BYU International Folk Dance Ensemble

The Brigham Young University International Folk Dance Ensemble is a Brigham Young University (BYU) performing group that performs folk dances from many parts of the world. They were established as a small performing group in 1959 by Mary Bee Jensen and have grown to include around 180 participants. However, about 30 of the dancers participate in the touring ensemble which has performed in many locations around the world including at the cultural festival held in connection with the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea and at the opening ceremonies in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

History

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The BYU International Folk Dance Ensemble was established in 1956 by Mary Bee Jensen when she was asked to organize Scandinavian dances for a congregation meeting of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[1]: 402  Janie Thompson, the director of BYU's Young Ambassadors performing group, aided Jensen early on in the development of the program. The ensemble was part of the university's Program Bureau which organized tours and performances of BYU performing groups.[1]: 644  The ensemble began with a few couples with Jensen as director.[2]

In 1959, the ensemble established the annual "Christmas Around the World" concert which showcases authentic dances from around the world.[1]: 402  Jensen led the folk dancers on their first international tour in 1964 using her own funds, becoming the first student performing group at BYU to tour internationally.[2] The United States People-to-People Organization sent the BYU folk dancers to the International Folk Dance Festival in Varde, Denmark in 1964.[1]: 403  In 1969, former performer Don Allen became the assistant director.[1]: 402 

From 1956 to 1972, they averaged over 100 shows per year.[1]: 403  From 1967 to 1973, the ensemble performed two-hour concerts with the ballroom dancers across the United States.[1]: 403  During years 1971 and 1972, the folk dancers participated in several performances at prominent locations including a concert in Houston for the American Association of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation convention; a concert in Denver for the International Convention of the Federated Women's Clubs; and a performance at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.[1]: 403 

Additionally, in 1972, two teams of folk dancers participated in tours. The first team produced a television show called "America through Dance" for German national television in Munich, reaching over 20 million German-speaking viewers.[1]: 405  The second team of dancers performed for Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco and performed in various folk dance festivals in Europe.[1]: 405  The BYU folk dancers sponsored a folk dance festival in 1975 with dancers from Japan, Israel, Hawaii, and the Duquesne University Tamburitzans.[1]: 405 

Edwin G. Austin became the second director of the dance group, replacing Jensen in 1985.[2] Austin served as the artistic director of the folk dancers from 1985 to 2011.[3] The International Folk Dance Ensemble performed in the opening ceremonies in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea, as the only North American representative,[4][5] and in the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.[6] In May 2019, the folk dance ensemble joined other BYU performing groups on BYU Young Ambassadors's 40th anniversary tour of China.[7]

The ensemble consists of 180 dancers, 30 of which are on the touring team.[2] The touring team is made up of 46 student dancers, musicians, and technicians.[8] Participants are required to take several technical dancing classes in different international dancing styles. They perform a variety of cultural dancing native to international cultures including Irish stepdance, clogging, hula, and hopak.[9][10]

Tour history

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Tour history begins in 1966 and continues to present day.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wilkinson, Ernest L. (1975). Brigham Young University: The First One Hundred Years (Vol. 3 ed.). Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press. ISBN 0842507086. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d "BYU International Folk Dancers Celebrate 50 Years". Liahona. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. July 2006. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  3. ^ "Edwin G. Austin". Mormon Literature & Creative Arts. Brigham Young University. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  4. ^ "Y. dancers at Olympics: viewers number 1 billion". Church News. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. September 24, 1988. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  5. ^ "BYU International Folk Dancers & Folk Ensemble Historical Milestones" (PDF). BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications. Brigham Young University. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  6. ^ Pittman, Anne M.; Waller, Marlys S.; Dark, Cathy L. (2009). Dance a While: A Handbook for Folk, Square, Contra, and Social Dance. Long Groove, Illinois: Waveland Press. p. 240. ISBN 9781478626985. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  7. ^ Bancroft, Kaitlyn (March 8, 2019). "BYU performing groups preparing for 40th anniversary of Young Ambassadors' first China tour". The Daily Universe. Brigham Young University. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  8. ^ Jolley, Faith Heaton (December 5, 2014). "Photos: BYU folk dancers celebrate 50 years of touring". KSL. KSL Broadcasting. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  9. ^ Albani-Burgio, Paul (February 28, 2019). "Fusing international culture, BYU Folk Dance group hosting two Front Range shows". Times-Call. MediaNews Group. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  10. ^ Champoux, Miranda (January 21, 2016). "BYU International Folk Dance Ensemble dancing at BYU-I". Scroll. Brigham Young University-Idaho. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  11. ^ "Tour History" (PDF). International Folk Dance Ensemble. Brigham Young University. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
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