Shangilia Youth Choir of Kenya with JD Steele
June 5-6, 2010

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Shangilia is a youth performance group from Nairobi, Kenya under the direction of singer/director/composer J.D. Steele. Ranging in age from ten to twenty-one, the performers sing in English and Swahili with original music composed by Mr. Steele and Butch Heyward that blends African-American soul and gospel with East African rhythms like soukous and bongo. Shangilia also incorporates traditional African music and dance with acrobatics and colorful costumes, weaving messages of love, peace and harmony into this exciting musical presentation. Shangilia will be joined onstage by the newly-formed MacPhail Community Youth Choir (MCYC), also under the direction of J.D. Steele. MCYC is a choir comprised of youth from around the Twin Cities Metro to meet and exchange musical traditions during the Shangilia Youth Choir’s visit to the Twin Cities area. MCYC will also perform on the outdoor stages through the weekend. shangilia.org

Classroom Connections: Geography, Music, Social Studies, World Language.

Ordway Main Hall

Mermaid Theater of Nova Scotia: Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny
June 5-6, 2010

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Using puppetry, Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia brings to life Margret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd’s classic tales of two rabbits. In Goodnight Moon, Rabbit prepares or postpones going to bed by saying goodnight to everything in its room and imagination. In The Runaway Bunny, Bunny makes the decision to run away, which turns into an imaginative journey in which Bunny’s mother always finds a way of bringing Bunny back home. mermaidtheatre.ns.ca

Classroom Connections: Language Arts, Puppetry, Visual Arts.

Ordway McKnight Theatre

Teatro Hugo & Ines: Short Stories
June 5-6, 2010

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Peruvian puppeteers Hugo and Ines transform their hands, feet, knees, and belly buttons into a parade of extraordinary characters! In their signature work, Short Stories, Hugo and Ines create imaginative and creative characters that take the audience along for the ride as they explore the dreams, frustrations, successes and failures of everyday life.

Classroom Connections: Language Arts, Puppetry, Visual Arts.

Ordway McKnight Theatre

Photos: ©Eduardo Suarez

Balance Boys from Circus Xelias

From Circus Xelias in Minneapolis, these three amazing artists perform balancing acts, acrobatics, and juggling infused with audience participation and comedy!

CAAM

Since 1992, CAAM Chinese Dance Theater has served families and delighted audiences with some of the best locally-produced Chinese dance in the country.  A division of Chinese American Association of Minnesota (CAAM), the oldest, largest Chinese American community organization in Minnesota, CAAM performs to 40,000 live audience members annually. Through their dance school, annual concerts, and outreach programs, CAAM has become the largest Chinese dance organization in the Midwest.

caam.org

Chicks on Sticks

Chicks on Sticks explores the ancient and universal art of stilt-walking through the powerful dynamic of working together as an all-female arts organization. The company has collaborated with puppeteers, dancers, singers, aerialists, and pyro-technicians to create original performances. Pieces range from tall-tale puppet shows in school gyms flaming pyrotechnic pageants in urban corridors

chicksonsticks.us

Circus Juventas, Performing Arts Circus School

Circus Juventas is a performing arts youth circus school located in St. Paul, Minnesota offering youth circus arts training and performance opportunities for children and youth ages 3 to 21. Circus Juventas returns to the 2010 Festival to perform of ground acrobatics on the World Stage.

Watch on YouTube

Cyril Paul and the Calypso Monarchs

Cyril Paul, a native of Trinidad, West Indies, came to the US in 1955 to attend St. John's University on a scholarship. He has been playing music in the Twin Cities area since 1960. In addition to his band, Cyril teaches children about the Caribbean through music, dance, and art. He also brings lessons of diversity and race into the classroom. Cyril's band, "Cyril Paul & the Calypso Monarchs," usually consists of five musicians and plays Caribbean Music (Calypso, Reggae, Soca), Latin music, plus many other styles.

cyrilpaul.com

Dennis Warner Band

Dennis Warner and Friends is a fun, up tempo concert for all ages, featuring music from Dennis' eight CDs and twenty year career. Dennis is the author of the popular children's book, Beads on One String featured during the 2005 Festival at Ordway Center.  Dennis and friends are longtime participants at the Flint Hills International Children’s Festival.

warnersongs.com
Facebook, MySpace, YouTube

El Arco Iris Center for the Arts

El Arco Iris Center for the Arts, also known as El Arco Iris (The Rainbow), is a St. Paul based organization whose mission is to nurture, disseminate, and elevate the local Latino culture through artistic endeavors. At the Festival, El Arco Iris presents performers of all ages alongside a live band in the stylings of Afro-Caribbean dance, drum, and song.

elarcoirismn.org

Hmong Cultural Center Youth Dancers & Qeej Players

The Hoang Anh Vietnamese Dance Group

The Hoang Anh Vietnamese Dance Group is new to the Festival 2010. These local performers will perform tradition dances that highlight the beauty and history of Vietnamese Culture.

Kalpulli Yaocenoxtli

Kalpulli Yaocenoxtli is a collective of families committed to teaching the traditions, history, and art of dance of the Mexihca (Aztec) culture. The alliance (Kalpulli) is in a constant state of learning, focusing on the dances and ceremonies that are performed throughout the year  Kalpulli Yaocenoxtli is based out of Saint Paul and has presented around the country.

