Northwest Folklife and Seattle Center are excited to present Movin’ Around the World: Spring (April 6-12), a weeklong celebration of the cultures of the world! Scheduled during Seattle Public Schools’ Spring Break, Movin’ Around the World: Spring features live performances, interactive dance and music workshops, hands-on activities, and family fun catering to kids 10 and under! Each day of the week highlights songs, dances, and traditions from unique cultures and regions including India, Latin America, the Balkans, and West Africa!
Each day explores a different culture or theme, allowing audience members to engage with a specific topic or region of the world. From Bollywood dancing to Bulgarian folk songs, there’s so much to discover!
Daily topics include:
◦ Saturday, April 6 – Youth Rising
◦ Sunday, April 7 – ¡Baila Baila!: Dances from Latin America
◦ Monday, April 8 – From Trad to Today: Music of the North
◦ Tuesday, April 9 – Diwali Lights of India Festival Presents: Dances of India
◦ Wednesday, April 10 – Rhythm and Dance of West Africa
◦ Thursday, April 11 – Balkan Boogie
◦ Friday, April 12 – Sights and Sounds of the British Isles
“I am excited to participate in Movin’ Around the World: Spring, as it’s a great opportunity for youth and families to experience and take a trip to experience other cultures and countries right here in Seattle without the hassle of getting visas and paying airfares,” says Latha Sambamurti, co-curator of Tuesday’s Diwali Lights of India Festival Presents: Dances of India. “These events serve as cultural bridges and to create greater understanding, love, and respect for other cultures. It’s great to be a part of this cultural journey! Please join in, fasten your seatbelts and be ready for takeoff!”
Connecting with Northwest Folklife’s 2019 Cultural Focus: Youth Rising, the first day of this event will feature a variety of performances, workshops, and activities showcasing young artists. Youth and families can enjoy performances of Mexican folklórico dance by Grupo Folklorico Citlali, breakdancing with North City Rockers, and traditional Korean song and dance with Morning Star Korean Cultural Center. Plus, hands-on activities including patch making with Blue Cone Studios, animal hat making with Jose Orantes, button making with Northwest Folklife’s Próxima Generación cohort, and bookmark making with Town Hall Seattle!
You can see the full week’s schedule here: nwfolklife.org/maw-spring/
Movin’ Around the World: Spring will take place Saturday, April 6, to Friday, April 12, 11 am- 2:30 pm, in Seattle Center Armory. We are committed to access for all, with a suggested daily donation of $5 per person.
Movin’ Around the World: Spring is a part of the second year of Our Big Neighborhood, a youth and family program featuring 5 family-friendly events throughout the year. For more information about the Our Big Neighborhood program, please visit nwfolklife.org/obn.
