はこだて国際民俗芸術祭 - World Music and Dance Festival » news_english

Thank You: One year after the Quake

Ian — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:41:15 +0000

Mar 11 marked one year from the earthquake that hit Northern Japan.We have received much support since that time, and we would like to re-iterate our thanks to everyone who has thought of us. A special mention goes to our friends from Val Resia in Italy, who spent a year fundraising for the country, and have now sent us the proceeds of their efforts. We will make sure the funds are put to good use, and will continue our “Open Japan” theme into 2012.

A Happy New Year!

Ian — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:32:13 +0000

WMDF would like to wish a prosperous New Year to all. We hope that 2012 will be a year of progress and growth.

For a reminder of 2011, we recommend the Kadmus Arts “Festival Year In Review” compilation, which features WMDF for the second year running, thanks to the shutter skills of Emoto-san .

2012 will be our fifth anniversary as an international event: we hope you might be able to join us in celebrating a little.

2012 WMDF Performers’ Application Information

Ian — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 02:07:32 +0000

The 2012 Conditions for Participating Groups and the WMDF Application Form have been uploaded to our Detailed Application Information page. Please feel free to share this link with anyone you think may be interested.

We are already seeing significant interest for 2012, so we are looking forward to an exciting meeting of worlds for our fifth anniversary! Deadline for applications is the end of October, but last year we were heavily over-subscribed, so we recommend getting in early to make a good impression.

Several people have asked us if it is safe in Hakodate. The answer is an unequivocal yes. We held our event this August with representatives from 11 countries, and a record crowd came out to Motomachi Park each night to enjoy. Next year’s anniversary will be even bigger. Our preparations are already well underway, so now is time to start planning how to join us.

Record Attendance: 30,320

Ian — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 01:25:56 +0000

Despite losing the final day to rain, the official audience attendance figure topped 30,000 for the first time. Many thanks to all for their support. Having grown even in the hard circumstances of this year, we are now looking forward to a hugely successful fifth anniversary. The total attendance including the Opening Live Tour was 32,820, but for the headline figure we are using just the August attendance.

The artists scheduled to perform at Motomachi Park on the final day kindly agreed to give our staff a private concert instead. So, for the first time in four years, many of our volunteers had the chance to enjoy WMDF’s music from close up. We enjoyed it so much that we are thinking of planning a Staff Concert on the final day of 2012, and including Sponsor Pass holders who have attended every day at Motomachi Park. Please check this site for updates on how to celebrate WMDF’s anniversary with us.

More pictures are on our Staff Blog. Also, many thanks to all those who wrote about us online. Just some examples: Hakodate 150 Plus, Hakodatedayo, Kana, Goryokaku Tower.

Cancellation: Site Safety

Ian — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 04:33:24 +0000

Thank you for your support of WMDF.

At 13:30, the rain in Motomachi Park exceeded the level that we can guarantee the safety of electrical equipment and cabling, and thus the safety of people. Taking into consideration also the gusting winds, we regretfully were forced to make the decision to cancel the final day of WMDF 004: both the stages and all the Mogu Mogu Festival booths. We hope that you will appreciate that our top concern must be the safety of audience, staff, and performers.

We were nevertheless able to have a highly successful event, and we invite you all to join us for our 005th anniverary celebrations in 2012.

Thank you, from all of Team WMDF.

One day to go: dodging the typhoon.

Ian — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 02:39:51 +0000

The main stage was rocked by the Ainu Art Project yesterday, and closed by Hinokiya and Ellen McIlwaine. The final day will be running despite the typhoon. Please bear with us in the case of schedule changes, or if high winds are enough of a safety concern to warrant cancellation. Dress for the rain and come join us for the last day!

Photos by Hideyuki EMOTO (Glaretone)

Ellen arrives from Canada!

Ian — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 06:16:51 +0000

WMDF moves people around the world, and sometimes there are logistical snags. After a trip rather longer than we all expected, Ellen McIlwaine did finally catch the first plane in this morning, and you can see us below celebrating her arrival at a workshop. Come and see her live tonight at the main stage (and keep your fingers crossed that the typhoon stays away on Wednesday, so that we get two chances to witness her uniquely tuned and seasoned slide guitar).

Live Streaming, Mayors Speech & Crowds

Ian — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 05:57:47 +0000

Sunshine and heat greeted the first thee days of WMDF. The mayor came to give his first speech at our event, and people came from all around to listen, watch and dance. Saturday and Sunday saw record crowds, with both stages packed even when running simultaneously, and all three Mogu Mogu Festival areas overflowing. Many thanks to all for their support. After yesterday’s gala performance, you now have just two days left to catch the WMDF acts, and to help us spread the Open Japan message. For those who can’t physically get to the stage, check out the live streaming on http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wmdf-main-stage.

