Community Folk Art Council Of Toronto
1 Church Street unit 108 M5E 1Y6 Toronto, ON, Canada

Festival Director Fethi Karakecili and CFAC Executive Director Paromita Kar discuss the exciting upcoming CFAC International Folk Dance and Music Virtual Festival, coming February 20 and 21, 2021.

Announcing our artists for CFAC International Folk Dance and Music Virtual Festival: please join us on Festival Day 1 (Feb 20) starting 1:00 pm for our festival showcase. We are delighted to feature performances by Les Mutins de Longueuil from Quebec! Les Mutins de Longueuil is the oldest active folk dance school in Quebec. Founded in 1960, the school aims to take students around the world through the practice of Quebec and international dance. The group welcomes dancers fr...om the age of 2 years old. Through tours, shows, workshops, and classes, Les Mutins preserve and transmit traditional dances, songs, and other cultural manifestations. As part of this festival, the group will present a short performance of two Quebec folk dances, recorded while on tour in Poland. Please join us on Feb 20, 2021 starting 1:00 pm ET for the livestream of the CFAC International Folk Dance and Music Virtual Festival! Tune in here on the Community Folk Art Council of Toronto Facebook page or Youtube channel! This digital concert is made possible by our partners at the Ministry of Canadian Heritage.

Announcing our next artists for CFAC International Folk Dance and Music Virtual Festival: please join us on Festival Day 1 (Feb 20) starting 1:00 pm for our festival showcase, featuring performances by ZPiT Rado-Joy / Radosc-Joy Vocal Dance Group! In early 1990, with the encouragement of then Pastor, Father Stanislaw Bak and the initiative of Ania Piwowarczyk, a group of young parishioners gathered to form a choir at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church. In 1991, when Pani Ania was... invited with her group of singers to perform for "Betlejem Polskie", this group of children became the first and founding group of Rado-Joy. While the group began as a vocal group, it was clear that their talents reached beyond their vocals. Pani Ania soon added dance and acting to their repertoire and the Group became Rado-Joy Vocal/Dance Group. With the hard work or members, parents, sponsors, choreographers, audiences and the pastoral team of St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, Rado-Joy has blossomed into a professional group recognized by the International Council of Organizations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Arts (CIOFF) and the Official Partner of UNESCO. Their repertoire consists of folklore, patriotic and religious numbers and perform internationally as well as at charities, fundraisers, gala, seniors' homes, hospitals and a variety of cultural festivals. Please join us on Feb 20, 2021 starting 1:00 pm ET for the livestream of the CFAC International Folk Dance and Music Virtual Festival! Tune in here on the Community Folk Art Council of Toronto Facebook page or Youtube channel! This digital concert is made possible by our partners at the Ministry of Canadian Heritage.

Upcoming Event/Call for Submissions: CFAC International Folk Dance and Music Festival (Virtual) The CFAC International Folk Dance and Music Festival celebrates performances and seminar presentations by our Ontario-based CFAC member groups as well as international folk dance and music groups from around the world. This festival is envisioned as a 2-day festival, with the first day consisting of festivals by local as well as livestreamed, international groups, and a second da...y featuring seminars on relevant topics to folk music and dance styles from around the world, as well as the activities of our artists during this pandemic time. The festival is scheduled for February 2021. We look forward to our wonderful members putting their music and dance on display. We invite all current CFAC members as well as all Toronto-based music and dance artists and performance ensembles to send in a note of interest along with a video sample of their previous performance in professional settings (videos must be between 2.5- 5 minutes in duration) to be considered for participation for the festival. Please note that selected performers must have a valid CFAC membership at the time of festival participation (please contact us for details and with any questions). The festival’s feature performances will be live performances by soloists, duets and trio arrangements from the selected groups and will be livestreamed for our international audiences. Interested groups as invited to send their video link and a note of interest, as well as any questions to: [email protected]

