International Folklore Festival Veliko Tarnovo:History:Fifth Festival

Fifth International Folklore Festival Veliko Tarnovo

July 6 - 13, 2002

MacCulloch DANCERS, Canada	BENI - SUEF TROUPE FOR FOLK DANCING, Kairo, Egypt	SMU AL - AZHAR, Indonezia


The MacCulloch School of Dancing was founded in 1955, under the direction of Rae MacCulloch. The MacCulloch Dancers celebrate Canada's rich multi-cultural identity through lively presentations Scottish Folkloric and Canadian Step Dancing. The traditional dances of early Canadian settlers are danced to the lively tunes of Scotland's bagpipes and the Irish, French and Scottish fiddle. The music includes clogs, jigs, reels and hornpipes. Canadian tradition, featuring the many colorful clan tartans of Scotland. The ensemble's work is greatly influenced by the history and traditions of Glengarry County. It is here that the group was first established. The county is a Scottish settlement dating back to the 1700's and is named for the famous glen along the Gary River in Inverness, Scotland. Today Glengarry County holds the world's largest annual Highland Games celebrating the games, dance and music of Scotland. The first games were held in 1948. The fiddle, bagpipes and highland dances are still a big part of social gatherings and community functions.	The troupe had been established since 1995 and consists of 60 members among them a female and male dancer, popular musicians, singers and a choral. The troupe took part in various national festivals and got several prizes as: The Seventh and Ninth Ismaillia International Festival] -Representative of Egypt at three festivals in Bulgaria at 1998 -Representative of Egypt at three festivals in Spain at 1999 -Representative of Egypt in Greece at Xopotamos festival in Drama city at 2000 -Representative of Egypt in Hungary at Szazhalonbtta festival at 2001 Some dances of the troupe are: Pharonic; Alexaldrial; The wheat; Hummer your Bread, Hania; Popular Instruments; The horse; O’High Palm – leaf stalks; Nubia; Clapping; Female Dancer with handkerchief; Petticoat; Semsemia; Artishns; Candlestick.	Smu Al - Azhar is a famous folk dance group in Jakarta, Indonesia. Since 1995 Smu Al - Azhar was exist in Indonesian Culture and Art. It can prove from their willingness to improving an original culture of Indonesia with dance and music. Its willingness created creativity whether achievement in art competitions in Indonesia and international. Music Gamelan - this music comes originally from Java, the orchestra comprises xylophones, drums, and gongs and in some cases string instruments and flutes. Gendang and Ketimpring /little drum/ - this music is originally from Sumatra island but the other island has this music too. The sounds have a rhythmic when the hands/stick hit that. It is made from leather. It can be beautiful music. Costume All the dancers are wearing beautiful dancing costumes with various islands, colors and have different characteristic and unique. For accessories the dancers wear ornament golden plates. Such as in their head they use something like crown and the other beautiful variation.

LEYMER Folkloric Music Group of Boushehr, Iran	JORDANIAN NATIONAL FOLKLORE TROUPE,The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan	BALET FOLKLORICO "MIXCOATL" CHIHUAHUA, Mexico

Leymer folk music group of Boushehr has begun his artistic activities in 1991with gaining first place and golden plate, Diploma of Honor, Gold Medal in 6th Fadjr international Music Festival.This group also has participated in many festivals like Iran Epical Music Festival, First Iran scholars Festival, particiating in ESCAP Meeting and Foreign cultural & Artistic festivals in Germany and Yemen. One of the recent performances of this group was in Muba 2001 /Switzerland/. Also the latest performance of the group was in "Music World Festival 2001" in Italy, where the group has gained the first place and won the "Delfino D'argentino" as the best prize of the festival. The group has performed in Firenze and Venezzia, Italy. Description of Bousher Music: Boushehr is an area in south of Iran, which is called the gate of pleateau, and somehow communication ring of culture of civilization from many years before. Seafaring was the most common business in Boushehr, so people from there were familiar with different cultures of the world and also emigration of Negroes and Arabs has an effect in this main events, so mainly the music of Boushehr is an amalgam of folk music of Africa, India Arab, Iran and Turkish Gypsies.	The troupe was established in 1966, under the auspices of the Ministry of Information /Dept. of Arts and Culture/ in Amman. The formation of this troupe came as a step towards saving the heritage and originality, and from the belief that this heritage should continue to accompany civilization without any distortion, and to keep the new generation cognizant of their traditions, customs and rich heritage. The troupe, which comprises young boys and girls, experienced with academic qualifications and high artistic abilities, portrays the pure Jordanian popular art that is considered a collective achievement which emerged from the lively and civilized activities it grew in. Jordanian trainers with outstanding experiences, abilities and high artistic qualifications in popular arts supervise the troupe. This troupe is also supervised by an administrative body, which succeeded in leading it, and in giving a good picture of it during local, Arab and international festivals. It was awarded several prizes and certificates of appreciation. The troupe is part of the Ministry of Culture / Directorate of Theatre and Arts.	Founded by professor Gregorio Corona Perez, director and choreographer with the aim of diffusing the cultural wealth of Tlaxcala state and of the whole country, Mexico. The Folkloric Dance Company of Tlaxcala has integrated a colorful mosaic covered with magic, myths and rites which make of its dances and music the main means of cultural communication between men and environment. Dancing for Mexicans is recreation and joy but it is also a help to achieve balance between work, culture and social life. The music on its own reflects feeling and history periods. So, a whole performance allows the public to know a bit of the cultural Mexico and to love its traditional art and customs.

