Central to the values of Northwest Folklife is for communities to have voice and agency in the representation of their cultural expressions. More than 150+ Community Coordinators, including prominent artists, educators, culture bearers, and leaders throughout the region work closely with Northwest Folklife throughout the year to collaborate and co-create programs including the Northwest Folklife Festival as well as the annual Cultural Focus and Our Big Neighborhood youth and family program. These relationships are an integral part of our mission and vision. “As the lifeblood of all Northwest Folklife programs, our relationships with Community Coordinators, are the heart and soul of the organization,” says Northwest Folklife Executive Artistic Director, Kelli Faryar.
“Being a Community Coordinator for Northwest Folklife means a lot to me because it gives me an opportunity to make a connection between regional Mexican folk groups and Folklife. It gives every artist involved the opportunity to meet each other and share a stage but most importantly, we get to build new relationships. I have been performing with Folklife with Bailadores de Bronce for about twenty-two years and, as a performer, it is something we always look forward to. Now, I have been able to share experiences and introduce new organizations to the Folklife family.”- from Community Coordinator, Adrian Olivas – Mexican Folklórico Community, Executive Director of Bailadores de Bronce, Alum Cultural Focus Member of Echoes of Aztlan and Beyond.
Northwest Folklife is curated in collaboration with Community Coordinators. Thank you to these amazing leaders!
206 Zulu: Hip Hop and Youth Arts
206 Zulu is a Seattle-based community organization, established in 2004, that uses Hip Hop culture and the arts as platforms for community service, education and empowerment.
Over the years, 206 Zulu’s diverse membership expanded throughout the Pacific Northwest and a wide array of programs flourished to include free and all-ages events, concerts, festivals, parades, dance competitions, workshops, classes, conferences, multimedia programs, and more.
206 Zulu’s efforts in Hip Hop organizing and community service has been spotlighted in Seattle Times, Real Change News, City Arts Magazine and recognized with awards by the City of Seattle, the State of Washington, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation to name a few. 206 Zulu’s model of organizing helped inspire similar organizations around the United States and the world.
Adrian Olivas: Mexican, Mexican American
Adrian Olivas has been a dancer at Bailadores De Bronce since the summer of 1996. Since then he has performed with the group all over the Northwest. He has also been part of performances at folklorico and mariachi conferences such as the Mariachi Northwest Festival, the Tucson International Mariachi Festival and Danzantes Unidos and other important festivals such as Folklife. Mr. Olivas became the Director of Bailadores de Bronce on April of 2012 at their 40th anniversary at Meany Hall at the University of Washington. With support of the Board of Directors and the Dancers he has worked to educate the local community about Mexican dance and customs .
Andreea Isac
Andreea Isac: Romanians in Seattle
Andreea grew up in a Romanian town, within a family passionate about folklore and since a small child she learnt to love and live through all the dimensions of this heritage: authentic clothing, ancient peasant style decorating arts and crafts, thousands years old stories and myths, lively folk music and dance.
In 2005, Andreea packed all these treasures in her heart to bring with her to Seattle, where she discovered countless new cultures, all offering immense beauty and richness.
After a few years of exploring and learning other dance traditions (like Irish, Balkan, Middle Eastern and Asian), in 2013 Andreea founded together with Ioana Pop the “Datina Folk Ensemble”, a Seattle-based non-profit that presents on stage a unique blend of Romanian folklore arts: music, dance, theater, customs and rituals.
Bernice Maslan: The Jewish community
Bernice has lived in Seattle since 1972 and has attended Folklife every year since 1973. When her kids were little, they were groupies for the Mazeltones. Once Bernice started playing the clarinet in 2001, she became interested in playing klezmer music also. She has often attended klezmer camps such as KlezCalifornia and KlezKanada. In non-Covid times, she runs a community klezmer jam and band called Klez Chaos and play in the Ballard Sedentary Sousa Band, the SANCApators, the Washington State Letter Carriers Band. Bernice loves Folklife and served on its board for about ten years. She is also an avid dancer, including contra, folk and swing.
Learn more on her website here.
bob barnes
Bob Barnes: Labor & The Progressive Community
I've been part of putting on the Labor Showcase at NWFL for more years than I can remember. This past pandemic year i have devoted my energy to helping produce BLM events, and working with the Seattle Labor Chorus. The Chorus has continued to function in spite of COVID, conducting weekly virtual rehearsals, releasing several recordings and serving the community as best we can, We have made our recordings available to unions and other community organizations to help keep the cultural component of the movement alive.
Brenda Goldstein-Young: KNKX Public Radio
KNKX is an ambassador for jazz and blues, and a vital source of quality, non-commercial news, including NPR and regional coverage. The KNKX programming staff are storytellers who reach deeply into the community to reflect the voices of our people, our region and beyond. KNKX is funded by a loyal community of listeners who value the station’s independence.
Brenda is the Director of Community Outreach and Events for KNKX Public Radio, overseeing all of the station's events (virtual and in-person), sponsorships and community partnerships, and KNKX's music education program, School of Jazz. She also coordinates KNKX's studio sessions with national and local jazz and blues musicians.
Bruce P Baker: Participatory Folk Singing
Been involved with Seattle Song Circle since 1981, Director of RainyCamp folk singing weekend for 20+ years, Director Seattle Folklore Society 30 years. Singer, musician, songwriter. My passion is to get people singing together
Carl Copeland: Festival Sundiata "Black Arts Fest"
Festival Sundiata is 40 years young and we intend to celebrate this landmark year with the vibrancy and vigor of a Mardi Gras celebration. New sensibilities are defining the 21st century. Certainly, the most profound convergence between ethnicities, cultures, generations, technology, and media is occurring in the realm of music, art, fashion, and culture. People of all generations from all parts of the world are discovering and/or rediscovering music as a bridge that transcends time and national borders... Over the course of existence, rhythm and blues, jazz, and gospel, artists have seamlessly incorporated aspects of African, Caribbean, Brazilian, Latin, and European music. Festival Sundiata: The Black Arts Fest compresses centuries of cultural expression into a dazzling and universally resonant progression of rhythm, styles, interaction and free location-based entertainment. The Sundiata African American Cultural Association has a strategic plan to expand the festival over the next ten years and set a new paradigm in branded music, arts, and cultural events. Festival Sundiata: The Blacks Arts Fest is the only event of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. I've Love to partner with NW Folklife the past several years!
Dean Paton: City of Seattle
Dean has been partner dancing for more than two decades -- not only as a someone who loves most styles of noncompetitive dance, but also as an instructor, dance manager, masquerade-ball impresario and as artistic director of the Valse Café Orchestra, an ensemble that serves up post-modern renditions of dance-hall classics for dancers and other romantics. He works at Seattle's Century Ballroom, Left Foot Boogie, Northwest Dance Network, and he teaches all-ages classes at the Senior Center of West Seattle. Dean dances as both a Lead and a Follow, and has been a Community Coordinator for 20 years? Or thereabouts.
