Slavic Folk Group heads south on performing tour

Living Traditions Folk Ensemble, Northeast Ohio’s premiere Eastern European folk dance and culture company, is excited to announce that it has been selected to be the only U.S. performance troupe to be featured at the Memphis in May International Festival this month. Each year this award-winning $7-million event selects a different country as the as the honored nation and their culture, artwork, dance and music. In its 39th annual event it also produces extensive educational, international and economic programs for the city and builds international relationships and understanding through education.

“We are excited to engage the students of Memphis as part of city’s celebration of Polish culture,” said Cathy Piłat Katrenich, LTFE’s founder & choreographer. “ ‘From the Mountains to the Shoreline’ ” is the special participatory show we have created highlighting the geographic similarities between Tennessee and Poland. We think this will help the students better relate to the country and traditions we represent.”

When the festival announced it had selected Poland as its honored country, PolishYoungstown - one of LTFE’s sponsors -
reached out to have the group be considered as performers. The dozen or so dancers are being flown down to Tennessee, housed and hosted with southern hospitality to visit important tourist destinations. The 12 dancers participating in this trip - including four from Youngstown - will be presenting a 45-minute show and participatory production twice a day all week at different schools throughout the region. The group has already reached out to Polish-American Society of Memphis and is working to set up a blues-filled Polish Happy Hour on Beale Street next week! Follow the groups adventures on Facebook both LTFE and PYTOWN pages.

Memphis in May International Festival Education Program

This award-winning project enables the youth of the Memphis City and Shelby County area, including over 200 city and county schools, dozens of private schools, and a very active home school association to be immersed in the culture of a select country each year. The organizers work with experts to create a curriculum guide, classroom culture trunks, student competitions, international exchanges, and more! Learn more at www.memphisinmay.org

Living Traditions Folk Ensemble was created in 2000 to keep alive the Slavic dances, songs and culture of the Polish, Croatian and Carpatho-Rusyn people. The multigenerational group offers concerts, participatory shows, folk dance workshops, and education programs throughout the Eastern United States. For more information, visit www.livingtraditions.org or call 216-272-2236 or email at info@living-traditions.org

216-272-2236
www.living-traditions.org