International Folk Dance comes to Sisters

Brigham Young University’s International Folk Dance Ensemble (IFDE) will perform at Sisters High School Auditorium on Wednesday, November 6, at 7 p.m.

Combining ethnic traditions with exquisite costuming, IFDE showcases the dance styles of the world and features the traditions of the United States. The ensemble offers one of the broadest spectrums of folk dance performed by a single group of its kind. Its extensive repertoire includes music and dance from all over the world, including Europe, the Caribbean, and Asia.

IFDE has achieved a global reputation for professionalism throughout the U.S.and worldwide. The ensemble is made up of 28 dancers and four technicians. IFDE performs with many of the world’s finest dance companies. The Ensemble was founded in 1956 and has performed in the Vallarta Azteca International Folk Dance Festival in Mexico, folk festivals in Czechia, the Danube Carnival Festival in Hungary, International Folklore Festival in Haifa, Israel, the Festival de Confolens in Confolens, France, and the Billingham International Folklore Festival in Stockton-on-Tees, England.

Artistic director Jeanette Geslison is from Odense, Denmark, where she was trained in classical ballet, jazz, and theatre. She has been a rehearsal specialist with IFDE since 1995, and has directed the group since 2011. Her diverse background and wide array of experience has helped her to expand the International Folk Dance Ensemble’s repertoire and reach new horizons.