History
Our ensemble began as a competitive clogging team in the 1980’s. While performing in Silver Dollar City in Brason Missouri the team received in invitation to attend festivals in Poland in 1996. Each year the IRME repertoire has grown to include dances and costumes of a broad spectrum of American Folklore. Each country we have visited has a place in our hearts. We believe in the wonderful opportunity to share and learn through folkloric presentation. To help promote the sharing of cultures we now help to host a folk festival in our own city, bringing 10-12 teams each year to stay with host families and share the music and dance of their own culture. Listed below are the festivals we have visited since 1996.
IDAHO ROCKY MOUNTAIN EXPRESS
HISTORY OF TOURS AND FESTIVALS
1996 Poland
Contact person: Jerzy Chmiel
Festivals:Week of Beskidy Culture, Zielona Gora
1998 Belgium and Hungary
Contact person: Szigetvari Jozsef – Hungary
Freddy Nauwynck – Belgium
Festivals: Kasteelfeessten Torhout, Belgium
Summerfest – Szazhalombatta, Hungary
2000 Brazil
Contact Person: Paulo Dutra
Festival: Passo Fundo Festival International
2002 Italy
Contact Person: Roberto Pei
Festival: Narni International Festival
2003 Mexico
Festival: Festival “Zacatecas, Mexico”
2004 Idaho International Dance and Music Festival
2005 Taiwan
Festival: I-Ian International Children’s Folklore and Folkgame Festival
2005 Calgary Stampede Parade Calgary,Canada
2006 Bulgaria
Festivals: Festival Veliko Tarnovo, Folklore Festival Plovdiv
2008 Poland
Contact: Jerzy Chmiel President Polish Section CIOFF
Festivals: Lublin-Intertaional Folklore Meeting, Wlodawa-International Polesjan Summer With Folklore, International Podlaski Folklore Fair
2010 Spain/Portugal/Azores
Contact: CIOFF SPAIN , Cesario Pereira
Festivals: Gulpihares International Folklore Festival, Festival Azores, Festival Badajoz
2012 Turkey
Contact: CIOFF Turkey, Muammer ARSLAN, General Secretary
Festivals: Buyukcekmece/Istanbul Folklore Festival **Judges Choice Award, Silivri Yogurt and Folk Festival