Here’s who’s performing in the Little Folks Village this year. Bios follow below.
Also check out the list of activities at the Little Folks’ Village!
The Checkerboard Guy (website)
Sat: 10:00 am on Stage 1; 2:00 pm on Stage 1
Sun: 11:20 am on Stage 1; 4:15 pm on Stage 1
Chibi Taiko
Sat: 11:00 am on Stage 1
Hip Hop Hope
Sun: 3:20 pm on Stage 1; 4:30 pm on Stage 5
Travis Jones
Sat: 4:30 pm on Stage 1
Sun: 10:30 am on Stage 1
Kunaka
Sun: 2:20 pm on Stage 1
Celso Machado
Sat: 11:45am on Stage 1; 2:30 pm on Stage 4
Sun: 1:15 pm on Stage 1
Metaphor
Sat: 1:05 pm on Stage 1
Sand Northrup
Sat: 3:25 pm on Stage 1
Sun: 12:15 pm on Stage 1
About the Performers
The Checkerboard Guy
If stunts like The Six-Foot Unicycle of Death, The Tight Rope of Death, and The Flaming Leap of Death make you squeal with delight then The Checkerboard Guy, aka David Aiken, is one of those shows not to be missed at this year’s Festival. His brand of physical comedy incorporates those death-defying feats of derring-do with 13th century battle-axes, stinky shoes, balloons manipulated into the shapes of muscle men, and laugh-out-loud wit.
In the course of his 20-year career Aiken has performed on cruise ships, at Fringe Festivals, for delegates in Shanghai and Beijing, and at World Expos in Japan, Spain and Korea. In fact, Aiken’s ability to make people laugh transcends language and culture. Of course there’s no doubt that his ability to perform in English, French, Japanese, and sometimes Spanish and Korean doesn’t hurt either. At this year’s Festival, The Checkerboard Guy is on a mission to make you laugh and revive the fading fashion of checkerboard-patterned clothing and accessories all over the world. He’ll succeed in accomplishing at least one of those tasks.
Why else should you come to the show? Well, if for no other reason, not just anyone can say they’ve watched a guy adorned in a checkerboard suit balance on an unsupported eight-foot tall aluminum ladder and seen him live to tell the tale. Come laugh until your stomach hurts.
Chibi Taiko
The first children’s taiko ensemble in Canada, Chibi Taiko was founded in the fall of 1993 with the goal of passing this unique and dynamic performing art on to the next generation of Asian Canadians. The group’s philosophy emphasizes cooperation, leadership, responsibility and spirituality in addition to the physical and musical discipline needed to build a cohesive and dynamic taiko ensemble. The membership is currently 13 youth ranging in age from 10 to 18 years old. In addition to their regular practises they participate in special workshops by guest artists to improve their taiko skills.
The group recorded a CD in 2003 to celebrate their 10th anniversary and to acknowledge the dedication and the commitment of the senior members to this dynamic and unique performing art ensemble. The group performs regularly at events and festivals around the lower mainland as well as in Seattle.
Hip Hop Hope
Hip Hop Hope is a program offered by the non-profit organization Power of Hope, which is dedicated to delivering arts empowerment programs to youth. Hip Hop Hope brings artist mentors and 14 to 18 year olds together to spend five days learning about the history of hip hop as a youth-driven creative tool for social change, while connecting with people from diverse backgrounds, building community, and creating and gaining skills in all the hip hop elements. A group of talented youth, along with their mentors, has been assembled to speak their truth for you this weekend.
Travis Jones
Travis Jones is a Vancouver visual artist actively creating fabled worlds within the mediums of puppetry, set design and props. As a self-taught artist, Travis has continually succeeded in bringing his audience closer to his perception of a mythological universe. Travis’ last installation blended the curiosities of the sideshow performance with that of gigantic puppets. Audiences were thrust into a bedazzled universe of embellished set pieces and seven-foot tall marionettes animated by four puppeteers and led by one crafty Ringmaster. Exposed to an estimated crowd of 30,000 people this puppet performance filled an entire city street block.
Travis has worked professionally for Public Dreams Society, PuSh International Performing Arts Festival, The Dusty Flower Pot Cabaret, In The House Festival and Still Moon Arts Society, as well as having solo shows at the Vancouver East Cultural Center and the Memelab.
Kunaka
Eleven talented young artists aged 11 to 14 years have been performing joyful marimba music at community events and celebrations from Britannia Community Centre to Bowen Island, the WISE Hall to Whistler, and the Chan Centre to the “Cultch.” Their dynamic style and confident stage presence appeal to audiences of all ages and musical persuasions. Despite their youth, Kunaka play as though they “own” the music, a signature sound inspired by the Shona traditions of Zimbabwe and fused with contemporary rhythms. Mbira master Kurai Mubaiwa and percussion specialist Theo Vincent mentor Kunaka, sharing the beautiful marimba melodies of Southern Africa and encouraging the young musicians to contribute their own musical ideas to a repertoire that’s sure to bring everyone’s dancing shoes out of the closet.
Celso Machado
Celso Machado is a Brazilian guitarist, composer, singer and percussionist whose music draws on the classical and avant garde techniques, but veers well into the sounds and textures of Brazilian pop. His solo performances transport his audiences through the richness and diversity of Brazilian music, and beyond. He has 10 solo albums and numerous collaborative recordings and has received Juno nominations in the best global recording category. He has performed at major festivals across the country.
Kids also love Celso, especially when he performs his sounds of the rain forest. He drums on his body and uses rattles, whistles, electronic effects along with the fingers and feet of his audience to create the sounds of the rainforest. He has an uncanny ability to imitate birds and animals, evoking the supremely musical chaos of nature. His original compositions incorporate the percussive rhythms, harmonies and spirit of Brazil to create a remarkably innovative style. He has performed for more than 500 schools across Canada, Europe and in the United States.
Metaphor
Metaphor is a crew of hip hop artists, consisting of Rup Sidhu, Nadia Chaney, Sara Kendall and Mike Sheehan, who build community empowerment and social justice through their art, teaching and facilitation. The team has brought hundreds of performances and workshops to high schools, universities and community groups through BC, Washington and Oregon State, including the Burnaby Youth Detention Centre, Waypoint Youth Rehabilitation Services, Surrounded by Cedars Family Services, BC Housing and LINKS Probation School. The Metaphor crew are experts at inspiring youth through interactive performances that focus on critical thinking, self-reflection and community engagement. They are ready to rock shows and grow hearts.
Sand Northrup
Vancouver juggler, unicyclist, stilt walker and clown, Sand Northrup is a One Woman Circus. Her diverse performing experience ranges from juggling in opera (Faust, Aida) to international unicycle basketball demonstrations. Sand has also written, performed and produced more than a dozen shows for family audiences. Since 1984, she has brought the joys of the circus to children’s festivals, community centres and corporate events entertaining thousands of people across the country.
In addition to performing, Sand coaches at Saskatchewan’s Circus Arts Project and for the One Wheel Wonders, a unicycle basketball team. During the school year she takes her mobile circus to schools throughout BC and Alberta, bringing laughter and joy to students from elementary to middle school ages.
Sand enlists children in the audience to become the stars of the show in a variety of comic and complex circus routines. Her bag of circus tricks, in addition to her numerous characters, are sure to captivate children and adults alike.
Special thanks to Gordon Kadota for his support of programming on the Little Folks stage.
