International Folk Dance Ensemble
Dates
- Existence: 1956-
Administrative History
The Brigham Young University International Folk Dance Ensemble (est. 1956) presents a concert program of dances from more than a dozen nations, including Ukraine, Russia, Korea, Poland, Mexico, and the United States.
The Ensemble was founded in 1956 by Mary Bee Jensen when she was asked to organize Scandanavian dances for a congregation meeting of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Janie Thompson, the director of BYU's Young Ambassadors performing group, aided Jensen early on in the development of the program. In 1959, the ensemble established the annual "Christmas Around the World" concert. Since 1964, the ensemble has represented the United States and American culture at folk dance festivals throughout the world, including the festival held in conjunction with the 1988 Seoul Olympics and the festivals in Haifa, Israel; Confolens, France; and Billingham, England. In addition, the group regularly presented its international repertoire throughout the United States and Canada. Regardless of focus, international or American, the BYU Folk Dance Ensemble is acclaimed for their skillful dancing and energy. They celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2006, visiting the Baltic States and the Mondial des Cultures de Drummondville, an international folk dance festival held in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada.
Since 1994, the International Folk Dance Ensemble has been administered under Performing Arts Management, which schedules performing groups on campus. Directors for Performing Arts Management have included Edward L. Blaser (1994-2015) and Rex L. Barrington (2015- ).
Citation:
International Folk Dance Ensemble website, viewed Jul. 11, 2011 (International Folk Dance Ensemble; dances from more than a dozen nations, including Ukraine, Russia, Korea, Poland, Mexico, and the United States; founded in 1956; visited the Baltic States and the Mondial des Cultures de Drummondville in Quebec, Canada; since 1964 the ensemble has represented the United States and American culture at folk dance festivals throughout the world, including the festival held in conjunction with the 1988 Seoul Olympics and the festivals in Haifa, Israel; Confolens, France; and Billingham, England; United States and Canada)BYU organizational history project website, viewed Jul. 11, 2011 (Administered under the Performing Arts Management since 1994; directors for Performing Arts Management, Edward L. Blaser, 1994-)
Personal communication with Edward L. Blaser, July 6, 2020 (director from 1977 to September 2015; prior to 1994, the department was called Performance Scheduling with same functions and job descriptions)
Performing Arts Management website, viewed July 6, 2020 (Rex L. Barrington director since 2015)
Found in 7 Collections and/or Records:
China and the orient, 1983
International Folk Dance Ensemble records
Mary Bee Jensen scrapbook on the International Folk Dance Ensemble
Materials include a photocopy and two digital copies on a compact disc of the scrapbook for the Brigham Young University International Folk Dancers, dating from between 1951 and 1964. Also contains the original scrapbook from which the photocopies were made.
LDS church schools slides
LDS church schools slides, 1930-1979 collection contains 520 slides of places around the world. Many relate to LDS church schools and the BYU folk dance teams travels to Europe in the 1960s.
Program Bureau records
Includes correspondence, minutes, scripts, lists, newsclippings, and photographs concerning tours and shows.
Reflections : fifty years of folk dance, 1956-2006
Commemorative book for the fiftieth anniversary of the folk dance program at Brigham Young University. Includes photographs and stories from participants, as well as a list of team members from 1956 to 2006.