildren have access to the same joyous weekend that we’ve been able to enjoy? We’re always sensitive to your conditions and so we ask only that you give what you can, and many thanks for that in advance.

So there you have it. Another fabulous full weekend of creative, meaningful and just plain fun stuff to enjoy and work at together. We welcome you and all your loved ones to share the joy. Meanwhile, a happy spring to all.

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Folking Around – May 2013 – The Folklife Edition 

5/1/2013

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Folklife, 2013: Washington Works
by Percy Hilo
     Each year at The Northwest Folklife Festival we’re always delighted by the large amount and wide variety of performances, visual arts and crafts that surround our selves and senses for 4 wonderful days. What is equally obvious but largely unnoticed (and certainly unrecognized) is the large and continuous amount of labor performed by so many people that is responsible for our enjoying a largely clean and sanitary environment and for keeping the festival itself running smoothly and on time. All of the Folklife related labor is volunteer and all of the Seattle Center labor are people earning a meager living  by making sure we’re all comfortable. Either way we couldn’t enjoy the high quality of festival we’ve become accustomed to without these workers and it’s time to not only realize this but to recognize it as important. With this in mind our Cultural Focus for this year’s festival is WASHINGTON WORKS and Janet Stecher has put together a number of programs that will provide entertainment and/or valuable information as well as covering some valuable history as well as commentary on the current condition of labor in our state.
     For all 4 days (May 24th-27th) the Narrative Stage (In what used to be the Alki Room but is now the SIFF Cinema Stage and sponsored by KUOW) will present speakers and demonstrations that were largely selected by the Mayworks committee and sponsored by The Washington State Labor Council. These will include stories of Labor HIstory presented by the Seattle Public Library, the U of W Labor Center and the Jack Straw Writers. There will be stories of the UFCW history (I’ll bet most of you don’t know what UFCW is. I don’t either. This offers us a teachable moment in between Fiddle tunes, square dances or songwriters) as well as sessions on organizing and lobbying, Immigration and Labor, a revealing and often humorous set by the Fisher Poets, a session on how union workers electrify the Northwest, a people’s history of labor titled Making the American Dream Real For Everyone, Janet’s workshop on Doing God’s Work (Is she employed by God or is she a volunteer? Is there a union contract involved? Will God allow the rest of us to perform service in it’s name? Attend and find out) and several more that will contribute mightily towards a fine time for all and a greater understanding about the labor that makes all our memorable events possible.
     And that’s not all by a long shot! All weekend there will be visual arts in the Lopez Room. One of the exhibits is titled Images of Labor and Social Justice: The Art of Richard V. Correll featuring his acclaimed linoleum cuts, etchings and woodblock prints. The other is Journey For Justice: 223 Years of APA (Asian Pacific American) Labor History in the Puget Sound. This covers the epic story of the Asian Labor Community and it’s ongoing struggle for justice through, photographs, historical timeline and portraiture. These exhibits are joined by the work of local artists who are living out labor’s current conditions in what will become tomorrow’s historical exhibits.
     And speaking of current conditions and history, on Saturday from 2-3PM in the Olympic Room there will be a bed making contest among members of Unite Here Local 8 in which you can learn the “Correct” way of making a bed, and on Sunday from 2-3PM a group of original Rosie the Riveters, who worked in the factories in and around Puget Sound during WWII will tell their stories in what should be some riveting history. Catch these important and very elderly historical women while they’re still catch-able!
     Are you wondering where the labor music was? Not to fear because Janet has put together the excellent Labor Showcase for Saturday from 7-10PM in the Bagley Wright Theatre and Seattle’s very own (and well known) Labor Chorus as well as the marvelous Rebel Voices (Janet and friend Susan Lewis) will deliver the goods as usual and will share the stage with several performers who will be new to us and represent cultures that we should know better. Earle Peach (himself a labor chorus director) will offer fine old and new songs covering a wide variety of cultural styles, Kaeley Pruitt-Ham, a member of CISPES (Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador) will present songs of peace, justice and conscience either solo or with her family band, Alay ng Kultura, a youthful Philippine  spoken word group will off a modern take on the problems and conditions that they/we are dealing with, and Rebecca Hom is a Chinese storyteller who will offer history on how Chinese workers contributed to the opening of the West. This should be a memorable evening and Washington Works promises to be one of the most complete cultural focuses that Folklife has been privileged to offer.

So Are There Any Changes?
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     Yes there are! The Commons/Family Activity Area has moved to Fisher Terrace (Above the Roadhouse and overlooking Fisher Green), Fisher Green will feature a new beer garden, we are not using Broad Street this year and the Indie Roots programming will be featured throughout the festival and can be found with a special icon in the schedule. Also, the Folklife Store has closed and performers can now sell their CD’s from the stages where they perform, and there will be a special spot at festival services for street performers to register although this is not mandatory. Like all other changes we’ve experienced in the past these changes simply offer us another way to present a fine festival that will memorable in all the best ways.

