The Gilded Serpent presents...
The 25th Anniversary
San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival
Weekend 3
presented by World Arts West
June 21 & 22, 2003
The Palace of Fine Arts
San Francisco, California
photos by Susie Poulelis

Except where indicated, additional notes are taken from the EDF program provided

Ballet Folklorico
de Carlos Moreno
Dances from the state of Nayarit, Mexico. The musical forms to which the dances are performed are called sones and potorricos. They are performed on violin and guitar.

  Chuna McIntyre & the Nu'namta Yuo'ik Ensemble
Chuna is a Central Yup'ik Eskimo born and raised in the village of Eek in Southwestern Alaska on the shores of the Bering Sea. He was raised by his grandmother, from whom he learned the ancient traditions including the dances, songs and stories of his ancestors.

Fua Dia Congo
During the Congo's colonial period, and urbanization policy shifted the economic activities from the rural areas to the newly developed urban centers. Peasants had to adapt to new environments while maintaining tradition. Presented were dances including the old and new, political satire, spiritual healing, renewel, and honoring the departed.

Malonga Casquelourd, founder and director, among many other important contributions, also started an African drumming and dance camp in the late '70s at the Mendocino camp where many, including our, music communities hold their summer camps. Malonga was killed recently in an auto accident in Oakland, California.

Amina Goodyear reminds us that Congolese was traditionally included in the Sahara City shows before the religious fundamentalist burned down the clubs on "Pyramid street" in Giza, Cairo, Egypt.

Lowiczanie
Polish Folk Dance Ensemble
While polkas are often thought to be the quintessential Polish dance, in actuality the polka is not even considered one of the five Polish national dance. Presented are a suite of traditional songs and dances from the Southeastern foothill region of Nowy Sacz. Men's costumes are more elaborate, while women's follow a relatively simple form. The women wear both city and countryside style attire.

Gamelan Sekar Jaya
A gamelan is an orchestra with instruments of bronze,iron, wood, and bamboo found throughout the Indonesian islands of Bali and Java. The gamelan angklung, heard in this Festival performance, consists of a set of bronze-keyed metallophones, gongs, and drums that use a four note scale. In Balinese dance, the movement is completely wedded to the music. Suppleness and grace, use of refined lines and gestures, especially of the hands and eyes, expression and concentration are also important.

FatChanceBellyDance
accompanied by Helm
American Tribal Style. "Tribal refers to dancing as a group and American refers to the reality that we are not bound by Arabic culture and tradition...The music is selected for its clarity, the steps for their universal application, and whether performed as choreography or improvisation, the results is one of simple elgance and rhythmic style."

San Francisco Taiko Dojo
Taiko is not only the playing of the drum, but also the discipline of mind and body in the spirit of complete respect and unity among the drummers. In ancient times, the boundaries of the village were defined by how far the village drum could be heard. Tradionally the taiko was used to call the gods to join in the lives and celebrations of humans, and it was thought to be the voice of Buddha.

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Ready for More?
7-8-03 Dance Journey to Nepal by Daleela
I will never forget Nepal and the dance adventures we encountered. They will remain etched in my mind forever. What I found most amazing is how much I learned about Middle Eastern dance going to Asia.

7-7-03 The Artwork of Scott Arguette
In essence, a good dancer owns the stage; she requires it and manipulates it as a fighter dominates the field.

7-7-03 Baraka & the Bus or What happened to Baraka? by Baraka/Beth
By now, having lost my home, my studio, my library, my recordings, and my database, you would think I would start to get the hint that it might be time to move away from dance. Having been a dancer literally all of my life, I simply couldn't give it up!

6-29-03 Photos from the Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival, The Opening Night Gala by Tahseen Alkoudsi and Shira
held at the Mena House Oberoi Hotel on June 10-17, Cairo, Egypt. More promised!