Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center
Cultural Couture
The Simi Valley Multicultural Festival's Cultural Couture event premiered on April 17, 2021. In this installment, we jet-setted around the world from our homes and caught a glimpse of global cultural fashion traditions. This featured traditional clothing from Mexico, India, Korea, China, and more! Check back soon for more videos, but to watch the entire broadcast, click here.
Danza Azteca Nezahaulpilli
In this video, Peter of Danza Azteca Nezahaulpilli describes the traditional wear worn in the Aztec ceremony that was featured in the Movement and Music around the World portion of the Multicultural Festival. Danza Azteca Nezahaulpilli is a traditional Aztec group consisting of members of all ages.
Ashlyn Ro
Ashlyn Ro is a student at Simi Valley High School and the Chair of the Multicultural Festival Committee for the Simi Valley Youth Council. In this video she describes the traditional Korean Hanbok worn on special occasions. She also describes a typical taekwondo uniform, highlighting its purpose and significance within the sport.
City Council Member Elaine Litster
This video features City Council Member Elaine Litster as she shows photos and videos of traditional wear from Ghana. While Council Member Litster is not of Ghanaian heritage, her daughter married into Ghanaian royalty in a traditional wedding. She explains the history and significance of Kente cloth, a vibrant fabric used to make her daughter's wedding dress. The clothing of royal members in attendance at the wedding is also explained by Council Member Litster.
Monica Sarin
The Simi Valley Multicultural Festival is lucky to have Monica Sarin participating in not one, but three out of the five portions of the festival. In the Cultural Couture event, Monica explains that she follows the Hindu religion and will explain how she dresses up for special occasions, including both attire and jewelry. This video features three different types of attire, including a demonstration on how to wear a Sari.
Ballet Folklorico Cielito Lindo de Simi Valley
The Ballet Folkorico Cielito Lindo de Simi Valley is no stranger to the stage. They have performed in events such as the Inaugural Simi Valley Talent Show, Simi Valley Days, and the 2020 Virtual Dia de Los Muertos event. Ballet Folklorico Cielito Lindo de Simi Valley is led by Sara Moguel, who found a passion for Mexican folklorico dance at California State University, Northridge, while achieving her BFA. Their goal is to promote and encourage the appreciation of Mexican culture through regional folk dances. The group teaches its members Mexican traditions, music, and history by celebrating holidays and attending cultural events. They are composed of about 35 members from the ages of 3 to adult. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/BFCLdeSV/about
Ventura County Chinese Americans Assoication
The Ventura County Chinese-American Association (VCCAA) was organized in 1970 and chartered as a non-profit organization in 1976. The VCCAA's objectives are to preserve the Chinese cultural heritage, language, and customs. It promotes participation in education, business, and government as Chinese Americans, so as to foster constructive citizenship, improve general well-being and cultivate an appreciation of their dual heritage. This video is a description of the couture worn in their performance of the Lotus Flower Dance featuring Jennifer Leo, Judy Nomi, Jaime Smarinsky, Leslie Smarinsky, and Naomi Zhang, which debuted at the Music and Movement Around the World portion of the festival. To learn more about their organization, check out their website at http://www.vccaa.org/.