Family Fun For All
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     The Folklife Commons will indeed be on Fisher Terrace this year so we won’t have the grassy area of Broad Street but you’ll be a lot closer to the action and there will be ample opportunities for kids of all ages to participate in constructive and enjoyable projects. On all 4 days Active Art and Science will teach how to create mosaic art with finger safe glass and Planet of the Puppets will teach puppet making and performance. On Sunday and Monday Sponge will teach Chinese Calligraphy and how to make Pinatas and offer some new words in foreign languages as well, and the Foundation For Understanding Through Students will offer the opportunity to to join an interactive activity of coloring life size illustrations from the Ramayana of India. The Center For Wooden Boats will get into the act with toy boat building and Knot tying and there will be family dances  on Friday and Saturday that will also encompass songs and stories and a Saturday dance in the Armory (previously known as the Center House) from noon to 1PM. The program will contain a special icon that will designate all family related activities to make it easy to find your way around. Some of the classes will include a small materials fee but will be more than worth it for enjoyment and knowledge. Come to think of it, your total expense for a donation at the gate, building materials and food will not even approach what you will receive in cultural expansion and the pure joy of being part of this experience.

Working With the Younger Generation
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     Folk Culture is an ongoing process and Folklife has always been pleased to recognize the contributions of youth their role in expanding and energizing our festival with their unique and creative work. This year we’re pleased to be teaming up with the Vera Project for several innovative and exciting programs and projects. They will be teaching Recording 101 at Vera (the building on the side of the Alki Court Stage and below the steps leading up to Northwest Court) on Saturday and Sunday from 2-2:45Pm and 3-3:45PM. Class is limited to 8 and sign-up will be from 11-11:45AM in Vera on both days. They will also bring their silkscreen lab outside to a table next to the Alki Court Stage where they will offer a limited number of free silkscreens in one-of-a-kind styles. They will sponsor a Young Artist Showcase at the Ver(A)rt Gallery with a focus on the youth perspective on how people work in our state (in regards to our cultural focus) and will step outside of their venue to team with EMP Sky Church in presenting a Ver(a)city Showcase featuring the up and coming bands Chastity Belt, Youryoungbody and Fame Riot from 3-6PM on Sunday. This is part of an all day celebration of Youth Voices at EMP that will begin in the Am with the All Ages Alternative Showcase featuring Phyllis Payne, Mts. & Tunnels and the Hoot Hoots and will close after the Ver(a)city Showcase with the You Can’t Fake Fresh Showcase from 7-10PM featuring Global Heat, The Sharp Five and Irujanji Physics of Fusion. What a blessing to have EMP and Vera on board to assist us in our quest for inclusiveness and the  expansion of our cultural definition.

Showcases Around the World That lives Around Us
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     We are gifted with a large representation of the planet’s cultures that live, love and work among us here in the Northwest. For a variety of reasons we are often unaware of just how varied and creative our region is and that’s one of the reasons that Folklife is so important and enjoyable for so many. Here we have an annual opportunity to learn so much more about all these interesting peoples. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to schedule showcases presenting one or more artistic styles over a several hour period of time and include narratives of the history and style as well as ample performances and as usual there will be many to choose from. A new Southeast Asian Showcase on Indonesia, Malasia, Cambodia and more will be presented on Sunday from 7-10PM in the Bagley Wright Theatre and the regular Asian Showcase will take place on Monday in the Bagley from 11AM-1PM. A new take on Middle Eastern Culture in this area will take place on Sunday from 7-10PM in the Exhibition Hall covering the Middle East and Central Asia and will feature lots of dance and will begin with Zeffa; A Middle Eastern wedding procession. Jimi Hendrix Lovers will be delighted by a Hendrix tribute on Saturday at the EMP Sky Church from 1-4PM. This is in conjunction with their current exhibit and is free. A massive Latin Dance Party will take place Sunday from  7-10PM on the Mural Stage, an Arab Showcase will be on Saturday from 3-6PM in the Exhibition Hall, Korea will be on display on Friday from 7-9PM in the Bagley Wright, The Colors and Cultures of India will will offer delightful music and dance in the Ex.Hall on Saturday from 11AM-2PM, Bollywood will show off on Friday as well from 7-8:30PM in the Ex. Hall, Bluegrass lovers will flock to the Mural Stage on Saturday from 1-4PM for several great bands, the Maritime Showcase will be at Northwest Court for their annual Saturday afternoon songfest and will be followed by an hour long pun sing in the Northwest Court Beer Garden which is always a highlight. There are many more showcases as always and much more than anyone one person can take in. This is just a sampling of all the goodies you have to choose from, and we’re not done yet!

