Preview

Backstage at the Utah Arts Festival 2023: Shows at The Round to feature Ambitious Romel from California, Aiden Barrick from Utah

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AMBITIOUS ROMEL (June 25, 4:30 p.m., The Round) Known by his performing name Ambitious Romel, which becomes an advantage when searching online for his music, Dejo’n Rothschild has built his brand around the dynamics of ambition, organically grown his critical mass as a creative entrepreneur. One of the Utah Arts Festival’s Emerging Artists, Rothschild (whose … Read more

Backstage at the Utah Arts Festival 2023: Emerging Artists slate includes Alaina Noelle, Las Vegas freestyle poet; Kearns High School student and poet Savannah Davis

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ALAINA NOELLE (June 24, 12:45 p.m., The Round Stage) One of the Utah Arts Festival’s Emerging Artists, Alaina Noelle is a poet from Las Vegas who specializes in freestyle forms. She answered several questions from The Utah a review by email.  TUR: What were your formative influences and introductions to poetry? Who were among your … Read more

Backstage at the Utah Arts Festival 2023: Three major poetry slams slated, with Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah represented

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Poetry slams have become one of the most popular offerings at the Utah Arts Festival, to the extent that the festival venue could launch its own regional competition. This year, the territory covered includes Utah, Arizona, California and Nevada.  There will be three major slam competitions: The Youth Individual Slam, The Adult Individuals and the … Read more

Backstage at the Utah Arts Festival 2023: Utah Poet Laureate Lisa Bickmore, Clark County Poet Laureate Emeritus set to read on opening day at WordFest Stage

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There are many power hitters this year in the Utah Arts Festival’s Literary Arts lineup for the Wordfest Stage. Among them are Lisa Bickmore, Utah Poet Laureate, and Heather Lang-Cassera, who was Clark County, Nevada’s Poet Laureate from 2019 to 2021. Both participated in interviews with The Utah Review. LISA BICKMORE (June 23, 12:30 p.m. … Read more

Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation sets three-day piano festival, June 22-24, featuring concerts with international pianists, master classes, student performances

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This week’s piano festival by the Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation follows on the heels of an exceptional concert season. The three-day event will feature outstanding pianists as well as students who will be performing, along with master classes led by guest artists and educators.  Guest artists and educators include Spencer Myer, an internationally acclaimed … Read more

Backstage at the Utah Arts Festival 2023: With Tree Utah as thematic anchor, Kids’ Art Yard will be a beehive of creative projects celebrating forests and trees

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ART YARD (June 23-25, noon-9 p.m.) ‘Let me tell you about this tree. It was a rock-solid hardwood, three feet in diameter with a trunk magnificently embossed in rich gray tones, set in deep relief with an exquisitely interconnected skin of bark that was somehow both coarse and forgiving to the hand. The ash is … Read more

Backstage at the Utah Arts Festival 2023: Making its 12th consecutive appearance, 1520 Arts set to command The Round during all three days

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Now a mainstay at The Round stage, 1520 Arts will be making its 12th consecutive appearance at the Utah Arts Festival (June 23 and June 24, 5:45-8 p.m.; June 25, 6-9 p.m.). With the festival’s three-day schedule, the focus will be on the larger formats of 3 v. 3 battles, which will make the audience … Read more

Backstage at the Utah Arts Festival 2023: Flamenco del Lago set to bring fire and passion to The Round

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Katie Sheen-Abbott grew up in West Jordan and like many Utah children, took up dance, studying various forms such as ballet, tap, and jazz. Later in her collegiate training, she thought about exploring Flamenco as a hobby and while in graduate school in Maryland, she took a Flamenco class. “It was very intense, athletic but … Read more

Backstage at the Utah Arts Festival 2023: Two contemporary dance titans – Repertory Dance Theatre, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company – set to perform

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Two of Salt Lake City’s internationally known dance institutions return to the Utah Arts Festival stage this year.   REPERTORY DANCE THEATRE (June 25, 5 p.m., Festival Stage) Repertory Dance Theatre (RDT) holds a special distinction in the history of the Utah Arts Festival. The historic contemporary dance institution has performed in every festival, save one (when … Read more

Backstage at the Utah Arts Festival 2023: An opening day homecoming set on the Festival Stage for Tony Holiday and The Soul Service

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There is a special brand of musical royalty in Memphis. City residents still remember Stax Records stars such as Isaac Hayes, who would tool around Memphis in a gold Cadillac. Others remember sitting in the congregation when Al Green preached at the Gospel Tabernacle Church on the city’s south side. But, in a music ecosystem … Read more