News

NEW SITE FOR AUDITION WORKSHOP

The Audition Workshop scheduled for Saturday August 23 has been moved to a new site. The address is:

MC Dance Academy 2150 South 3700 West

You must approach this studio on 3600 West. 2150 South is a short dead-end street that connects to 3600 south. It is the last building on the right. The workshop begins at 9:00. Read more about the workshop on Up-coming Events.

Toker Timothy Many Hats named as the Offical Host of FRONTIER FEST

THE HOST OF FRONTIER FEST Toker Timothy Many Hats

In 1942 French Canadienne Marselle Gordenaire, eight months pregnant, walked five days through snow from St. Johns British Columbia to northern Idaho so her baby would be born an American citizen. After Timothy was born, Marselle returned to Canada where, after seven years, her trapper husband met an untimely death while on a seal hunt.

Timothy’s Blackfoot grandfather, Long Feather, brought the boy up as his own until, at age fourteen, Timothy struck out on his own searching for his “vision of life”. His quest took him eventually to Utah in 1959, where between the Uintah Mountains and the red rocks of southern Utah he made his home.

Timothy’s Indian name, “Many Hats” describes him perfectly, as he has been a trapper, mountain man, adventurer, cabin builder, rancher, gardener, storyteller, interpreter of mountain man and Native American cultures, patriot, and most recently, motivational speaker.

Because he embodies the spirit of the frontier encountered by the pioneers when they arrived in Utah territory in 1849, Toker Timothy has become the Official Host of FRONTIER FEST presented by Utah Pioneer Heritage Arts and Clog America at Gardner Village June 13th and 14th. .

Toker Timothy has appeared for the following:

 Festival of the American West- 18 year veteran  Fort Bridger Rendezvous  Trapper’s Look Summer Festival  Rocking R Ranch-Mesa, Arizona  National Buffalo Association  Western National Cutting Horse Association  Golden Spike Arena  Rocky Mountain ATV Jamboral- Richfield, Utah  Utah State Fair and Weber County Fair  Footlighters Acting Association- Fort Bragg, CA  Fort Buenaventura Dinner Company  Clients include: Bridgerland Travel Council and Chamber of Commerce, National Golf Society, Snowbird Ski Resort, Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of America, AT&T, US West,Ogden Convention & Visitors’ Bureau,Utah Hemophilia Foundation, National Forest Services Uintah, Ogden, & Sevier), innumerable church and private events.

CLOG AMERICA Europe-bound in July 2008

CLOG AMERICA TO REPRESENT THE USA AT PRESTIGIOUS FESTIVALS IN FRANCE AND SPAIN

CLOG AMERICA has received an invitation to represent the USA in the 20th anniversary celebration of “LA FESTIVAL DE MARTIGUES” in Martigues, France in July, 2008. The festival has received unfailing support from the City of Martigues, the Provence Alpes Cotes d’Azure region and the Council of Bouches du Rhones Department.

In addition to CLOG AMERICA, this year’s anniversary festival will host from ARGENTINA- “Gran Ballet Argentino”, BURYALIA- “Baykal Waves”, CANADA- “Mackinaw”, CATALONIA-“Colla Castellera”, CUBA- “Maraguan”, FRANCE- “La Capouliero”, IRELAND- “Bastable Warren Irish Dancers”, ITALY- “Sbandieratori Dei Rioni Di Cori”, KAZAKHSTAN- “National Ensemble Naz”, SOUTH KOREA- “Jung Je Man Company”, SPAIN- “Ballet Flamenco Ursula Lopez” and ZIMBABWE- “Amawumbo”.

Raymond-Yves Martinez, Festival Vice-President of International Relations wrote, “Our FESTIVAL OF MARTIGUES wishes to invite the CLOG AMERICA ENSEMBLE, in order to celebrate the 20th edition of our Festival. We are waiting with great impatience the performances of your Ensemble “CLOG AMERICA” in particular for the great Evening “Gigues & Reels”. Your artists will be the splendid ambassadors of the American culture…..”

CLOG AMERICA will also represent the USA this coming summer at the XXXII FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE FOLCLORE in Burgos, Spain. This festival is one of Spain’s oldest and most prestigious festivals.

Because the USA rarely has representation at International Folklore Festivals abroad, CLOG AMERICA has been repeatedly thanked for bringing the folklore and energetic enthusiasm of the USA to the festivals thus continuing the group’s mission of “Building Bridges of Friendship and Peace Through Music and Dance”. After CLOG AMERICA’s performance which closed the final concert of the 39th Festival Internazionale del Folklore Aviano-Piancavallo in Italy, Brig. Gen. Craig A. Franklin, the Commander Aviano Air Base (who was in attendance) thanked the group for representing the USA with such enthusiasm and artistic excellence.

