Bountiful/Davis Arts Center International Summerfest 2005

Wow. We just returned from 90 minutes at this folk arts and dance festival at the Bountiful park. We got in free because we got there before four, but it's only $4 I believe anyway. I am sad to have missed the Indian (from India) dance, as I had seen the dancers arriving in Bountiful a few days before, and the manner of dress they were in! To call their dress, costumes, would be like calling a butterfly a bug. Their beautifully detailed ethnic dress, even from the 20 yards away from them that I was, were so breathtaking and cultural and evocative of visions of exoticness and their foreign land, that I was just transported away by the beauty of it.

We caught about 10 minutes of the dancers from Hungary, and then a while later a Ph.D. and his wife I believe got up on stage and performed a variety of Iranian, Turkish, Afghani, and other music of the region. It was absolutely beautiful! Some of it a little haunting, but it was mostly upbeat things, some of which really had me tapping my feet. It is fun to hear and experience the cultures of other lands, and their folk music and styles.

Emily got up and danced to pretty much all of it, hopping and dancing and whirling and various moves that she does, whenever she is moved by the music she hears. And this music certainly moved her to dance! The players on stage noticed her, particularly the lady, and she commented from time to time, saying things like, "We have a whirling dervish over there!"

There was one Afghani dance, that they played, that is a bit like musical chairs, except without the chairs. Everybody dances, and when they stop the music you freeze, and anyone who doesn't or stumbles because they stopped in an unbalanced position, is "out". They invited people up onto the stage, and specifically noted that Emily had been having a marvelous time dancing and that she should come up on stage and dance to this music! I believe it may be called the Logari, but I'm not sure.

So, she and I headed up there, as I was concerned about her being anxious by herself or not understanding the instructions. I felt I needed to be with her to help explain it in a way she'd understand, but she did fine. We danced, and froze in place when the music stopped. It was a blast.

I was very nervous to go up there, but feeling that Emily might have need of me gave me the courage. And she was so good at it! Freezing right when the music stopped, and sometimes balanced on just one foot! The lady musician thought that was very tricky of Emily, to be able to keep her balance on one foot as that was her position when the music stopped.

We didn't win, although the musicians felt I called Emily before she had stumbled or not stopped fast enough. My anxieties though kind of made me, as I had already stumbled myself awhile before and was already "out".

Definitely out of my comfort zone today, and I may have looked the fool up on stage, although Scott reassures me that I did not. So it was a great experience, and fun to be a part of something from the other side of the world.

Emily asked the musicians for a CD and they gladly gave her one, so we can listen to this music again! And she can dance her little heart out.

We bought Emily a little handmade flute on the way out, and I hope that my head can stand it.

We couldn't stay for Opening Ceremonies, including the Parade of Nations, with all the various dance troupes showing themselves, as we are headed out to my MIL's tonight to stay over and watch the meteor shower tonight, clouds permitting.

I wish I had had my camera with me today!