Baile Folklorico Mexicano dancers Claudia Navarro, Antonio Campos, and Crystal Ruacho are among the dancers performing March 13. Photo: Brian Frus

March 5, 2007

International dance and music to be showcased March 13

Songs in Finnish and Chinese and dancers performing the mambo and Russian ballet are just a sampling of what's in store at the Festival of International Music and Dance.

Presented by the Language Program and Cowell College, the festival will take place at 8 p.m. on March 13 in Cowell College Dining Hall. There is no admission charge.

Now in its second year, the festival is made up primarily of language students whose interest in their target language has led them to appreciate and investigate the arts of that culture.

Instrumentalists, dancers, and singers will offer works from many lands and in various genres, including songs in Chinese, Finnish, French, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish. Instrumentalists will play pieces by Bach, Chopin, Lecuona, Rachmaninoff, and Fauré.

Styles will range from classical and popular songs to opera, folk, pop, and rock and roll. A choral group will present a round in Japanese, and we will hear two pieces on the Vera Cruz harp.

Among the featured dances will be Russian ballet, tango, a French quadrille, a belly dance, salsa, Mexican folk, and Cuban mambo. Brenda Barceló is directing the dance portion of the festival and will be exhibiting some of her sculptures in conjunction with the festival. Miriam Ellis is directing the vocal and instrumental first half of the program and is producing the event. For further information, please e-mail Ellis at elllisan@ucsc.edu.