January

February

March

The Brigadoons and the MacCulloch Dancers (Mar 10-18)
Back again to entertain us with the lively step- and highland dances and music influenced by the Scottish settlers in Canada, The Brigadoons with the MacCulloch Dancers will have you tapping your feet, clapping your hands and smiling all the while!

Mar 14 & 15: American Vybe:
From the American Adventure at Epcot, this 9 member contemporary a cappella vocal ensemble, accompanied by acoustic upright bass, performs 20th century popular American music.

Mar 19: Pu Yang Acrobats:
Performing daily on the World Showcase promenade, this young troupe of Chinese acrobats will bring their unique skills to the World ShowPlace theater.

ODILA (Venezuela)(Mar 20 - 29)
ODILA is an orchestra of Latin American Instruments whose objective is to educate their audiences about the traditional instruments of the Latin American culture, incorporating folkloric research and ethnic music. In addition to a wide assortment of drums, ODILA will also perform on wind instruments (such as ocarinas, clarinet and chirimias), stringed instruments (such as mandolinas, tiples, and bandolas), and turtle shells.

Turks & Caicos Islands Cultural Group (Mar 22-Apr 1)
The repertoire of the Turks & Caicos Cultural Group contains a mixture of African, British, French and Spanish influences, the combination of which "creolized" the Turks and Caicos culture. The group, which was formed in 1986 to empower the inhabitants of the islands to appreciate and enjoy their cultural roots, will perform vibrant folk songs recounting the islands' history, using the unique Ripsaw and the steel pans of the Caribbean.

Mar 30: American Vybe:
From the American Adventure at Epcot, this 9 member contemporary a cappella vocal ensemble, accompanied by acoustic upright bass, performs 20th century popular American music.

April

Fiddler's Bid (Apr 1 - 7)
From the Shetlands, Fiddlers Bid is a dynamic band, featuring a 4 piece fiddle band with keyboards and guitar accompaniment.

Old Blind Dogs (Apr 2-7)
From Aberdeen, Scotland, Old Blind Dogs is considered one of Scotland's finest folk bands, blending traditional and original music in their performances. The band's instrumentation includes fiddle, mandolin, guitar and bass, harmonica, pipes, whistles and percussion to accompany their vocals. (www.oldblinddogs.demon.co.uk)

Deaf Shepherd (Apr 8-14)
Although based in Edinburgh, Deaf Shepherd membership has roots in the Highlands, Glasgow, the Hebridean island of Barra and the Lowlands of Ayrshire of Scotland. The band's music runs the gamut of jigs and reels, Highland pipe marches, and slow airs and ballads. The band tours internationally, preserving the spirit of their rich native heritage. (www.deafshepherd.demon.co.uk)

Compagnia Folklorica Trinacria (Apr 11-16)
The lively music, songs and dances of Sicily will be presented by this troupe from Agrigento. Their costumes are traditional and colorful. The music is happy and is played on such instruments as the Sicilian pan flute (fiscalettu), the quartara (a vase that produces the bass sound), accordion, goat bells, and the marranzano (a traditional Sicilian mouth instrument). (www.asinform.it/folklore/trinacria)

Asociación de Coros y Danzas "Francisco de Goya" (Apr 15 - 24)
From Madrid, the Asociación de Coros y Danzas "Francisco de Goya" will perform the expressive and passionate dances of Spain, such as Madrileña dances of the Goyesque period, Castilian jotas and seguidillas, Andalucian fandangos, the difficult dances of Aragon, and the Portuguese influenced dances of Extremadura. Performing in authentic costumes and accompanied by talented musicians, this group is a "not to be missed" addition to the World ShowPlace theater.

E.G. Kight (Apr 20 - 22)
Singer, songwriter and guitarist E.G. Kight from Dublin, Georgia, will sing the blues, as only she can, accompanied by a 3 piece band. E.G. has been invited into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, and has shared the stage with Luther Allison, Kenny Neal, has performed on The Nashville Network's "Nashville Now", and Grammy-awared winning blues legend Koko Taylor recently recorded "Fuel to Burn", one of E.G.'s compositions. (http://members.aol.com/egkight)

Rosenberg 7 (April 28 - May 7)
A Swedish polyphonic vocal quartet is accompanied by a string trio. The combination presents traditional music with a unique, powerful sound. (http://home7.swipnet.se/~w-71001/rosenbergs7.html)

May

BYU International Folk Dance Ensemble (May 1-13: no perf on May 7)
This talented troupe of dancers from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, will perform folk dances from numerous countries in traditional costumes.

The Kuwait Television Folklore Troupe (May 8 - 11)
Presenting Kuwaiti folklore through its performances and popular dances.

The Bayanihan, The Philippines National Folk Dance Company (May 14 - 28)

Nadroga Province Dance Group (May 16-30)
Winner of the National Millennium Meke Competition, this troupe from Nadroga province will present Fijian traditions and culture in dance, music, and costumes.

June

Pinang, National Dance Troupe of Malaysia (Jun 1-16)
This troupe of singers, dancers and musicians will grace the stage with their traditional presentation of Malaysian culture.

ClanTerra (June 5, 12, 18-21)
World beat 'roots' group from Calgary that explores the European musical ancestry of North America's cultural mosaic.

Asi Es Mi Peru (Jun 22-27)
Here to present the Incan ceremonial dance of the Sun God, as well as other traditional dances and music of Peru for the Millennium dinner series at the Odyssey restaurant on June 23 and 24.

July

G.Narendra (Jun 30-Jul 8)
Dance troupe from India.

Compañia Argentina de Danzas (Jul 9-21)
The exhilarating dances of the gauchos, the exotic tango and the beautiful music and traditional dances of Argentina will be artfully performed by the young members of this talented performing company.

Wisla Folk Song and Dance Ensemble (Jul 15-27)
The lively folk songs and dances of Poland will be presented in beautiful traditional costumes by this troupe from Plock.

August

Kultura Folk Art Troupe (Jul 30-Aug 13)
Based in Los Angeles, the rich heritage of various regions of the Philippines will be presented by this young company in beautiful costumes.

Coros y Danzas Estampas Burgalesas (Aug 1-15)
The songs and dances of Spain.

Coros y Danzas de Lorca (Aug 15 - 29)
The songs and dances of Spain.

Mackinaw (Aug 18-24)
From Drummondville, Québec, this polished troupe will perform a potpourri of dances representing the diversity of Canadian culture. Their repertoire includes international folkdances, as well.

September

Folk Ensemble Technik (Aug 30 - Sep 11)
The Folk Ensemble Technik began as part of the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava and was founded in 1953. The troupe's mission is to preserve Slovak folk values, music, dances and customs representing different regions of Slovakia. Its members consist mainly of students from universities in Bratislava. The ensemble has achieved much success at home and abroad, having performed in Great Britain, Europe, Canada, etc.

Russian American Kids Circus (Aug 31 - Sep 5)
Featured on "Cosby", "Good Morning America", MTV and recently in Life Magazine, the Russian American Kids Circus (RAKC) is one of the most sought after circus acts in the country. It is circus time, and the stars are kids ages 4-17. Taught by veterans of the Moscow Circus, they'll dazzle you with acrobats, tight-rope walking, juggling and other exciting skills. An inspiring show for all! In three years, the Russian American Kids Circus has been able to dazzle thousands of people in over 400 performances, and they've only just begun!

Icxitlahtoac (Sept 7-22)
Folk dancers and musicians from Mexico, their name means "language of the feet".

Circus Tigray (Sept 22-Oct 6)
Circus troupe from Ethiopia.

October

Danzas Andinas de la Ciudad Imperial del Cusco (Oct 9-21)
Presenting dances and music of Cuzco, this troupe's repertoire includes Valsas Criollas, and other traditional dances and music of Peru.

November

Arnika (Nov 1-12)
Representing Latvian culture through music and dance.

Aald Hielpen (The Netherlands) (November 2-16)
The name of this group means "Old Hindeloopen", a small town of 850 inhabitants on the northeast coast of the IJsselmeer. In the 17th and 18th centuries, however, Hindeloopen was a trading and seafaring community with a population of over 2500. The town developed its own language, richly colored costumes and Hindelopian painted furniture. After an English war and French domination, the 19th century was an era of poverty for the town. However, a few people became interested in the history and customs of the town and founded Aald Hielpen in 1912. The group started by gathering costumes, later adding performances of songs and dances. Troupe members wear genuine copies of the costumes of the Hindeloopen of the early 19th century. The women's costumes were only found in Hindeloopen, and are richly decorated with many variations, so one could easily tell whether a woman was married or single, or in mourning or not. The men wear the costume of the captains of the merchant fleet of the 19th century. During the later part of the 19th century, the Hindelopian costume died out and now can only be seen in performances by Aald Hielpen or in town museums. The performances will include dances from the region, songs in the Hindelopian and Dutch language and an explanation of the history of Hindeloopen and the costumes.

The Swingle Singers (Nov 12 & 13)
From England, they have broadened their repertoire over the years while retaining their unique appeal and original sound.

Tropic Tempo (Nov 15 - 22)
Rock band from Vanuatu, west of Fiji.

BYU Living Legends (Nov 20-25)
This performance troupe from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah will perform the traditional music and dances of the Polynesian, Native American, and Latin American cultures.

Duna Art Ensemble (Nov 25-Dec 3)
Hungarian Folk Dance Troupe.

Les Ballets Temps D'Aime (Nov 26-30)
Ballet Dance Troupe from Paris, France.

December

Ballet Flamenco Siudy Quintero (Dec 1-17)
This professional troupe from Caracas, Venezuela will perform the dramatic and elegant flamenco dances and music of Spain.

Beijing Dance Company - China (Dec 4-15)

To-Isis (Boy Band from Jamaica) (Dec 15-31)

Aruanda (Brazilian Folk Dance) (Dec 18-30)

Avidance (Dec 26-Jan 1)
The Avidance dance group is led by Barry Avidan, one of the most brilliant stars of modern Israeli folk dance performance. Barry has a long list of major performances behind him, including the choreography of the opening night for the Maccabiah games in 1997, winning several first prizes in competitions at the Carmiel dance festival through the years, leading a 100-strong Israeli folk dance and artist group to the first Israeli dance festival in Russia, and leading his group to represent Israel in folk dance events around the world. This year Barry choreographed the opening ceremony of the Carmiel dance festival.