Meet Grupo Violeta Parra
A CulturalFest favorite will return to the Meany Hall stage on Saturday with new dances to perform!
Grupo Violeta Parra is one of twelve acts performing at the CulturalFest Performance Showcase on February 8 at Meany Hall. Learn more about CulturalFest - we hope to see you there!
Grupo Violeta Parra is a group of Chileans and Chilean-Americans from Seattle who are interested in sharing their folklore dances. This will be their third time performing at CulturalFest, and each year their performance gives a new glimpse into Chilean traditions and culture.
This year, Grupo Violeta Parra will present four traditional dances from the central part of Chile which represent the times of the colony, as well as the work done by farmers in the countryside. The dances are vibrant, yet classical and elegant with traditional outfits brought from Chile just for this performance.
Onstage at CulturalFest 2013
Here's a little more of what the group has to say about their dances:
The dances that we will be presenting represent the central part of Chile. This is the area of farmers, where the fantastic renowned Chilean wine is produced. Some of the dances have an influence from times when Chile was a colony of Spain; you may see some similar movements from flamenco. But the highlight of our performance is the presentation of our national dance, la Cueca. This dance is about a flirting game resembling a cock going after a hen to conquer her. Traditionally, the four dances that we will present are danced in the country side / rural areas of central Chile; however, they are danced by different groups all along Chile.
The clothes that we are wearing were all brought from Chile. The women represent the ‘huasa’ our Chilean version of a cowgirl, wearing a flowery as part of the nature of Chile. The men are the ‘huasos’, or cowboys. They were boots and spurs as if they were to ride horses, as well as a ‘manta’, a hand-knit type of poncho, and a jacket – representing the owners of the big farms.
We're so excited to welcome Grupo Violeta Parra to the CulturalFest stage once more. Don't miss them and other performers from around the world on Saturday night! Tickets for the CulturalFest Performance Showcase are just $10 for students in advance, and $15 general admission. Get your tickets in the FIUTS office in HUB 206, online, or at the door.
More CulturalFest Performer Profiles: