2022 PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
We have a packed schedule of performances! Please note that we've extended the times of the Festival!
The International Flag Parade begins at 10:30am followed by opening ceremonies. Click below to see the full lineup and scroll down for information about each of the performances.
ABOUT OUR PERFORMERS
EMPEROR T-JIGA and THE AKWAABA ENSEMBLE
The Akwaaba Ensemble brings West African drumming and dance to vivid life, holding sway with the rich and subtle rhythmic patterns and styles specific to different tribal groups of West Africa.
The Akwaaba Ensemble’s energetic and engaging performances are a reflection of their name, which means ‘Welcome‘ in the Akan language of Ghana.
The ensemble his led by Theo Nii Martey (also produces music as Emperor T-Jiga) is a talented artist who was born and raised in Accra, Ghana, West Africa. Theo is a Drummer, Dancer, Songwriter, Recording Artist, Producer, Performer, Teaching Artist, and Award recipient of the 2019 Governor’s Arts Award for Arts Education, and he was featured on New Hampshire Magazine who’s it for 2019 It list. Most recently Theo was featured in New Hampshire Magazine for Instruments of Peace for the 2022 February issue and was named the New Hampshire Artist Laureate for 2022-2024.
ANDRÉS & JOE
Andrés & Joe” have been entertaining New England crowds for over a decade with their musical journey of fun filled Latino classics to multicultural modern favorites! Their sound and style are truly one of a kind! Performing live every 2nd and last Thursday of the month at El Rodeo in Concord New Hampshire! Check them out on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram! The experience is said to be like being on a resort vacation! Come enjoy the fun! Fiesta Forever!
ROYAL BURUNDI DRUMMERS OF CONCORD
Burundian drummers traditionally perform for ceremonies such as births, funerals, and coronations of mwami (Kings). Drums (called karyenda) are sacred in Burundi, and represent the mwami, fertility and regeneration. The Royal Drummers use drums made from hollowed tree trunks covered with animal skins. In addition to the central drum, called Inkiranya, there are Amashako drums which provide a continuous beat, and Ibishikiso drums, which follow the rhythm established by the Inkiranya.
The performance of the Royal Drummers has been the same for centuries, and their techniques and traditions are passed down from father to son. The members of the ensemble take turns playing the Inkiranya, dancing, resting, and playing the other drums, rotating throughout the show without interruptions. At the start of their performance, the drummers enter balancing the heavy drums on their heads and singing and playing. There are some extra members who carry ornamental spears and shields and lead the procession with their dance. They then perform a series of rhythms, some accompanied by song, and exit the stage the same way, carrying the drums on their heads and playing.
BARRANQUILLA FLAVOR
Colombian and Multicultural dance group that represents Colombian culture, especially from Barranquilla, as well as other parts of the Caribbean. Barranquilla specializes in Colombian Folkloric Dances such as Traditional Cumbia, Mapale, and Champeta, along with other traditional Latino dances like Salsa and Merengue. Barranquilla Flavor also honors the other cultures of their students by learning and teaching Indian, Nepali, and Chinese dances.
WAH LUM KUNG FU & TAI CHI ACADEMY
The Chinese lion dance ceremony dates back more than a thousand years and has always been an integral part of Chinese culture. The lion itself is regarded as a guardian creature coming from the mountains to drive away evil spirits, bring positive and celebratory energy, and give blessings to all who are present.
Lion dances are most commonly seen at events such as Chinese New Year celebrations, banquets, weddings, and grand-openings. For these gatherings, it is widely believed that the Chinese lion dance will bring good luck, good fortunes, happiness, successes, and prosperity to the place, people, and businesses at hand.
Two performers dance the colorful paper-mache lion head and the beautifully adorned fabric-body. The movements of the lion are often active and vigorous which is always accompanied by impressive and energetic music coming from percussive instruments including a drum, cymbals, and a gong.
Depending on the purpose of the gatherings, skillful dancers can animate the lion to create various expressions to both entertain and tell a story of its presence as it carries out its job to drive away bad karma and give blessings. Chinese lion dance has a deep history and many traditions within its art. Great skills and impressive tricks are demanding to learn and to master physically and mentally.
MARTIN TOE
Martin Toe is a dynamic American powerhouse Afropop/ rhythm Hip-Hop artist from Southern, New Hampshire. From African roots, Martin inspires his fans to be unstoppable through a combination of raw energy and undaunted lyrics. His music promotes diversity and overcoming all obstacles, pulling from his experiences with loss, war, trauma, to bring you joy.
ELEGANZA DANCE COMPANY - BACHATANGO
Eleganza Dance Company was established in 2020 by Owner and Director, Jessica Vaillancourt. Jessica started dancing back in 2010 in Daytona Beach, Florida. She took her first Latin dance class and immediately fell in love with style, music, and community. She quickly joined performance teams in the area and danced and performed with Salsa Heat in Orlando, Florida. In 2013 she moved up to New Hampshire and quickly got involved with the Latin Dance Community in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Now married with 3 beautiful children, she continues to share her love and passion for Latin Dancing to the dance community here. Her goal is to create a fun and encouraging environment for dancers of all levels to learn and grow.
She aims to inspire and empower all who take classes with her, so they gain confidence on and off the dance floor.
Bachatango (often classed as a sensual form of modern bachata) is a style of dance that fuses the four-step Dominican bachata with Argentine tango moves, including elaborated kicks, dips, turns, ganchos, leg wraps and long pauses. The dance is characterized by sensual hip and body movements. Partners hold each other in a closed position where the female's inside right thigh is in contact with the inside of the male's right thigh, while using the hand placements of typical Latin style dances.
SMARIKA - TRADITIONAL NEPALI DANCE
Smarika is a member of Project S.T.O.R.Y., an organization which serves New American youth by providing them with adequate resources, education, and support, in order to nurture an appropriate and healthy assimilation into adulthood within their new culture and community. Smarika learned to dance from her mother who was a professional dancer in her younger years.
IN THE FIELD IRISH DANCERS
A show including the three kinds of Irish Dance: Step, Ceili ("Kay-lee"), and Set Dancing. We are a non-competitive group from 7 to 60+ who love to perform and do their part to preserve Irish Dance and Music. They will be starting their 8th Season in town and today is their 7th performance at the Festival. They were founded by Award-winning Choreographer, Instructor, and Dancer, Jean Ver Hoeven ("Ver Hoo-ven").
NUSANTARA KREASINDO INDONESIAN DANCE
Balinese Dance, called Teruna Jaya (Trunajaya), is a dance that depicts the movements of a young man who is coming of age, is very emotional, and trying to approach a woman's heart. Tari Teruna Jaya is a creation of the Pan Wadres Kebyar Legong form which is then refined by I Gede Manik.
RUBY SHABAZZ
Ruby’s musical journey began as a student of music at the University of Lowell, lending her voice and songwriting skills to prominent recording sessions as well as performing with bands in and around the Boston area. While polishing her skills as a studio singer, she’s had the opportunity to be featured on many high profile projects throughout New England, some of which received national radio airplay.
Most recently, after taking the time to develop her own style, Ruby has released music in the style of Dance, House and R&B. Her solo releases Light of the Moon and Rise up were featured on Spotify playlist for Independent Artist Only curated by UK artist Kelli-Leigh.
Her music has even been featured on TV Programs such as NH Chronicle. In 2021 she was part of a project that won NH Magazine’s Best of NH and in 2022 her co-writing won New England's Best Songwriter’s competition/Hip Hop & R&B.
Ruby continues to be a student of music and adding to her repertoire. Influenced by her late father, she has taken on the task of learning the roots of Jazz and R&B and loves performing for community events. The future looks promising for Ruby with more recording projects in the works and performances planned throughout the Merrimack Valley.
HIMALAYA HERITAGE PERFORMING ARTS
Nepali Folk And Classical Music featuring: Harimaya Adhikari, vocals; Sagar Khatiwada, tabla; Shyam Nepali, sarangi; Pramod Upadyay, madal; David Nugent, sarod.
SENIE HUNT
Senie Hunt is a self-taught, singer-songwriter and percussive guitarist adopted from Sierra Leone. He brought with him an inherent passion for West African rhythms and percussion. Senie used djembe drumming as a creative outlet to process the traumas of his early childhood during Sierra Leone’s Diamond wars.
Senie’s US family owned a world-instrument import business and shared his love of music. With the help of his adoptive father, an amateur guitarist, Senie began to play the instrument at the age of 7. He learned most of what he knows through watching footage of live concerts of early influencers, like Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B. King, and The Allman Brothers. As he learned guitar, Senie’s rhythmic instincts led him to experiment with drumming on the guitar as a way to capture the sound and
ROY CÁCERES
Roy Cáceres is a tango singer and chef. He moved from Las Varillas, Argentina to Concord for a job opportunity. He finds ways to live out his two passions by singing at festivals and as a chef at a Mexican restaurant.
FREEMOE
A refugee song writer, Artist, Producer. 3.W.3.B (Third World Third Born).
Stage name: FreeMoe. The stage name is "FreeMoe" because. Free: represents every individual lack of freedom. no matter what someone's circumstances are wether it be rich, middle or poor, there are always some sort of shortages on that aspect of being free to gaining freedom. Moe came from the real name Mawouko, most people couldn't say the name so they called me Moe. So I just had to merge both narratives and became "FreeMoe".
“My creativity relates to everyday life events, mostly tied to the have-nots and broken homes around the world. I'm originally uniq with the talent I bring to the table. Noticing the cycle of life, nothing lasts forever. I also understand that releasing the right information is what revolutionizes the world. I love the idea of learning through art at an early age. Dad was a judge and a sketcher artist before the war. Mom was a cook, so I realized it early on that I had the creative gene to help world wide communities. uplifting concurrent stressors and healing invisible wounds of those scared.”
Each year, the Concord Multicultural features a full lineup of performances, food vendors, craft vendors, artists and activities that showcase the many cultures that are represented in our community.
It is our goal to create an engaging event that brings people together to celebrate the diverse heritages that make the Greater Concord community so enriching.
This is where you will find the schedule of performances as it gets closer. In the meantime, please join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and sign up for our e-newsletter.
PERFORM AT THE FESTIVAL
Our Performance lineup is FULL for 2022! If you're interested in performing in the future, please fill out the form below.
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!
We couldn't do this event without the support of our many sponsors and partners. Please join us in thanking them!
For more information about sponsoring the Concord Multicultural Festival, click here or email connect@concordnhmulticulturalfestival.org
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