Our November Spotlight Feature group is Asi Mi Es Tierra Peru ! The folk group Asi es mi Tierra Peru Toronto was inaugurated on October 20, 2015 to showcase Peruvian dance, art and culture to the world, and celebrates its fifth anniversary this year! It was started by a group of Peruvian friends who decided to maintain their culture and transmit it to younger generations, especially children and grandchildren, as well to all Canadians and friends from around the world. They ...seek to share the rich and colourful dances of Peru, from the different regions of the coast, mountains, and jungle, with audiences from around the world. In the words of the group’s choreographer Monica Guerreño Dancing is culture and history, and transmitting it allowed us to retain our roots. Our goal is to fraternize and show the beauty of the costumes, the joy of the dances and rich history, leaving an open door for those who wishing to know Peru. Everyone is welcome to come to dance and learn and be part of our group. The group has performed at several festivals and events throughout North America and the world, such as World Multicultural Festival Ottawa; Festival Folkloric Peruvian Parade in New Jersey and New York, United States; Carassauga Festival of Cultures; One World Together Guelph; Carabram in Brampton, Culture Bridges Festival New Market , Hispanic Fiesta at Mel Lastman Square Toronto, Hamilton Latino; Latin Festival Mississauga; Salsa at Blue Mountain; CFAC Multicultural Canada Day celebration Toronto,;The Taste of Richmond Hill; Latin American Heritage Festival in Barrie; Canadian Heritage Hispanic Council Latin Fall Fiesta & Parade in Toronto. The group’s activities, events and performances can be followed on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Asi-es-mi-Tierra-Peru-Toronto-1546025522374413

Dilan Dance Company, Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe of Canada and Toronto Morris Men presenting as part of Community Folk Art Council presentations today for CIOFF, the International Council of Folk Festival Organizers!

Community Folk Art Council of Toronto is delighted to be part of Marathon 50th Anniversary of CIOFF North American Sector on August 8, featuring a marathon of 8 hours of free educational and interactive folk dance workshops from across North America! Please join us on August 8! Community Folk Art Council will be represented by Dilan Dance Company, Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe of Canada and Toronto Morris Men, who will present their engaging, delightful and interactive dance workshops in their respective styles at 1:00 pm! Please join us for these fun and wonderful , accessible dance workshops! Free registration at [email protected]

Thank you all for joining and tuning in for Community Folk Art Council's Virtual Multicultural Canada Day Celebration! A huge thank you to all of our artists and ensembles for sharing their amazing and powerful artistic work- Nimki Osamawick, Tamar Ilana and Ventanas, Ballet Folklorico Puro Mexico, Ensemble Topaz, Ori Shalva and Company, Hawaiian Pacific Magic Dance Ensemble, Dilan Dance Company, Mi Young Kim Dance Company, Tabriz Azerbaijani Music & Dance Ensemble - Toronto..., Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe of Canada, Ot Izvora - Bulgarian Folk Music Choir, UyghurCanadian LearningCentre, Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Company, Habeeba's Egyptian Dance Ensemble, Grupo folklorico de mexico en toronto Tonatiuh Mexican Folkloric Group, Ensemble Makedonka, Sassoun Dance Ensemble | , Heritage Singers, Kodály Ensemble, Asi Mi Es Tierra Peru, ZPiT Rado-Joy / Radosc-Joy Vocal Dance Group, Dhol Canada, Academy of Serbian Folk Dancing Association, Toronto Swedish Folkdancers and Singers, Rancho Folclorico Amigos do Minho de Toronto, Manigance - Compagnie de danse, and Toronto Morris Men ! This programme would not have been possible without the support of the Ministry of Canadian Heritage, and the work of our Board of Directors, consisting of Mary Jane Warner, Catherine Limbertie, Fethi Karakecili, Odette Aguinaldo, Grace Lyons, Ana Gomes Programme hosts: Paromita Kar and Mike Anklewicz of Ensemble Topaz