Entertainers

We expect to have over 900 volunteer international musicians and dancers performing on three stages at the 12th Annual International Festival on May 4, 2013!  Soka University thanks all of our talented performers for sharing their art and culture with the community.

We are delighted to announce that our special guest performers in 2013 will include the United States Air Force Band of the Golden West  playing in the Soka Performing Arts Center for the first time!

The Performers Application for the 2013 International Festival  is open!  The 2013 Entertainment Schedule will be posted in April 2013.  See the 2012 International Festival Entertainment Schedule for an example of the stage schedules.

Early registration is strongly encouraged because our stages fill up quickly.  All of our wonderful performing groups receive one free parking admission for every two performers (please carpool!) as our thanks for sharing their talent and culture.  Application does not guarantee a performance time because of the number of applications that we receive.

• Submission deadline for next year's festival:  3/1/2013.
• Submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance due to the large number of applications we receive.
• All performance applications will be reviewed and you will be notified as to your status no later than 3/15/2013.
• Performers not accepted due to space limitations may be put on a waiting in case of cancellations.

There are three stages at the International Festival:  

Peace Lake Stage (170 seats) is outdoors under a canopy with views of Peace Lake.  Wood dance floor on cement: 36'x20'

Recreation Center Stage (400 seats) is indoors in the gymnasium.  Stage is 40'x20'

Soka Performing Arts Center stage (1000 seats) is indoors.  Stage size:  21' x 40' in thrust configuration

You may request your preferred stage and time and we will do our best to accommodate you, but the later you register, the fewer choices we will have in placement.  Once the stage schedules are full, we will maintain a waiting list for groups that wish to fill in if we have cancellations.  There are also opportunities for street performers in Founders Hall, along University Drive and in the children's Adventure Land areas.

2012 International Festival Entertainment Schedule

Previous Years at the International Festival:

Stage Schedule for May 1, 2010 International Festival 

Past Festival Performers:

Entertainers who performed at the 2009 Festival:   *Returning

• Aliso Niguel High School Dance Team

• Arctic Sun Eskimo Dancers

• Awa Aika Ren

• Balle India

• Ballet Folklorica Tesoros de Mexico*

• California Danse Theatre Ballet*

• California Martial Arts Academy*

• Cheerleading Club of SUA

• Children's Ballet Folklorico Tesoros de Mexico*

• Counter Balance of SUA

• Deep Roots of SUA

• Susana Elena Spanish Classical and Flamenco Dance*

• Fraternidad Diablada Bolivia

• Ghungroo Indian Dance Club of SUA*

• Irvine Valley College Emeritus Institute Symphony Orchestra

• Japanese Cultural Dancing Group*

• Jimmy Kim's Tae Kwon Do Center

• JJ & the Habibis Laguna Beach Belly Dancers*

• Josho Daiko Drums of SUA*

• Josho Daiko Seniors of SUA

• Ka Pilina Ho-olohaki Club of SUA*

• Kendo Club of SUA

• LA Bunka-Kai* (Japanese Cultural Dance)

• Laguna Woods Village Symphony Orchestra

• Le Polynesia Dance*

• Los Sonadores Mexican Ballet Folkorico*

• Alec Marken & Deep Stirrings Folk Rock 

• Matsutoyo Kai Japanese Folk Music

• Mei-Ling Lee Chinese Dance Group*

• Melissa McClous

• Members of Irvine Valley College Emeritus Institute Symphony Orchestra

• Members of Saddleback College emitus Institute Symphony Orchestra/Laguna Woods Village Symphony

• Michigan Women's Division Soran Dance

• Kirstin Quynh Nhu Nguyen Vietnamese Dance

• OC Chinese Folk Dance Group*

• OCDC (Orange County Dance Club) (Chinese)

• QUE ME Vietnamese Folk Dance

• Refresh Dance Collective of SUA

• Rythmission of SUA (Hip Hop)

• Rhythm Nation of SUA

• Rio Hondo College Dance Collective

• St Mary and All Angels Native American Flute Ensemble

• San Diego Blue sky & Men's Division Chorus

• San Diego SGI Jazz Band*

• Sarah al Nour

• Scoil Rince Danu Irish Dancers

• SGI Hula Ohana of Orange County*

• SGI-USA Pearl Chorus*

• some brown girls of SUA 

• Soul Wings of SUA

• Spinnovation Cirque

• Spirit Soul & Friends*

• Sualseros of SUA (Salsa Dancing)

• Temple Bhajan Band Indian Kirtan Music*

• Tinkus Bolivia International

• US Blackbelt Academy of Laguna Niguel*

• Varua Hae Tahitian Dance

• The Vignatis, musicians

• Vita Leonis Philharmonic Orchestra of SUA

• The Wild Wahines (Dance)

