The 27th annual Carmel International Arts Festival will welcome international dance artists this year in addition to the physical art performances from the U.S. and around the world that the festival has become known for. A Latvian folk dance ensemble called Lielupe will perform during the festival, which will take place on September 28 and 29 in Carmel, Indiana. Ballet Folklorico Mosaicos will also be part of the festival, showcasing Mexican folk dances.

Jelgava, Latvia, is one of several sister cities of Carmel. Sister cities were established to promote peace through interpersonal relationships. Latvian artists have been represented at CIAF for several years.

The Latvian folk dance ensemble Lielupe from Jelgava, Latvia, was founded in 1959 as a folk dance group for seniors. In its creative activity, the ensemble, under the leadership of Vilis Ozols, focused on the middle generation. Lielupe currently consists of five generations of dedicated dancers committed to the highest standards of Latvian folk dance traditions.

The knowledge and love of dance of the directors and dancers as well as their dedication to a

mutual intervention both during rehearsals and dance concerts have enabled them to reach the highest level of professionalism and performance in Latvian folk dance.

In 1985, Elita Simsone took over the leadership and direction of Lielupe. In 1989, they won the title Folk

Dance ensemble. Under her leadership, the ensemble received high recognition not only in Latvia but also at international dance competitions and performed in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, Thailand, Brazil, China, Nepal, Indonesia, Iran, Turkey and many European countries.

Lielupe has participated in all Latvian song and dance festivals in Latvia since 1959. 152 current and former dancers took part in their 65th anniversary concert “Love – Lielupe”.

In the folk dance ensemble, traditions are passed down from generation to generation, which allows maintaining a remarkably high level of professionalism and cohesion, where each dancer is genuinely valued. For Lielupe and its members, folk dance is more than just dancing. It is an opportunity to bring people together out of passion and love for dancing and the shared life experiences it brings to each of them, both in Latvia and around the world.

Also featured at this year’s festival will be Ballet Folklorico Mosaicos of Indianapolis. This nonprofit educational and charitable organization is dedicated to teaching, preserving and sharing the heritage of Mexican folk dance. It provides cultural education and enrichment to the people and communities of central Indiana. It has approximately 50 dancers ranging in age from 12 to 55. Mosaicos currently presents traditional dance groups from the states of Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, Durango, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Sinaloa, Jalisco and Veracruz.

Her work has been recognized by various organizations such as the Indiana Latino Expo, the Mexican Consulate in Indianapolis, Indy Eleven, Indy International Festival and more, including some in Evansville and Chicago.

The aim of Mosaicos is to provide an overview of the richness of music, dance and customs of Mexico through spectacular choreography and costumes. Behind this display of color and movement lies a work that ensures the representation of the traditions of each city.

The Carmel International Arts Festival is a major festival that brings more than 100 talented artists from across the country and around the world to Carmel’s Arts & Design District. The artists have the amazing opportunity to share their work with nearly 30,000 people during the two-day event.

The festival continues to grow each year, offering more music, food, and this year, international dancers. “I’m really looking forward to another fantastic year!” said Jill Gilmer, President of the Carmel International Arts Festival. “The talent we had last year exceeded my expectations. We’ve expanded our scope so we should now have about 150 artists, a few small stages for musicians and performers in addition to our main and west stages, a vineyard, more ethnic food, and an interactive youth area that’s twice the size!”

For more information about CIAF, visit the website at www.carmelartsfestival.org/.

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