Texas Folklife announces change in executive leadership

Big change is upon us at Texas Folklife with the departure of Nancy Bless, Executive Director for the last eight fantastic years.  Nancy gave life and new direction to the organization during difficult financial times; her legacy of artistic excellence will be felt for many years to come.

We are pleased to announce that Cristina Ballí will take her place as the newly appointed Executive Director. Cristina has been Associate Director of the organization for the last two years touring the state promoting many of our popular public programs. She is the fifth director in our 27-year history, the first to hail from the Rio Grande Valley, and the first to be fluent in Spanish. She brings experience and an enthusiastic willingness to help shape, nurture, and shepherd Texas Folklife as it moves forward in the 21st century.


               

       Nancy Bless                       Cristina Ballí

       View press release             View press release


Thank you and a fond farewell to outgoing Director Nancy Bless.

We thank Nancy and appreciate all that she has done for the organization over the last decade. We will benefit from her efforts for decades to come and wish her well on her new endeavors.  Mariachi and Conjunto students from La Joya school district express their gratitude to Nancy, whom they affectionately call “Doctora Nancy,” in this musical tribute:   

MADE IN TEXAS - Give the gift of pure Texas joy! 

Gifts include: original artwork, greeting cards, DVDs, and t-shirts

Click here to start shopping

 

The Big Squeeze 2012 - More details soon!

"The Big Squeeze" is Texas Folklife's sixth annual statewide contest for young accordion players. The contestants, ages 21 and under, receive prizes as well as performance opportunities, mentoring and special recognition through their participation in the contest. Businesses including Hohner Accordions, Embassy Suites-Downtown Austin and  the historic SugarHill Recording Studios donate grand prizes, hotel rooms for touring and mentoring. Texas Folklife conducts live auditions, master classes and mini-performances around the state as part of this program. 
Live auditions will be held in: Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio - check back soon for rules and entry forms.

See a clip from The Big Squeeze - now on DVD!

Apprenticeship: West African DanceJean-Claude Lessou

Texas Folklife and the World Dance Program at Houston Community College (HCC) had two very successful nights of authentic, regional dance performance from Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa featuring three artists taking part in its Apprenticeship Program on December 2 and 3. Since last August, apprentices Julie and Gabriel Bata of Houston have been studying the Zaouli and Aloukou dances with Master Artist Jean-Claude Lessou. Read more about our Apprenticeship Program

Education and Media: Stories from Deep in the Heart

Stories From Deep in the Heart is a program of Texas Folklife, the Austin Independent School District and KUT Radio/Austin NPR. The STORIES goal is to create broadcast-quality, youth-produced radio documentaries about the people and places that shape our lives. We document the rich and varied Folklife-- the customs, rituals, beliefs, stories, songs, music, dance, food traditions, and crafts that are passed along within our families and our communities. High school students and teachers have the unique opportunity to work with some of the best producers, journalists, and folklorists from the region and nation. The documentaries air on Austin’s own National Public Radio affiliate, KUT 90.5FM, and some documentaries are reaching national and international listeners though PRX, a radio distribution channel.
Learn more here.  Listen. Visit our Tumblr blog!

Performance: Accordion Kings & Queens

Join us in Squeezebox Heaven! June 2, 2012
This is the 23rd annual "Accordion Kings & Queens," and it just might be the very best, ever! So put on your dancing shoes and bring your friends, family and a picnic to Miller Outdoor Theatre in Houston for the best, free squeezefest on the planet!

Tasty Texas Story of the Month

Mayhaw Jelly - Photos and interview by Jody Horton; Video editing by Michelle Mejía

Come join us! Seeking tasty Texas stories...

We invite you to be a part of "A Place at the Table," a major survey of food traditions in the Lone Star State. Help Texas Folklife, Texas Commission on the Arts, and the Texas Department of Agriculture gather and share the diverse stories of Texas food. Visit the link below and take the survey to tell us about your traditions. Your story could be part of new exhibits, radio and television documentaries, and placed in Texas libraries. Click here to take survey
Read more about A Place at the Table
Photo by Daniel Olsen