Ordway Presents 2012 Flint Hills International Children's Festival, 5/29-6/3

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts presents its 12th annual Flint Hills International Children's Festival from May 29-June 3. Minnesota's signature arts festival for children and families-and one of the only of its kind in the nation-features artists hailing from all around the globe, telling stories about different cultures through the uniting power of the performing arts. The Flint Hills International Children's Festival will highlight five headlining artist groups making their mark internationally through extraordinary puppetry, dance, music and theater performances.

The Festival takes place in two parts: School Days (May 29-June 1) and Family Weekend (June 2-3). More than 14,000 children from schools across Minnesota and Western Wisconsin participate in School Days by attending international performances, participating in interactive activities and engaging in artist residencies throughout the week.

During Family Weekend, attendees experience the same international performances the students enjoy during the week-for only $5 a ticket thanks to Target-in addition to three free, outdoor stages filled with artists and free arts activities in the parks including the Xcel Energy's Butterfly Garden, international cuisine, walk-around artists and more. Festival activities fill downtown Saint Paul's Rice Park, Landmark Center, Landmark Plaza, Hamm Plaza, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts and Lowry Lab Theater. General admission tickets to world-class international performances can be purchased ahead of time through the Ordway ticket office and online at ordway.org/festival.

Indoor International Performances

World of Rhythm

Explore the world of percussion with Drums United's explosive performances of "World of Rhythm." Drums United is made up of nine percussionists from seven different countries including Bangladesh, Senegal, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Surinam and Venezuela. This exciting show mixes African, Latin, Spanish and Indian drum traditions with Western drumming and uses contemporary electronic sounds that are sure to get you moving in your seat! The performance not only gives the audience an opportunity to listen and watch top players, but also imparts the underlying message that people from widely varying nationalities can work well together.

Zorro

A mysterious figure has arrived in town. A flurry of a cape, the glint of a sword and a flash of a mask; who is this baffling character? Exciting friend or formidable foe? Watch as our masked champion ricochets from one sticky situation to another in a world where justice is the name and adventure is the game! Join Visible Fictions on the epic adventure of the classic swashbuckler in 19th century California.

BAM

Join Théâtre des Petites Âmes on a great adventure in the land of Tran Tran Troo! Meet the most famous person in Tran Tran Troo, the Great Lady La, who can make the water sing. One hot summer night, the land of Tran Tran Troo dries up and the Great Lady La is left without a voice. Luckily for our story, the Great Lady La's two children, Lilou and Lalou, set out to find a new source of water to hear their mother's song again. And so begins a great adventure which takes place here, there and everywhere.

The Wolf and the Goat

This magical story by Compagnia Rodisio is about a wolf and a goat that meet on a dark night far away from home, but don't recognize each other. Forgetting that they are usually enemies, they discover that they are closer than they imagined. Will the goat really be brave and the wolf frightened? Or maybe nothing changes and the wolf will eat the goat? Or maybe the frightened goat will escape? Like the wolf and the goat, we don't know what is going to happen - do you? Inspired by the Japanese novel "One Stormy Night" by Yuichi Kimura, this captivating tale will keep you spellbound.

Outdoor performances

Outdoor performances by numerous resident cultural artists are scheduled on the free Flint Hills World Stage and Target Alley Stage from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. This year, one of our international performing groups Dance Theatre of Ireland, will be holding free performances of its work "Block Party!" Saturday and Sunday of the Festival, attendees can experience these dancers' interactive choreography utilizing moveable blocks as the set and inspiration for the work.

Block Party!