FOLK GROUP „Nawojowiacy", Poland	Folklore Ensemble "Guarionex", Puerto Rico	FOLKLORE ENSEMBLE "ZACHEOS", Switzerland

The folk group „Nawojowiacy" presents the regional folklore of Sadeckie Lachy, which is one of the most attractive ethnographic groups of the southern Poland, situated in the most remote part of the Karpaty Mountains. The melodic of the folk songs, the rhythm of the dances, the spectacular and unique customs, dialect and the colourful traditional customs attract the common attention. The group has been performing since 1993 and it is attached to the Local Centre of Culture Sport Recreation in Nawojowa. Both, young and old members dance there and that what differs them from other groups are their gorgeous costumes, dances, folk songs and their behave on the stage.	From the year of its foundation until now the Folklore ensemble "Guarionex" has a great contribution in keeping the traditions of Puerto Rico. So already 17 years the ensemble presents the specific rhythms and dances of Puerto Rico everywhere in the world, where it took part. Exactly this formation has been written in the state department and is official representative of the Institute for Puerto Rico culture and the Palace of Tourism of Puerto Rico.The meetings with ensemble "Guarionex" always dip us in the atmosphere of Puerto Rico and through their exceptional show, made with a lot of taste we move to a long journey over the shores and mountains of South America. Unforgettable are the impressions , which "Guarionex" leaves all over the world by its visits in the USA (1984, 1987, 1988), Spain ( Palma de Mayorca 1993), Germany (1994), England (Billingam, 1995).	The name "Zacheos” was selected in 1962 by Mrs. Monet Datwiler and by Mr. Leon Monie for the group for folklore dances they found. The aim of the group is to set a new style between the past and the future. This new form would allow expression of emotions and feelings in harmony with the modern way of life and thinking. Repertoire Right from its founding the group "Zacheos" distinguishes from the other groups with its unique repertoire. The repertoire of the group contents mainly 5 choreographer and music programs, which remind the legends, historical facts, traditions and scenes from the life of the people from the Valley of Rona in the heart of the Alpes. These are : La Matze, La Noce, Les Scenes de vie paysanne, Les Masques, Les Mercenaires. Activities Through their performances, the visit of festivals in other countries, ensemble "Zacheos" totally realizes its mission of a "carrier of traditions".


TAINAN FOLK DANCE COMPANY, Taiwan	KUD “RUDAR” - Serbia and Montenegro	Folk Ensemble "Gergiovden", Radnevo, Bulgaria

		Founded in 1986 as a Dance group to the Municipality center for culture and existed in this way until 1998 , Folk Ensemble "Gergiovden" has made glad and keep on making glad until nowadays with its numerous performances in the country and abroad people, who appreciate the unique Bulgarian dance and music art. The ensemble has performed in: Serbia, Taiwan, Macedonia and Turkey, from where it came back with a lot of prestigious awards. The multicolor repertoire of the ensemble includes songs and dances almost from all ethnographic districts of Bulgaria.

The Tainan Folk Dance Company was found in 1996 by Lin-Chuan Wang and a group of teachers who have devoted their lives to dance education. George Chang, mayor of Tainan, was selected as honorary president. The company has approximately 25 dancers and trainers, all born and raised in Southern Taiwan. Under the guidance of many outstanding instructors, the company has worked hard to bring the unique quality of Tainan culture to the stage, showing the true spirit of "local people performing local culture". The Tainan Folk Dance Company truly belongs to the Taiwanese people. In mid-summer 1998, the company performed their "Earth Dance" series that is the combined performance helped preserve and cultivate Taiwanese and Mainland Chinese minority dance.	The history of folklore ensemble Rudar begins in 1952 when a group of enthusiasts gathered to organize the youth and citizens into various aspects of culture and art. The first decade was marked by the individual contribution of members and friends. The ensemble counted ten-odd couples who danced in their own costumes or borrowed them from the locals. More organized work begins in mid-sixties following the election of the first board with the president Velja Mladenovic. This period is also marked by the staging of first choreographies such as "Dances from Serbia" and later "Dances from the vicinity of Vranje" by Raka Mitrovic, as well as by the acquisition of the first costumes. The names of the first accordion players - Toma Zivanovic and Slavisa Savic, as well as the name of the first wardrobe attendant, Rajna Milutinovic, are also to be remembered.After the social reforms of 1974, Trade Union of Kolubara surface mines and The Community of Rudovci became co-founders of the folklore ensemble Rudar. This enabled the then art manager Dragomir "Bata" Arsenijevic to raise the level of qualified work and significantly increase the number of the choreographies. This period gave choreographies of "Dances from Nishava", "Humorous dance from Banat", "Posavina dances" and "Dances from Slovenia" by "Bata" Arsenijevic as well as "Dances from Macedonia" by Desa Dordevic. Another choreography of "Dances from Macedonia" was later staged with the help of Spas Dimitrovski, the choreographer from the professional ensemble Tanec in Skopje.