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“We’re not the typical clown with the nose, the big shoes. We’re not the scary clowns. We swag out our clown.”
Capoeira developed in Brazil, derived from traditions brought across the Atlantic Ocean by enslaved Africans and fueled by the burning desire for freedom.
“My daughter is transgender, and she changed the lives of everyone in our family. I thought she was confused and abnormal, but I realized the person who was confused was me.”
It is difficult to imagine a circus without the flash and dazzle of top hats, leotards, and bright makeup. What would the circus arts be without the costumes?
Ray Slizewski worked to create dishes that would make the crew feel right at home—even if that meant serving alligator tails or yak meat.
This sound collage includes a banjo rendition of the National Anthem, an origin country role call, and remarks from a Citizenship Ceremony conducted at the Festival.
Capping off the first night of Reunion Weekend, son huasteco musician Artemio Posadas brought the spirit of northeastern Mexico to the National Mall.
It’s not every day you see a five-year-old boy in a white tuxedo walking a tightrope twenty feet in the air.
We bring our traditions with us as we move through life, and those traditions change on our path—sometimes in surprising ways.
D.L. Menard performed twice at the Folklife Festival, in 1976 for the bicentennial celebration and in 1985 for the Louisiana program.
Support the Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, sustainability projects, educational outreach, and more.