Northwest Folklife I Spotlight at Waterfront Park

Salish Steps | Free
Thursday September 24, 6–8 pm

Experience performances highlighting local artists and voices.

Family‑friendly!

Visitors enjoying a Spotlight at Waterfront Park event on Pier 62. Photo by Jo Cosme.

Visitors enjoying a Spotlight at Waterfront Park event on Pier 62. Photo by Jo Cosme.

About this Spotlight

We’re partnering with Northwest Folklife for an evening of performances by Melody Institute, Brazilian Swag, Gansango Dance and Dunava Balkan Choir.

Staged at the built-in amphitheater of the Salish Steps at the bottom of Overlook Walk, the Spotlight series highlights talented artists and offers audiences a gateway to explore the diverse arts and culture scene of the region.

Planning on attending? RSVPing helps us understand how our community uses Waterfront Park, and shapes future events and park experiences. 

Meet the Artists

Brazilian Swag

Deise Costa, founder of Brazilian Swag, is a Brazilian dance artist, choreographer, and cultural educator with over 15 years of experience performing and teaching in Brazil and across the United States. Originally from Piauí, she is deeply rooted in the Afro-Brazilian tradition and a passionate advocate for the preservation and sharing of Brazil’s cultural heritage.

Dunava

Dunava (from Дунав, the Bulgarian name for the Danube river) is a Balkan women’s choir based in Seattle. The ensemble is made up of singers with broad musical and performance experience and a passion for intricate harmonies and varying vocal technique. Dunava is dedicated to studying and performing traditional folk songs from Eastern Europe with respect and authenticity, and introducing audiences to these beautiful vocal traditions and songs.

Gansango Music & Dance

Gansango is directed by Etienne Cakpo, originally from Benin and now a choreographer and teacher based in Seattle, Washington. Gansango company collaborating artists perform regularly in the Seattle area, nationally and internationally for audiences of all ages. The company performances fuse music and movement from across the African continent, drawing heavily from the dance and music traditions of Benin, Ghana and Togo, among other countries. Instruction and shows often feature traditional dance from Benin, including ritualistic dances, regional social ceremony dances, such as the Chenkoumé dance from Savalou, and royal historical dances such as the Zehli dance from the late 1800’s.

Melody Institute

Melody Institute is dedicated to the teaching and understanding of Chinese culture, dance & language in the Puget Sound region & offers Chinese dance and language classes in Seattle to students of all ages & levels. The founder, Melody Xie’s students have been performing Chinese dances around the Pacific Northwest for about three decades. They have been performing at the Folklife Festival every year since 1995. Melody Xie is a coordinator of the showcases for Folklife Festival over 10 years.

About Northwest Folklife

Northwest Folklife creates opportunities for all to celebrate, share, and participate in the evolving cultural traditions of the Pacific Northwest. SuperFolk tests our boundaries for genre and classification. In the realm of SuperFolk, all ingredients are good ingredients.

Pier 62. Photo by Jo Cosme.

Pier 62. Photo by Jo Cosme.

Accessibility

Friends strives to ensure Waterfront Park, and our events are inclusive, accessible, and welcoming to everyone.

Waterfront Park is an outdoor space in downtown Seattle providing various amenities such as wheelchair accessible seating, shade, water stations, cooling fans, and ADA accessible restrooms.

At this event, the following resources can be checked out onsite at the Friends of Waterfront Park Info Booth:

  • Courtesy wheelchair
  • Sensory Kits (Includes: noise-canceling headphones, fidget toys, headwraps, and other items)
  • Assisted Listening Devices

For wheelchair and assisted listening devices, please request those ahead of time by emailing [email protected] at least 1 week prior to the event.

Learn more about accessibility resources at Waterfront Park.

Please fill out our visitor experience survey here with any feedback on how we can make your experience more comfortable and accessible.

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