folkfestivalindia@gmail.com +91 837 7925 760

IEFF 2016 Groups

Participant Groups at IEFF 2016

FRENCH POLYNESIA

Na Pua Nani

Na Pua Nani school was founded in 1987 by the teacher Cori Malama. She studied ballet at the National Institute of Fine Arts since the age of five and began to learn the culture of Polynesia since 1970. specialized in body language; By combining this knowledge she creates a comprehensive program where through songs, rhymes, legends, games, exercises and basic steps techniques the students are able to transmit the history, culture and dance of the different islands.

Currently she shares the management of the school with her daughter Jocelyn Magos which is a champion of several awards at national and international competitions and has participate in productions as one of the main dancers of dance companies from the United States and Tahiti.

Na Pua Nani school conveys not only the technique of specific dances, but also enriches the body language, guiding the students to express the most of their inner world and represent the external world, transforming the body movement in a creative, expressive and artistic instrument.

E Hula Kakou pau loa!

Let's dance without limitations !


INDIA-KERALA

Ethnic Arts Council-Thirayattam

This group comes from the land of god’s own country, kerela. About 400 years back, the tribal people started mingling with main stream population and getting out of the forest. The tribal population were considered as “Rakshasas” meaning to say they were eligible to be outside only during the night. When the caste system was most prevalent, considered as fifth vedas or even below the Shudras, they were not allowed to study. Hence the illiterate community, passed on their traditional knowledge and expertise on various subjects and arts orally. Only now, the efforts are being put forth to have records of all these.

A combination of Dance, Music, Theatre, Satire, Facial & body Painting, Masking, Martial art & Ritualistic Function. Thirayattam is more popular as a Ritual Performing Ethnic Art Form in the South Malabar region of Kerala, India. Fast and furious steps by men (only men perform this art form) to the beats of Chenda, Ila thalam, Kombu, Thudi, Panchayudham, Kuzhal (musical instruments of Kerala) etc. This dance form can be broadly classified into two as Thirayattam which is performed in the night and Vellattam performed during the day.

Let's get ready for a surprise !


SINGAPORE

Peneroka Daya Tari - PDT

Peneroka Daya Tari – PDT Singapore, also known as PDT, is an initiative by a group of dance activists, under the guidance of Mr Fathurrahman Said, a senior dance activist in the Singapore Malay Dance industry. The vision of the group is to nurture leaders within the dance community and revitalize the Malay arts and culture.

Peneroka Daya Tari, which means “Dance Explorers”, envisions the breaking of cultural boundaries, nurturing talents and exposing them to a wide array of dance genres, art forms and disciplinary by going through journeys of exploration, consisting of different trainings and workshops by masters of the industry, both locally and internationally.

A description of the repertoire of Dances :Peneroka Daya Tari focus on Malay folk dance and well verse with 5 different traditional Malay dance genres ( Asli, Inang, Zapin, Joget and Masri).

Let’s dance like nobody’s watching !


GREECE

Research Academy in Traditional Dances

The “Research Academy in Traditional Dances” is an association that has been established its base in the city of Elassona, with the aim of preserving and spreading of cultural heritage.The Pioneer and Chief contributor of this initiative is Mr. Kokkinos John, Professor of Physical Education, dance instructor and ex President of the Academy. He has done research in the field of traditional dance and he has written a book entitled “The history of Dance, Music and Musickinetic Analysis of Dances”.

The Academy consists of 450 dancers – researchers – people who have related with the Greek Culture. The dancing groups of the association cover all ages and they work at different levels (children – teenagers’ – adults).The dances, that are performed, are representative of each geographical part of our country and of our local province accompanied by a complete orchestra of traditional instruments.

They consist of experienced dancers, with much participation at different folkloric festivals in Greece as well as in foreign countries : Brazil, China, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Nepal, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, South Korea (WCO 2004), U.S.A.

Let’s dance by enjoying each step of the beat !


INDIA (PUNJAB)

Punjabi University Guru Kashi Campus, Talwandi Sabo Bhatinda

This group comes from Land of five rivers, Punjab. The groups are well known for their excellence with energetic and entertaining Bhangra performances, with young dancers of Punjab. Bhangra is done on the beats of dhol which is a lively form of folk music and dance.