CLOG AMERICA Shines in Sardinia, Poland and Italy

Cloggers Win An Award at Polish Fest

By Carma Wadley Deseret Morning News

Clog America, Utah's international folklore festival ensemble, has just finished participating in the 44th annual Beskidy Highlanders' Week of Culture in Zywiec, Poland. At the festival, the group captured the award for "Expressive Presentation of Program in Music and Dance," one of only six awards given out. In presenting the award, festival director Anna Stachowska noted that "every festival has a star, and the star of this festival is Clog America." Also receiving recognition at the Week of Culture celebration was Mary Bee Jensen, former director of the Brigham Young University Folkdancers. Jensen was introduced to the audience at the closing performances as a "living legend of folkdancing." The Beskidy is the third festival where Clog America has represented the United States this summer. The group also participated in folkdance fests in Quartu Sant'Elena and Ittiri, Sardinia, Italy, in July, and will be going on to the 39th International Festival of Folklore Aviano-Piancavallo, also held in Italy. The tour company consists of 27 dancers and nine musicians from Utah, Idaho and Wyoming. While in Poland, members of the troupe also delivered hundreds of blankets, winter hats, gloves, scarves and coats, and dozens of school kits, newborn kits and hygiene kits to a local children's home, Dom Dziecka in Bielsko-Biala. That, too, was their third humanitarian visit this summer. Previous donations were made in Italy.

PRE-TOUR BENEFIT CONCERT SET July 2 at Thanksgiving Point

Clog America will perform a pre-tour benefit concert on July 2 at The Barn in Thanksgiving Point beginning at 7:00 pm. The concert will also feature Cherie Call. All benefits for the concert will go to the Cameron Sevy fund. Cameron was paralyzed this February while sledding with his son. For more information about Cameron go to www.cameronsevy.com.

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchase at the door or by calling Sharon at 427-9548. Ticket prices are: $5 per person, $25 per family. Children under 3 are free.

The pre-tour concert schedule on June 30 at Cottonwood High School has been rescheduled for next year.

CLOG AMERICA RETURNS TO EUROPE IN 2007

From the '41st Beskidy Highlanders Week of Culture' in Bielsko-Biala, Poland to the '29th Festival del Folklore' in Aviano/Pordenone, Italy, CLOG AMERICA will represent the USA during the summer of 2007 in two of the largest and most established annual folklore festivals in Europe. The internationally-known folklore ensemble from Salt Lake City, will depart in July for its 20th International Folklore Festival tour.

CLOG AMERICA is comprised of award-winning dancers and musicians who have had the great honor of representing the United States in over 44 major festivals and events throughout Europe, Canada, Mexico, Korea, China, South America and the USA over the past 16 years. The ensemble has appeared on national television in Germany, the Czech Republic, France, the Netherlands, Macedonia, Hungary, Brazil and the USA.

In a joint resolution, the 2004 Utah State Legislature recognized the CLOG AMERICA INTERNATIONAL FOLKLORE FESTIVAL ENSEMBLE as a “Utah cultural treasure” and “Ambassadors of Peace and Friendship to the World.” Regarding the importance of CLOG AMERICA participating in the 2007 Aviano Festival, Dr. Piergiorgio Tomasini, Unione Folclorica Italiana, said: “The presence of an important U.S. Air Force Base in Aviano since 1954 with an American Community ranging from 6,000 to 9,000 people, has developed continuous good relations with the local authorities and the population. Our organization is sure the presence of CLOG AMERICA will undoubtedly strengthen the friendship between our peoples being it widely felt as a must in a period such as the present when mutual respect and understanding are the basis for development of peace all over the world.”

The opportunity to participate in the Aviano Festival will not only provide an opportunity to celebrate peace while sharing cultures with the Italian people and other international groups, it will provide an opportunity to uplift the spirits of American military personnel serving our country far from home.

In addition to the prestigious festivals in Poland and Italy, CLOG AMERICA will proudly carry the flag of the USA in the 25th Festival del Folklore “Sciampitta” and the 22nd Festival del Folklore Ittiri in Sardinia.

THANK YOU FROM BRAZIL

Cultural Society, Rec & Benefit Sao Joao Bosco Socrebe

Passo Fundo, Brazil

We would like to start by sending our cordial greetings. It is good to know that there are people that believe it is possible, one day, that we may live in the solidarity where people everywhere help each other, transforming dreams into reality. In the context in which we live, with many injustices and much social despair, it is very nice to walk with people like you to seek for a better world.

Your donation brought so much happiness to our attendants, not to mention the great usefulness of the kits in their homes. The children and adolescents adored your visit, the artistic presentation, the possibility to get to know a new culture and the donation of hygiene kits, quilts, baby clothes and school supplies, of which were taken to their homes with great satisfaction.

This activity was long awaited for with enthusiasm from the children, adolescents and community, other than seeing the beautiful presentation by the Clog America group, they showed diverse activities and artistic numbers of which they participated in in our entity.

Your noble gesture and the great human courage makes it possible for us to duplicate your efforts to continue on the path to a better world, guaranteeing the possibility of a honored for our attendees.

We are sending some photos of our time together on August 18, 2006 and of the deliverance of the donations to the children.

May the light of Jesus directly illuminate your hearts giving you the opportunity to practice good works and may the blessings of The Lord constantly be in your lives, and the lives of your families and friends.

Our most sincere THANK YOU.