Katha Dance Theatre

Katha Dance Theatre (KDT) is rooted in classical Kathak dance of north India. The Katha Dance Theatre Company and School promotes traditional Kathak and extends its boundaries with creative innovation. KDT performances are designed to educate with an emphasis on access, community, and audience development. It is the interdisciplinary, percussive dance of Kathak along with storytelling, poetry, mime, and theater that makes it a dynamic multimedia—vibrantly sensual, powerful, and pulsating in nature. KDT creates dance that moves you!

Los Alegres Bailadores

Los Alegres Bailadores, under the direction of Rebecca Moran Cusick, is dedicated to the preservation and continuation of Mexican folkloric traditions and culture through the art of dance. This Minnesota based organization has presented colorful performances of Mexican dance and music for more than thirty years.

The Magic of Kristoffer Olsen &
Balloon Magic with David Olsen

This father and son team brings the best entertainment from fantastical balloon creations to mind bending illusions and laugh out loud comedy.  Kristoffer will be performing for the first time on Target Alley this year and both will be walking around throughout the Festival days bringing the best magical entertainment!

balloonartist.net
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Mariachi Estrella

Mariachi Estrella is a Twin Cities-based group that consists of six musicians on guitars, trumpet, and vocals. You cannot help but dance and smile as this traditional Mexican sound rings from the World Stage.

MU Daiko

Mystik Toyz

Mr. Fun and Mystik Toyz have been teaching the world to play since 1994, bringing together some of the coolest skill toys on the earth such as Mystix Juggling Sticks, Diabolos, Zuni Poi Swings, Yo Yo's and more...Our "Global Games" program teaches about cultures from around the world through these toys and gets everyone in the action.

mystiktoyz.com

New Primitives

The Festival is thrilled to welcome the New Primitives to the World Stage. Formed in early 1999, New Primitives explores popular music through high-energy Rhythm & Blues, Ska, Reggae, Calypso, and World Dance Music. The music of New Primitives is an amalgam of the communities and lives of its members. Performing regularly in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, this diverse group of talented musicians is dedicated to bringing people together. With music as their vehicle, New Primitives awakens the commonality of all people.

Niiwo Giizhik Dancers

The Niiwo Gitzhik Dancers are new to the 2010 Festival. Performer tradition Native American dances, the Niiwo Giizhik Dancers are sure to wow you with their amazing costumes and fancy dancing.

Watch on YouTube

Rince Na Chroi

Rince na Chroi (pronounced Rink-a na Cree) is Gaelic for “dance of the heart.” Founded in 2003 by Katie Stephens this St. Paul-based Irish dance school strives to help students get the most out of their Irish dancing experience, whether that means simply learning a few steps or training to become an advanced Irish dancer.  They have Irish dancers as young as three years old, up through adults. These dancers are sure to put a smile on your face!

rincenachroi.com
Watch on YouTube

Salsa del Soul

Salsa del Soul is a Twin Cities-based, nine-piece orchestra performing various styles of dance music from the Spanish-speaking regions of the Caribbean. Salsa del Soul was formed with the purpose to provide great dance music for Twin Cities Salsa fans. The musicians of Salsa del Soul represent some of the finest musicians in the Twin Cities Latin music scene. Self-described as a group of friends that enjoy hanging out and playing music together, Salsa del Soul's styles of music include Son Montuno, Cha-Cha-Cha, Merengue, Plena, and, of course, Salsa. Salsa del Soul performs locally at The Times Bar & Café and Enjoy! Restaurant, among other locations.

salsadelsoul.com

Sawtooth Bluegrass Band

In the tradition of classic bluegrass brother harmonies, the Sawtooth Bluegrass Band, with two sets of musical brothers, melds the sounds of the original bluegrass masters with the fresh sounds of today. Combining close harmony vocals, driving instrumentation, and a sense of fun and high energy, they have a stage show that has audiences wanting more.

sawtoothbluegrass.com
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Sumunar Youth Gamelan Ensemble

Students ages 6-15 perform Javanese gamelan music. Joko Sutrisno is the teacher/director. This activity is a program of the Indonesian Performing Arts Association of Minnesota (IPAAM). “Sumunar,” an Indonesian word meaning “glowing, brilliant light,” is the newly adopted name for IPAAM's performance ensembles.

ipaam.org

Tiyumba Dance Company

The Tiyumba Dance Company is headed by Choreographer and Master Dancer/Drummer Fatawu Sayibu from the Northern Region of Ghana. Tiyumba's dancers and drummers are from various regions in Africa, all contributing their individual styles and techniques to the group, creating a diverse, unique, and beautiful performance. The group’s traditional dances and use of the talking drum tell the stories of African culture, history, and people. 

Up til 2

Seven mouths and microphones produce rock, funk, pop, hip-hop, r&b, motown, gospel, jazz, even country and choral. No effects - just the human voice. This band’s sound is done completely a cappella.  Up til 2 crosses the river from Minneapolis to do it all, low to high - even drums - and thoroughly dazzle audiences of all age.

Vorpal Architexts