The group consists of nearly 40 members and actively participated at many National festivals and the group represented India by participating at International folk festival of France, Korea, United Kingdom & Italy.

The groups participated at state level competitions and won the best as the performers of the season and appreciated by the Chief Guests of the festival.

The group works to preserve and present folk dance traditions of Punjab to the World.

Let's kick off shoes, and dance with the beat of drum.


MEXICO

Compania de Danza Folklorica Mexicana del Tecnologico de Monterry Campus

The group is situated in area of Mexico City, is a group of students from the campuses Mexico City, State of Mexico and Santa Fe that gathers and uses the talents of all the students. The folklore group have represented the University for 15 years in national and international forums. It has a wide range of different states of the Mexican Republic.

The Group participated (national or international): Week of Culture of Mexico in Bratislava, 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2013, Hilando Customs and Traditions, International Dance Festival in Ambato, Ecuador, 2014, Fiestas Patrias in Montevideo, Uruguay, 2008, Festival Patria Grande, Mexico, from 2006 to 2010.

The description of the colorful repertoire of different states of the Mexican Republic among which will include: Pre-Hispanic Dances, states of Veracruz, Jalisco, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Guerrero.

Let’s dance like a strom !


IRAN

RAHA MUSICIANS

The Raha Group started in Aminshahr of Iran. Iran is home to several ethnic groups. Iranian folk music as the one of the oldest and most influential cultural traditions in the Middle East. The traditional music of Iran is a message, a call from the artist’s innermost consciousness. the folk music traditions had their strongest roots in the rural regional areas, with separate heritages in the different regions. Furthermore, Iran contains several ethnic minorities with their own variations of Iranian folk music, including Azeri, Bakhtiari, Baluchi, Kurd and Turkmen peoples.

Raha as the inheritor of the art of Music has been active for over two decades.The group consists of two world class musicians : Tambourine and Santoor Players

The santoor is a trapezoid-shaped hammered dulcimer or string musical instrument made of walnut, with seventy-two strings. It is the national musical instrument of Iran.

The group performed at the majority of the National Arts festivals and was awarded with top titles.

Let’s dance, surrender yourself to music !


GERMANY

Folk Ensemble Schmerlitz

The Sorrbian folk dance Group Schmerlitz is a folklore ensemble which represent Sorbian culture and traditions at international folklore festivals every year by showing and enjoying the Sorbian and German culture from different regions by dancing , singing and playing music.

The folk dance group was founded in 1964 and currently operates with 72 active members of various ages, who perform different types of dances with the program duration of 10-90 minutes suitable for the different age-groups.

All the members come from the Catholic Sorb villages in the district around Kamenz. In addition to dancing, they also keep up other customs such as Easter Riding and May-pole Throwing.

The joint performances of musicians and dancers have taken the artists beyond Germany to international folklore festivals in Poland, Latvia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Belgium, France, Spain, Serbia, Croatia, Denmark, Greece, USA, Argentina, Portugal, Gran Canaria, South Korea and Turkey.

Lets Dance with passionate souls !


COLOMBIA

Ikubambaya Dance Foundation - "YOUR GATEWAY TO CHOOSE, TO LIVE AND TO DREAM"

An artistic and cultural foundation that seeks the promotion, development and research of dance, from the scenic and social context of their Latin and Afro-Colombians rhythms. They believe that they are born in response to the desire of great friends in love with the sound of the drum: TOC, Toc, Toc (...) Of that magic that produces its leather and believe that everything what you want to do, can be achieved.

Ikubambaya Dance will be at the time and in the context of Bogota, as the ideal space in the promotion of dance in the city of Bogotá, supporting the integral training of children, young people and adults through informal education in the scenic, social and recreational practice of this beautiful art, without ever losing sight, respect for traditions and the beauty of the people of their land.

IKUBAMBAYA seeks to support, guide and advise the teacher training of young entrepreneurs who love dance and scene, which are in process of related undergraduate, and taken to Ikubambaya dance as a platform support for their work and professional future.

Let’s kick off shoes, and dance with the beat !