CulturalFest 2021: Performance Showcase Lineup!
FIUTS is excited to announce the lineup of talented performers at this year’s virtual CulturalFest Performance Showcase on Saturday, February 20! There will be two options to stream performances at 4:00pm and 7:00pm (PST). Come travel the world without leaving home at this family-friendly show! Tickets are FREE and available here.
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Vanessa Lee, pictured at the 2021 CulturalFest recording.
1.) Vanessa Lee
I am performing Luo Fu Xing or Sunrise Journey, which is a Chinese Traditional Dance. The story is set in the time of Han Dynasty and is about a young girl named Luo Fu who has a strong love for raising silkworms and picking mulberries. Throughout the dance, Luo Fu’s joy from picking mulberries is expressed through a series of moods. Silk was first produced in Neolithic China and became a staple to ancient China and highly desired across the empires of the ancient world. Hence, the vital trading route called the Silk Road was created.
To this day, silk is still an essential component to the culture. Along with the cultural significance that I hope to portray through this dance, I hope to also share my own connection I found between the story and contemporary world: how it is possible to find joy and happiness through simple tasks/routines.
In a world full of distractions and technology becoming more prominent in all parts of our lives, it is easy to be lost in the search of what makes one happy. Hopefully, like mulberry picking to Luo Fu, we are able to find our own niche/simple task away from distractions and technology that gives us joy.
UW Kahaani, pictured at pre-pandemic performance.
2.) UW Kahaani
UW Kahaani is a nationally competitive Bollywood-fusion dance team based at the University of Washington in Seattle. UW Kahaani has placed at numerous national competitions in the collegiate Bollywood dance circuit, even earning a spot at the Legends Bollywood Dance Championship in 2019. “Kahaani" means “story” in English, and we hope to stay true to the name by telling stories through diverse international styles of dance to expand the exhilaration, love, and zest of the Bollywood industry.
Olivia Wang, pictured at the 2021 CulturalFest recording.
3.) Olivia Wang
My performance is of 刘福安’s piano solo arrangement of 《采茶扑蝶》(“Picking Tea Leaves and Catching Butterflies”). The melody of this piece comes from a folk song from the Fujian/Anhui provinces in China. Its original lyrics depict the beautiful natural environment of tea leaf picking as well as a general feeling of prosperity and happiness. I have been playing piano since a young age, and when I first heard this piece, it really helped me feel connected to my Chinese cultural background while pursuing a traditionally-Western artform. I also love the lively positive energy of the piece.
Mariachi Quinto Sol, pictured at the 2019 CulturalFest Performance Showcase.
4.) UW Mariachi Quinto Sol
Mariachi Quinto Sol is a student-run, non-profit performance group based at the University of Washington, Seattle. In the tradition of Mariachi, Mariachi Quinto Sol draws from the rich diversity of regional music from across Mexico. The variety of musical styles can range from the upbeat and dance melodies typical of the sones and huapangos, to the heartfelt rancheras and boleros.
KKSD, pictured at the 2020 CulturalFest Performance Showcase.
5.) Karin Kirkland Dance School
KKSD is the only school in WA that teaches Armenian dances. Our dances will represent Armenia, its rich culture and history. The solos are very lyrical and feminine, the graceful dance of the arms is a symbol of Armenian female dance. The duet and the group dances will take the audience to the Armenian parties or when preparing for the celebration of Fall which is similar to Thanksgiving in its traditions. The music that you will hear is traditional folk music as well as classical music by Komitas.
Taiwanzen, pictured at the 2021 CulturalFest recording.
6.) Taiwanzen
We are a group a friends who love music. The two songs we pick represent friendship, love, and peace. We hope through music, we can introduce an amazing part of Taiwan! Culture is beautiful because of its diversity, so please join us and enjoy the classic pop songs from Taiwan.
Rituraj and Marlene, pictured at the 2021 CulturalFest recording.
7.) Rituraj Sohoni and Marlene Meili Liu Grieskamp
I want the audience to enjoy themselves while appreciating the cultural nuances presented through the different languages. The song “Hate Everything” was written by G.Soul during his time in the military, where he reflected deeply on his feelings. “Eyes Nose Lips” was written by Taeyang after he broke up and he sings about still missing the person he loved.
VSA Fan Dance, pictured at the 2021 CulturalFest recording.
8.) VSA Fan Dance
Our act is a Vietnamese traditional dance performed with fans to contemporary Vietnamese music. The dance is a mix of traditional fan dancing with elements of contemporary dance movements. With our act, we hope the audience can see a different aspect of Vietnamese culture that isn’t often showcased. Dancing in traditional Vietnamese clothing (aó dài), we’re combining traditional elements with modern ones in hopes of keeping new generations interested in the art.
Taiko Kai, pictured at a pre-pandemic CulturalFest Performance Showcase event.
9.) Taiko Kai
Taiko Kai plays with a style that stems from both traditional and contemporary uses of taiko drumming. Taiko has a long history of being used in festivals, ceremonies, and theatre but current taiko groups continue to develop the artform by writing and performing songs inspired by jazz, hip-hop, and more modern sounds. We hope to foster an appreciation of taiko drumming as an artform that is both traditional and still very much alive today by playing songs that showcase this.
Taiko drumming has a long history in Japan and is used as a part of various celebrations and ceremonies. In the last century, taiko players began playing together in ensembles, using drums of varying size, which developed into the style now called kumi-daiko or group drumming. Taiko was brought over to North America by Japanese immigrants where it had a growth in popularity in the 1960s as Japanese-Americans sought to reconnect with their Japanese heritage in the wake of the civil rights movement.
In North America, taiko drumming, while still very similar to taiko drumming found in Japan, has since developed styles and stances more commonly found on this side of the Pacific. Today, many taiko groups including ours draw inspiration from traditional taiko patterns, folk dance movements, as well as more contemporary rhythms. Our uniforms include hachimaki (headbands), happi (coat or vest), and tabi (split-toed slippers) which are reminiscent of clothing workmen or festival-goers in old Japan might have worn.
Unplugged, pictured at the 2021 CulturalFest recording.
10.) Unplugged
The main purpose behind our performance is to explore how Western culture and identity can fuse with our own ethnic backgrounds to create unexpectedly harmonious music. We accomplish this not only through our song choices for our performance set, but also through the style of vocalizations used throughout the mashups. Vocalists will be using Classical Indian and Western vocalizations throughout the two pieces. Additionally, we will represent the diversity of languages spoken in India by performing one piece in Tamil and one piece in Hindi.
Ticket Information:
Tickets to this year’s virtual CulturalFest Performance Showcase are FREE and available here! Streamed performances will be available at 4:00pm and 7:00pm (PST).
Remember to check out our virtual International Expo for recipes, music, book recommendations, family-friendly activities, and more!
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