With love

Maria Amabile Zambenedetti General Director

Cloggers keeping folk arts alive

Folk art, which comes from the ground up, unites people and defines culture in ways few other things can. "Immigrants from many lands brought to America their own cultural heritage and together wove a tapestry of culture unique in all the world," says Shawnda Bishop, founder and director of one of America's premier folk-art groups, Clog America, based in West Valley City. "Generations of Americans have expressed their hearts and minds through the music, dance and other folk art that make up this cultural tapestry," Bishop says. "But this tapestry is beginning to unravel. Young Americans are growing up without knowing or experiencing our traditional American folk art." To counteract that trend, Clog America has launched a couple of initiatives. For one, Clog America is spearheading a campaign to build an American Cultural Heritage Institute. "ACHI" will be dedicated to the preservation and cultivation of such American folk arts as dance, music, craftsmanship art and poetry. The facility will be a center for classes and workshops and will have dance studios, music rooms, office space, costume-storage space and a Preservation Hall for community performances. Among programs on the agenda will be a free monthly Kids Culture Club that will help expose children to American folk arts. Read More at DeseretNews.com

“Culture Fest 2006” Features American Folk Arts Award Recipient

From performing in USO shows as a child for wounded World War II veterans to currently producing “Salute to American Country Music” in the Czech Republic, Rex Burdette has devoted a lifetime of work to preserving and promoting American Folk Art. On March 11, CLOG AMERICA and the Utah Cultural Celebration Center will honor Rex Burdett’s life-time achievements by presenting ‘The Preservation of American Folk Art Award’ at CLOG AMERICA’S “Culture Fest 2006”.

Presently serving as President and United States Delegate for CIOFF-USA (Council International Organization of Festivals and Folk Art), Rex is also an inductee into the Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame. He has been in the Entertainment business since the age of 5 and performed all forms of American dance for minstrel shows through the 50’s as well as performing jig/clog on the nationally televised show, Ozark Jubilee starring Red Foley, for seven years.

After establishing his family which includes four children, The Burdett Family Dancers performed ‘The History of Dance’ for schools across the Midwest in 1970 and 1971, then joined the Bob-O-Links Country Music Show in Branson Missouri for eleven years. Rex began Producing, Directing and Entertainment Management in Silver Dollar City in 1983 where he produced and directed the Echo Hollow Amphitheater for nine years and the Great American Music Festival for nineteen years.

Rex created ‘World-Fest’, the largest International Festival in the USA in 1990 and still produces and directs this festival. He also assists in the development of Dollywood’s Festival of Nations. In addition, he is presently the President of World Music Events, USA and World Music Events Bulgaria, LTD.

In August 2005, Rex was recognized internationally as he was awarded the Silver Medal of Honor symbolizing the Golden Age of Bulgaria and an Honorary Diploma by the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture. He will be accompanied by Helen, his wife of 43 years, as he travels to Salt Lake City from Branson, Missouri to accept ‘The Preservation of America Folk Award’ sponsored by CLOG AMERICA and the Utah Cultural Celebration Center on March 11, 2006.

Introducing The AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE INSTITUTE

PRESERVE AMERICAN FOLK ART

Introducing the

“AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE INSTITUTE"

Generations of Americans have expressed their hearts and minds through music, dance and other folk art. Immigrants from many lands brought to America their own cultural heritage and together wove a tapestry of culture unique in all the world. However this beautiful tapestry is beginning to unravel. Young Americans in this modern age are growing up without knowing or experiencing our traditional American Folk Art and believing there is nothing special about being an American!

Folk art conquers time and space. Embodying the collective wisdom and experience of a people, it expresses that which matters most to the common man. Through neglect, America is in danger of losing its folk art, creating a condition similar to developing amnesia…losing one’s memory. At risk is a vital link connecting the hearts of our children to us and to our American ancestors.

In the crossroads of the American West, the urgency of preserving our precious American Folk Arts is felt intensely. American folk musicians, dancers, poets, artists and craftsmen are coming together to establish a central location where American Folk Art can be preserved, taught, experienced and celebrated.

CLOG AMERICA, the internationally known American Folk Ensemble, is spearheading the campaign to build the “AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE INSTITUTE" in the Salt Lake Valley. ACHI will be dedicated to the preservation and cultivation of American Folk Arts including dance, music, craftsmanship, art and poetry. Through its diverse programming, ACHI will reach out to people of all ages, backgrounds and community.

The “AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE INSTITUE" will offer experiences and instruction in:  Dance including clogging, square dance, contra, reels, and pioneer dances  Music including guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and harmonica.  American folk crafts such as leather tooling, wood carving and quilting

ACHI will feature a Kids’ Culture Club , a free monthly program providing children an opportunity to learn about, experience and enjoy American Folk Arts. ACHI will also be a venue for community social events and mini-concerts featuring local American Folk Artists.

Become a force in preserving our country’s tapestry of culture. Help us strengthen the cultural link between past and future generations. Join CLOG AMERICA’s non-profit organization in building the “AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE INSTITUTE"

For further information contact Shawnda Bishop at 254-6947.