<BR>Carlos Moreno’s Ballet Folklorico Mexicano<P><BR>FREE MULTI-CULTURAL DANCE PRESENTATION<BR>AT CHRONICLE PAVILION LABOR DAY, SEPT. 4<P><BR> CONCORD ­ From the haunting beat of African percussion rhythms and a<BR>colorful array of Mexican costumes to the captivating movements of<BR>classical ballet and modern dance, the annual Pavilion Dance Festival on<BR>Labor Day at the Chronicle Pavilion promises an exciting multi-cultural<BR>dance experience for audiences of all ages.<P> The free 1 p.m. September 4 dance matinee features ODC Dance Jam, Sheila<BR>Moore Irish Dance Company, Diablo Ballet, N~ Mamo No !eau (Drumbeat of<BR>Aloha), Carlos Moreno’s Ballet Folklorico Mexicano, Obakoso, Kalanjali<BR>Indian Dancers, Moving Arts Dance Collective and more.<P> The Sheila Moore Irish Dance Company will perform a variety of traditional<BR>and progressive Irish dances, including Irish reels and jigs. The dancers<BR>will be accompanied by the musical group Triur, featuring Patrick Achuff on<BR>fiddle. The company will also perform a contemporary figure dance depicting<BR>the mythological Fairy Ring. Their program concludes with song and a lovely<BR>treble reel.<P> Jatiswaram, performed by the Kalanjali Indian Dancers, is a dance comprised<BR>of pure abstract dance movements (jatis) set against a background of musical<BR>notation (swaram). Jatiswarams express the joyful and energetic aspect of<BR>Bharata Natyam dance. The Kalanjali dancers will also present Garba, a folk<BR>dance performed by women in the Indian state of Gujarat. The words of the<BR>folk song summarize the joyous feeling expressed in this captivating piece.<P>The note of the shell conch and the beat of the pahi drum herald the<BR>performance of N~ Mamo No !eau, presenting colorful, athletic dances of<BR>Hawaii, Tahiti, S~moa and New Zealand. The dances include ancient and<BR>modern hulas, live authentic drumming and music, a Samoan fire knife dance<BR>and audience participation.<P> Members of Obakoso are a diverse group of artists with a deep interest in<BR>the preservation of Afro-Cuban artistic and cultural traditions. Some of<BR>the members are natives of Cuba, while others have traveled there to immerse<BR>themselves in the culture and to study from internationally-recognized<BR>masters. As artists and individuals, the members bring a broad base of<BR>knowledge to their study of dance and drum traditions from Cuba and beyond.<P> The Ballet Folklorico Mexicano performance will consist of segments from<BR>suites representing various regions in Mexico. The set opens with<BR>"Chihuahua," a high energy version of the eastern European polka. "El<BR>Gallito" is a fun piece which incorporates the courtship of a young couple<BR>from Chiapas with the melodic sounds of the marimba. The mood shifts as<BR>dancers pay homage to the women soldiers during the revolution in "La Bamba"<BR>and "El Zapateado", which are the most popular dances from Veracruz. This<BR>colorful dance presentation by Ballet Folklorico Mexicano finishes with an<BR>enthusiastic rendition of “El Sinaloense”, common to the Carnaval of<BR>Mazatlan, Sinaloa.<P> In a dazzling presentation of expressive dance movements and<BR>diverse premieres, the Moving Arts Dance<BR> Collective promises to entice audiences with a variety of pieces that<BR>encompass a wide range of emotions. As one critic recently<BR> noted within a single work by this dynamic troupe from Walnut Creek there<BR>are "moments of joy, bewilderment and<BR> intense despondency."<P> On the heels of their second free dance performance this summer at the<BR>Chronicle Pavilion, the Diablo Ballet will once again bring their<BR>captivating classical style to the Pavilion stage, performing the adagio<BR>from “Esmeralda Pas de Deux”, sections from Nikolai Kabaniaev’s<BR>critically-acclaimed “No Title” a duet from Kelly Teo’s “Dancing Miles” and<BR>the Pas de Deux from George Balanchine’s “Apollo”. The resident ballet<BR>company of the Pavilion is also based in Walnut Creek and was founded in<BR>1993.<P> ODC Dance Jam of San Francisco, co-directed by KT Nelson, will liven up the<BR>Pavilion stage with their unique style interpreted by its nine-member troupe<BR>of dancers ranging in age from 10 through 14.<P> Additional dance troupes will be presented during set changes.<P> All Pavilion dance performances, which are free to the public, are part of<BR>Arts Millennia 2000. This year-long celebration of the arts is produced by<BR>the Pavilion Associates, the non-profit arts organization that presents free<BR>and low-cost cultural, community and educational programs at the Chronicle<BR>Pavilion. The Pavilion Associates join forces with partners and sponsors<BR>AT&T Cable Services, The Chronicle and Borders to present the Pavilion Dance<BR>Festival.<P> Gates for the 1 p.m. Labor Day Pavilion Dance Festival will open at 11:30<BR>a.m. for picnicking. Admission is free and parking at the Pavilion for this<BR>event is $8.<P> The Pavilion hotline is (925) 671-3100 or visit <A HREF="http://www.chroniclepavilion.com" TARGET=_blank>www.chroniclepavilion.com</A>. <BR>For more information on the Pavilion Associates call (925) 798-6800 or visit<BR>the web at <A HREF="http://www.pavilionassociates.org" TARGET=_blank>www.pavilionassociates.org</A>.<p>[This message has been edited by Press (edited September 01, 2000).]

Well it's certainly a wealth of different styles of dance. I just wonder whether it might be a bit indigestible. Talk about long-distance dance viewing! Are the audiences allowed home at midnight?<P>I remember seeing for a couple of minutes (when Azlan insisted that we gatecrash) a show in SF with a similar eclectic mix. AS far as i know such mixes don't occur here in the UK. Does it happen in Australia. The SF show I mentioned had maybe 1000 in the audience, so perhaps it works as an introductory framework.<P>Hope everyone enjoys Diablo Ballet.<p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited September 01, 2000).]

We didn't gatecrash, Stuart. We had special passes... And the organizers were so kind as to arrange for a summary of dances for us at the end.<P>For this dance fest in Concord, most of the pieces will be shortish. They start at about 1pm and will be probably end at 5pm.<P>Frankly though, I've never thought the venue ideal for a professional ballet or modern dance company. It'll be fine however for the folk ensembles. But then again this is just a personal opinion.