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Show U T A H S T A T E O F T H E A R TS CELEBRATIONS/FESTIVALS Native American Powwows: Pan-Indian events provide a great opportunity to see beautiful costumes and fancy dancing. The largest Utah powwows are held by the Paiutes in Cedar City (June), the Utes in Fort Duchesne (July Fourth holiday) and a multi-tribal group in Heber City (June). Smaller powwows are held regularly at the Indian Walk-In Center in Salt Lake City. International Folk Dance Festivals: Each summer folk dance troupes from around the world appear in festivals in Springville and Bountiful. Parades and ethnic food sales are generally part of these lively events. Within the Hispanic population, Utah's largest ethnic group, music and social dancing are thriving. On weekends, it is not unusual for there to be three or four dances with live music. Similarly, on Sunday mornings there are at least a dozen services at African- American churches featuring fine gospel music. Whether singing up front with the choir or singing and responding as part of the congregation, those who attend these services renew their group membership and celebrate their ethnicity through traditional arts. In Utah's Tongan community, music and dance are part of all family and religious celebrations. But at important community events, such as a visit from the king or queen of Tonga, group members perform the most traditional works composed by their local masters- standing and sitting songs featuring group singing with choreographed hand and foot movements. Likewise, the Japanese Buddhist congregations of Salt Lake and Odgen come together each spring to prepare for an ancient religious holiday, the Obon. People of all ages rehearse folk dances for street celebrations held in July. Both communities are strengthened through group participation in traditional arts. Utah's Basque, Greek, Hispanic and Filipino communities are among those with active programs for teaching and performing folkloric dance. The Scots and the Tongans both have marching bands-the Scots play bagpipes, of course, while the Tongans have brass bands, a reflection of British influence in Tonga. And in some of Utah's ethnic communities-the East Indian, Laotian, Thai and Chinese-both the classical and folk dance traditions symbolize ethnic identity. Ethnic music and dance are also enjoyed and performed by many Utahns who are not part of a continuous tradition within an ethnic community. As in other forms of revivalism, these musicians and dancers are very dedicated and have achieved great skill. Musicians who specialize in Irish or Scottish music or dance and dancers who have learned the steps to long-forgotten village dances from Eastern Europe frequently take part in ethnic community celebrations. Their performances are valued for their beauty, the atmosphere they provide and the symbolic statement they make about the importance of art in maintaining cultural heritage. Utah's folk and ethnic arts bring the values and ideals of the past into the present. Whether part of a continuous community tradition, a revival of skills and repertory from earlier times or a symbolic expression of ethnic identity, they add beauty, excitement, and purpose to our everyday lives. 150 |