July is here. WMDF is getting closer and closer. Today’s weather in Hakodate is wet and rainy, so the famous night view is not visible… We hope it improves for this year’s group from Indonesia, as one of their activities is an audience participation “kecak” dance on top of Hakodate mountain! If you are interested in taking part, check out this link with details of the workshops.

Warna Indonesia

“Warna Indonesia” (literally “Indonesian colors”) is a group of skilled performers who specialise in a wide variety of Indonesian performing arts, all working and learning together under the motto of providing an ‘Indonesian touch on arts and culture.’ They also actively investigate other cultures to find common ground, and to promote ‘Peace and love’ through arts. Established in the year 1990 by Ms. Tanti Horii, and Mr. Ai Syarif, the group now has many members who are also skilled professional performers and individuals in their own rights.

www.warna-indonesia.com

WMDF is delighted to welcome back some old friends from Ecuador. This time, they are bringing some new members in the form of a new band!

Raymis

Raymis is a new group born from the Ecuadorian folk music group Sisay. Sisay first visited Japan in 2005, and came to WMDF two times. While based on the folk music of Ecuador, the Andes and traditional Latin music, Sisay incorporated modern musical elements resulting in their own “World Music”. Raymis continues the tradition of cherishing the roots of Ecuador’s traditional music through a new combination of Sisay’s veteran musicians and other traditional Ecuadorian musicians.

Raymis in the Kichua language means “energetic” or “fun”: please enjoy the uplifting feeling and strength of this South American folk music.

http://www.sisay.natives.jp/jp/index.htm

This week, we continue our announcements of international groups.  Today we bring you a WMDF first: a Bangladesh dance experience. WMDF aims to change peoples’ perspectives of space and time, so we really hope you will take this chance to encounter this historic and important culture.

Kathak Dance Community

“Kathak Dance Community” (KDC) was established in 1990 by Nrittyaguru Saju Ahmed, who has a Kathak Classical Dance history of over 35 years, including the completion of the seven-year specialisation of the ‘Kathak’ Dance teaching & training course of Dance Maestro Pandit Birju Maharaz. KDC has taken part in many different national and international festivals around the world, and has also been featured in numerous TV shows. Presently, KDC is experimenting with various productions based on the classical movements of the Kathak traditional dance form, in pieces such as “The Silence of Spring”, “The Beauty of Rain”, “Love on a Moonlit Night”, and “Rhythm of Victory”.

www.kathakbd.com