• Mario Martin Zelaya, acoustic guitarist/singer

Entertainers who performed at the 2008 Festival:    * Returning  

• Agrupcio Liajtmasis Group*

• Ballet Folklorio Tesoros de Mexico*

• Blind Eye Turner

• California Martial Arts Academy

• Ghungroo Indian Dance Club of SUA*

• Greater South Asian Indian Dance Troupe

• Group Folklorico Los Sonadores*

• Hot Fab Djazz Club

• Hua Ying Singing and Dancing*

• Ikeda King Orchestra*

• International Drummers for Peace*

• JJ & the Habibis Dancers* 

• Josho Daiko Drums of SUA*

• Ka Pilina Ho-olohaki Club of SUA*

• Ke Alohi Lani - SGI Long Beach*

• Jimmy Kim's Tae Kwon Do Center*

• Le Polynesia Cultural Performing Arts Center*

• Los Angeles Japanese Cultural Dance Group

• Mei-Ling Lee  Dance Group*

• Mudra Academy of Dance*

• Orange County Ballet Theater

• The Performer's Academy

• Salsuelos Club of SUA*

• San Diego Blue Sky Chorus*

• San Francisco Indian Dance Group

• San Diego Blue Sky & Men's Division Combined Chorus*

• San Juan Capistrano Dance Conservatory*

• SGI Hula Ohana Orange County*

• SGI-USA Beach Cities Region Taiko*

• SGI-USA Pearl Chorus*

• Spirit Soul & Friends*

• Susana Elena Classical Spanish & Flamenco* 

• Bajaly Suso from Gambia

• Syrtaki International Folk Dance Ensemble* 

• The Temple Bhajan Band*

• US Blackbelt Academy of Laguna Niguel

• Wakahisa-Kai Japanese Dance

• Xiuhcoatl - Aztec Dance

Entertainers who performed at the 2007 Festival:  

• Agrupcion Liajtamasis

• B.B. Berg

• Ballet Folklorico Tesoros de Mexico

• Bree Noble

• California Martial Arts

• Circle of Friends

• Laffnosis - Doug West's Comedy Hypnosis Show

• Dance Appreciation

• Dance Conservatory Youth Ballet

• Dmitri Kuley Classical Ballet Academy

• Hua Ying Singing and Dancing

• JJ & The Habbibis Dancers

• Jimmy Kim's TaekwonDo

• Ke Aloha Lani

• Korean Language Group

• Koume-Kai Japanese Classical Dance

• Los Sonadores

• Mei-Ling Lee Chinese Dance Group

• Myoho Blues

• Orange County Rhythm Nation

• Orange County SGI Chorus

• Pearl Chorus

• Rio Hondo College Dance Collective

• Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko

• San Diego Blue Sky Chorus

• San Diego Soka Jazz Band

• San Francisco Drum and Dance Ensemble

• SGI Hula Ohana OC

• St. Mary and All Angels Native American Flute Ensemble

• Spirit Soul Band

• SUA Student Musical Finale: Phoenix Rising

• Susana Elena Flamenco

• Syrtaki International Dance Ensemble

• Temple Bhajan Band

• Varua Hae

• Zera Vaughn&

Entertainers who performed at the 2006 Festival:

• African Drumming & Dancing Group, San Francisco

• Aliso Niguel High School String Orchestra, Aliso Viejo

• Aliso Niguel High School Madrigals

• Aliso Niguel High School Bella Cantore Choir

• Aniar Academy of Irish Dance, Laguna Niguel

• Baha'i Faith Music and Dance Group, Aliso Viejo

• Beach Cities Region Taiko, Los Angeles,

• Blue Sky Chorus, San Diego

• California Danse Theatre Youth Ballet, San Juan Capistrano

• Capistrano Valley High School Orchestra, Mission Viejo

• Cerritos College Dance Department and Soka University Creative Dance, 

• Chinese Performance Arts Group, Irvine

• Circle of Friends Chinese Dance Group, Irvine

• Danza Espanola, Santa Ana

• Hula Ohana, Cerritos

• The Ikeda Kings Orchestra, Los Angeles

• Interfolk Band, Aliso Viejo

• International Drummers for Peace, Santa Ana 

• J.J. & the Habibis Belly Dancers, Laguna Beach

• Ke Alohi Lani (Shining Heaven), Long Beach

• Los Sonadores de Tenochtitlan, Lake Forest

• Nurse Betty Blues Band, Newport Beach

• Pearl Chorus

• Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko, Gardena

• South Coast Singers, Laguna Niguel

• SUA Creative Dance 

• SUA Student Musical Finale - "Currents of Hope" (201 students!)

• Syrtaki International Dance Ensemble, Mission Viejo

• Victory Sun Eskimo Dancers, Alaska

Entertainers who performed at the 2005 Festival

• Aliso Niguel High School Madrigals

• Beach Cities Region Taiko

• Chinese Performing Arts Group of Irvine

• Circle of Friends Chinese Folk Dance

• Gauranga Yoga Dance/Drummer Group

• Ghungroo Indian Dance of SUA

• Hawaii Club of SUA

• Heart of a Lion Musical Team of SUA

• Hula Ohana SGI-OC

• Ikeda Kings Orchestra

• J.J.& the Habibis Laguna Beach Belly Dancers

• Jason & Mike's OC Chamber Music Group

• Deana the Dancing Diva

• Maria Lazar Classical Ballet Academy

• Myoho Blues

• OC International Drummers for Peace4

• Orange County Chorus

• Primal Chocolate Singing Group

• Rahsan Keita BalandUguCan American Dance

• Rhythmission (Hip Hop) of SUA

• Ryujyukoku Matsuri Daiko

• San Diego Blue Sky Chorus

• San Francisco Bay Area Musical Ensemble

• Senderos Espanoles Dance School

• SGI Pearl Chorus

• SGI-Santa Barbara Region Family Chorus

• Shri Natraj School of Indian Dance

• Soul Wings (Gospel Choir) of SUA

• South Coast Singers

• South Orange County Chamber Orchestra

• Sparks of Unity South OC Bahai'i Youth Workshop

• Taiko Club of SUA

• Tara Ellis

• Windauze