Focus on Fiddle and Non-Showcase Performers
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     Folklife has always been, above all, a family affair; Cultural, extended and blood families abound in their appreciation, performances and in working to keep the culture alive and vital in the present while honoring our past. On Sunday a trio of fiddle performances will constitute a showcase while appearing at different times and on different stages. From 11:40Am-12:50PM on the Fisher Green Stage Phil and Vivian Williams (2 of our founding members and regional Folkloric Elders) will team with Sarah Comer to present their takes on Northwest Fiddle Music culled from 50-60 years of experience and dedication. From 2:50-3:55PM on the Northwest Court Stage Truman and Adam Price and Riley and Johnny Calcagno will present Fathers, Fiddles and Sons with duos from Oregon and Seattle. Then from 6:50-8PM, also at Northwest Court, Wesley Hardisty; A first Nations Fiddler from Saltspring Island will Join Jocelyn Pettit’s Family Band as 2 young artists who are steeped in fiddle history while carving out their own paths in the new generation of fiddlers. These presentations should cover a wide range of history and style while providing first rate entertainment.
     And despite all the showcases and cultural focus sets, the majority of performances during the festival are individual solo and band performances and a number of these are families of one sort or another. There is a tendency to skip over many of these in the program because the showcase sets are more eye-catching, but you may lose out culturally by doing this because these individual solo/band musics are really what our community is about: Countless solo and group performers simply playing our of love, almost all non-professional (often by choice because a surprising amount of these performances are of high quality) and enjoying this one annual opportunity to show off their music in a positive community manner for the people who appreciate these various folk/folk related styles. Almost all of the musical styles and cultures available at the festival can be found among these many varied practitioners and to sample them can only serve to expand your knowledge and appreciation of folk culture and what it has to offer.

Dance Dance Dance
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     Folklife wouldn’t be complete without plenty of dancing; Both performance and participatory, and once again we’ve provided plenty of both for your essential enjoyment. The Exhibition Hall will offer performances of many classic dance forms covering nations from all over the planet whose residents live, work and make music and dance in our region. Of course this informs as to each culture, reminds us of how close we always are to the rest of the planet and may even engender an interest that leads to participation, which is always the ultimate goal. And this participation will take place in the Roadhouse, the Armory (formerly the Center House) and at times in the Rainier Room. Whether your bliss is squares, contras, swing, latin (and there will be a Brazilian Forro Dance that is new to Folklife this year) or whatever the chances are that your needs will be met to the sound of infectious live music from early till late each day.

We Love Our Colorful and Creative Crafts People
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     The crafts vendors who are positioned all over the festival are equally as creative and important to our culture as the music and dance yet may go unnoticed because they are in booths, don’t make noise and are not on the schedule (of course not since their set times are all day every day). However, even a cursory glance at their work speaks volumes as to the skill, dedication and imagination that goes into the wide variety of wood works, glass works, fabrics, metals, pottery, candles and many other creations that are mostly functional and always beautiful, imaginative and well put together. As a culture that appreciates home made music and dance it’s only natural that we should equally appreciate these homegrown craft works and to patronize these vendors as they attempt to make their way in the world via their skills. Unlike our musicians and dancers our vendors pay for their booth space and are mostly professional. They also offer a much higher quality of work than their counterparts in mainstream stores and so purchasing from them constitutes a vote for home made work that relates to our lives, is longer lasting and allows traditional and contemporary crafts people to serve our community in an agreeable manner.

What Else Can I Do For Folklife?
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     I’m glad you asked! Besides playing, dancing, crafting or just appreciating all of what goes down, there are 2 very important contributions that anyone and everyone can make towards the betterment of the festival. 1) DONATIONS: There will be donations buckets at each gate and although you won’t be pushed to donate it’s these donations and also your purchases of buttons and pins inside the grounds that go a long way towards sustaining the festival. We love our sponsors (Notice who they are and purchase from them as returning karma) but their support isn’t enough. We need yours as well. Since it’s our community festival we are the ones who are obligated make sure it lives on for the benefit of future generations. And 2) VOLUNTEERING: There are hundreds of shifts to be filled and no matter how many volunteers we have there are always open shifts that you can fill by being in touch with Christina at the office (206-684-7326) or by going to ChristinaH@nwfolklife.org). When you volunteer for Folklife it’s much more than a job. It’s a family and many relationships of various kinds have begun in this manner. You start off sharing the festival and then find out that you have other things in common as well. I’ve been volunteering for 27 years and it’s been a blessing all along. Come join me why don’t you?
     So there it is folks. Bring that instrument, your voice and a good spirit. Pack for a variety of weather and enjoy a full weekend with old friends and be prepared to meet new ones. Meanwhile, a Happy Spring to all.

All comments welcome:  Percy Hilo: 206-784-0378 or percivalpeacival@gmail.com
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