Photos by Hideyuki Emoto (Glaretone)

WMDF 004 Opens

Ian — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 05:56:08 +0000

In the year that our Sponsor Pass was designed with a rainbow, the festival was opened by an actual rainbow, pictured below. In Japanese, there is a saying that rainbows in the evening spell good weather: we think it’s a sign that the good weather forecast for the entire festival will come to pass. The sunshine offers us a perfect backrop to show the world that Japan is open.

Photos by Hideyuki Emoto (Glaretone)

Guide Book, Stage Schedule and Third Artist Announcement

Ian — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 11:26:40 +0000

The official Souvenir Guide book for WMDF 004 is now available online (pdf), and will be free to all Sponsor Pass holders at WMDF events. The schedule is also online on the Schedule menu tab together with all artist profiles on the Artists tab. New to our lineup are Lucky and Mojumbo, who share our belief that entertaiment can change the world!

We look forward to welcoming people around the world from to WMDF in just seven days’ time. Please help us to get out the message that Japan is Open.

Second Artist Announcemet & Mogu Mogu Festival

Ian — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 09:10:20 +0000

Although this year has been hard for many people, we have assembled another fantastic lineup of artists. We are deeply grateful to them for their support of our event and of our goals. Today, we are pleased to announce the added participation of:

Johan Sara Jr. who mixes “yoiks” (traditional songs of the Sami people) with other folk traditions and also jazz.
The Traditional Performing Arts Foundation Korea, established in 2007 in Seoul by the Korean Government to preserve and promote traditional Korean performing arts.

Plus, the growth of the “World Foods Court” we started last year has been so impressive that it has now become an event in its own right. We welcome the “Mogu Mogu Festival”, with over 70 booths offering an abundance of goods and foods from around the world. WMDF and the Mogu Mogu Festival will be co-located in Motomachi Park from 5th to 10th August. With more acts and more attractions than ever, we are set to bring new worlds of experience to even more people.

WMDF 004 Artist List (First Announcement)

Ian — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 04:30:11 +0000

At the final day of this year’s Opening Live Tour, we made the first announcement of artists who will participate in WMDF 004. We are very grateful to the artists below for coming to Hakodate to demonstrate our “Open Japan” theme. Expect further announcements of groups over the next weeks: now just 57 days until WMDF 004 begins.

Brian Hulse, USA

Chevak Cup’ik Dancers, Alaska, USA

Margret RoadKnight, Australia

Ellen McIlwaine, Canada

Percussion Unites, Kenya & Senegal

hajime, Berlin

Imanuera, New Zealand (Maori)

Jenaguru, Zimbabwe

N’DANA, Assabu & Hakodate

Ema & Esoh, Awaji Island

Zahatorte, Kyoto

Ainu Art Project, Sapporo

Los Alumnos, Tokyo

Toya Toya, Toyako

Swanky, Hakodate

Hinoki-ya, Hakodate

Opening Live Tour Kicks off WMDF 004

Ian — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 04:20:02 +0000

The OLT (Opening Live Tour) for WMDF 004 publicised this year’s festival with performances in Yakumo, Shikabe, Fuzoku, and Otani Tandai, finishing with a finale at the Citizens’ Hall in Hakodate. The nine representatives of “Imanuera” from New Zealand also had an official reception at the City Hall, and performed in the lobby. We are looking forward to welcoming them again in August.

Imanuera arrive in Hakodate from New Zealand

Ian — Tue, 31 May 2011 13:52:57 +0000

“Imanuera”, the artists selected for the opening live tour for WMDF 004, arrived in Hakodate today. Around 15 WMDF staff greeted the group at Hakodate airport, and we enjoyed a welcome party together in the evening. Over the next seven days, Imanuera will be performing around the Donan area, and meeting with the new Hakodate mayor. Since Imanuera are based in Christchurch, we are very grateful to them for managing to make their journey to Hakodate despite the problems caused by earthquakes at both their departure and their destination points. They have brought with them a letter from Mayor Bob Parker of Christchurch, which will be presented to the Mayor Kudoh of Hakodate on Monday 6th of June. We hope that Imanuera will have a wonderful time in Japan, and we look forward to seeing them again in August for the main WMDF event.

OLT and “Open Japan” Videos

Ian — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 02:59:46 +0000

The WMDF Opening Live Tour (OLT) starts in June, and we have multiple outdoor publicity events during May. We will be making videos at these events to support the theme “Open Japan” (see www.openjapan.org). This is one way that we can use our efforts to respond to the problems caused nationwide by the earthquake in March.

We would also like to ask people who have enjoyed our event in the past if they would support this year’s WMDF, and an “Open Japan” theme, by sending us a video letter that says something about their “open” experiences at our event. If you think you could send us a video by the beginning of July, please let us know. We will be collecting experiences at WMDF or in Hakodate or Japan, and showing the world that Japan is open at WMDF 004!