International Festival 2013

Join us in celebrating International Festival, when Local Goes Global! 

Download the 2013 festival schedule

Experience a rich tapestry of cultures woven by Dane County artists.  Featuring arts, crafts, food and performances representing more than 25 cultures, International Festival is a delight of sights, sounds and flavors!

2013 International Festival Schedule

The following abbreviations are used below for the performance venue names:

OHL – Overture Hall Lobby - Located on Level I

OH – Overture Hall - Located on Level I

PH – Promenade Hall – Located on Level II

WS – Wisconsin Studio – Located on Level III

CT – Capitol Theater – Located on Level I

RS – Rotunda Stage – Located on Lower Level

12:00 PM (5min) | OHL | Swiss Alphorn duet

A lively duet with traditional Swiss mountain instruments.

12:05 PM (5min) | OHL | Welcome 

The opening ceremony of the 2013 International Festival.

12:10 PM (20min) | OHL | Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association

A traditional lion dance for good luck and prosperity.

12:20 PM (25min) | RS | Madison Maennerchor 

Traditional men’s choral singing in the German language.

12:30 PM (25min) | CT | Gaelic Fusion Dance Company 

Scottish dancing combined with new music, movements, and costumes.

12:30 PM (25min) | OH | Zaibas Lithuanian Dancers 

A dance program with colorful national costumes and descriptive narratives.

12:45 PM (25min) | PH | Roots of Brazil Capoeira 

An Afro-Brazilian martial arts dance display with acrobatics.

12:45 PM (60min) | WS | Istmo Tango

Argentinian musicians perform different tangos, milongas and valses.

12:50 PM (45min) | OHL | The Dang-its Trio 

Roots-oriented American country music with three-part vocal harmonies.

1:10 PM (45min) | RS | Goongo Peas 

Interactive folk music and storytelling from the Caribbean and African Diaspora.

1:20 PM (25min) | CT | Meenakshi Ganesan & the Kalaanjali School of Dance 

Bharatanatyam, a classical and colorful Indian dance from Southern India.

1:25 PM (25min) | OH | Madison Chinese Cultural Association 

Spectacular Chinese performances and dance in colorful costumes.

1:35 PM (25min) | PH | Boliviamanta 

Traditional Bolivian folkloric dances to promote and share Bolivian culture.

1:45 PM (45min) | OHL | West Wind 

Irish and English poignant airs, lilting jigs, and dance tunes.

2:05 PM (25min) | CT | Sadira & Riad Dance Company 

Authentic Middle Eastern costuming and music complete traditional and contemporary dances.

2:05 PM (60min) | WS | Veseliyka 

Traditional Balkan folk style music.

2:25 PM (25min) | PH | Limanya Drum & Dance Ensemble 

High energy music and dance from Guinea and West Africa.

2:30 PM (30min) | RS | Taiwan Puppet Troupe 

Taiwanese Puppet Theater, otherwise known as “Glove Puppet” or “Poh-Te-Hi”.

2:35 PM (55 min) | OH | Charanga Agoza 

Traditional Cuban charanga music combining European music and African rhythms.

2:40 PM (15min) | OHL | Daithi Wolfe 

A strolling, Irish fiddler extraordinaire performs his lively tunes.

2:50 PM (25min) | CT | Tania Tandias Flamenco & Spanish Dance Company 

Color, grace, and passion come together in fiery flamenco dances.

3:15 PM (25min) | OHL | Sergio Rico Vacilon 

A unique blend of guajira-son and bolero-son, Cuban music.

3:15 PM (25min) | PH | Mesoghios Dance Troupe 

Dances from the island of Crete in authentic, antique costumes.

3:25 PM (25min) | RS | KIOJA Drill Team 

A combination of military close-order, exhibition drills, and African foot dances.

3:25 PM (45min) | WS | Last Gaspe Band 

New England-style dance band, playing Canadian, Irish, and American fiddle music.

3:35 PM (45min) | CT | Atimevu Drum & Dance Group 

Ghanian folk music and authentic dances from all tribes in Ghana.

3:55 PM (25min) | PH | Tri Bratovchedki Singers 

Traditional songs from Croatia, Slovakia, Serbia, and Macedonia.

3:55 PM (45min) | OH | UW Russian Folk Orchestra 

Russian and other Eastern European music performed on authentic folk instruments.  

4:00 PM (45min) | OHL | Chris and Ann Plata 

Music stylings combining country, folk, Tex-Mex, and conjunto elements.

4:15 PM (30min) | RS | Sergei Belkin 

This Russian accordion player performs worldwide classics and folksongs alike.

4:30 PM (60min) | WS | Cajun Strangers 

Cajun music played on accordion and fiddle, sung in the Cajun French dialect.

4:50 PM (45min) | CT | Handphibians 

Both educational and fun, a showcase of traditional Brazilian music.

5:05 PM (55min) | OHL | Yid Vicious Klezmer Ensemble 

Come dance to some fast-paced Yiddish folk music served up with chutzpah.

5:10 PM (45min) | RS | Tani Diakite Desert Trance Infusion 

Danceable music from Mali performed on an instrument called a kamelingoni.

6:00 PM (45min) | CT | Stefano Gueresi 

Internationally acclaimed pianist and composer from Mantova, Italy.

We have put together a great lineup of performers for this year's event, listed below. A printable PDF version of the schedule will be available in early January.

Performance Groups:

Atimevu Drum and Dance Group | Ghana |

Boliviamanta | Bolivia |

Cajun Strangers | French Louisiana |

Charanga Agoza | Cuba & Puerto Rico |

Cris & Ann Plata | South Texas & Mexico |

Daithi Wolfe | Ireland |

Gaelic Fusion Dance Company | Scotland |

Goongo Peas | Caribbean |

Handphibians | Brazil |

KIOJA Drill Team | US & Africa |

Last Gaspé Band | New England & Canada |

Limanya Drum & Dance Ensemble | Guinea |

Madison Chinese Cultural Association | China |

Madison Maennerchor | Germany |

Meenakshi Ganesan & the Kalaanjali School of Dance | India |

Mesoghios Greek Troupe | Greece |

Quinteto Yzafa | Argentina |

Roots of Brazil Capoeira | Brazil |

Sadira and the Riad Dance Company | Arab Middle East |

Sergei Belkin | Russia & Ukraine |

Sergio Rico Vacilon | Cuba |

Swiss Alphorn Group | Switzerland |

Taiwan Puppet Troupe | Taiwan |

Tani Diakite Desert Trance Infusion | Mali |

Tania Tandias Flamenco & Spanish Dance Company | Spain |

The Dang-Its Trio | US Folk |

Tri Bratovchedki | Eastern Europe |

UW Russian Folk Orchestra | Russia & Eastern Europe |

Veseliyka | Bulgaria |

West Wind | Ireland |

Yid Vicious Klezmer Ensemble | Yiddish Culture/Eastern Europe |

Žaibas Lithuanian Dancers | Lithuania |

Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association | China & Taiwan |

Stefano Gueresi | Italy |

International Festival is sponsored by CUNA Mutual Foundation and funded in part by the City of Madison; the Arts Access Fund, a component fund of the Madison Community Foundation; Dane Arts with additional funds from The Evjue Foundation, Inc., charitable arm of The Capital Times; the Wilson Foundation and by contributions to Overture Center for the Arts.. Learn how you can be part of supporting Overture’s community and education programs by clicking here.