Leymer Folk Music and Dance Group of Bushehr from Iran performs at the Cultural Diversity Festival at Katara Amphitheatre yesterday.
Ethiopian and Iranian artistes enthralled the audience at Katara Amphitheatre when they performed on Sunday and yesterday at the ongoing ‘Cultural Diversity Festival’ organised by the Cultural Village Foundation- Katara in cooperation with the Unesco office in Doha.
The Ethiopian troupe “Ethiocolor” staged folk dances as well played various instruments such as flute, traditional drums, and an Ethiopian instrument called Masenqo. What sets this band apart from others is its unique approach of representing traditional styles in an accurate, lively and new way, as well as spreading their music all over the world. The Ethiopian troupe is led by the traditional dancer Melaku Belay.
On behalf of the group, the leader and founder of the cultural group, Melaku Belay,said, “Our goal is not just to assemble the best traditional musicians and create another folk ensemble. Our unique vision is to demonstrate that the immense musical heritage of Ethiopia can be performed with a great degree of creativity while still maintaining its cultural identity.”
Following the Ethiopian performance, an Iranian folklore ensemble, named “Leymer Folk Music and Dance Group of Bushehr” took center-stage and performed a medley of traditional Persian music. The dance routines entail various elements that tend to vary in accordance to the area, culture, language, and can range from sophisticated reconstructions of refined court dances to energetic folk dances. Each group, region, and historical epoch has specific performance styles associated with them.
South African and Hungarian artistes are scheduled to perform at the festival tomorrow and on Thursday.
