By Dave Woods
dwoods@joplinglobe.com
BRANSON, Mo. — It’s her love of Irish culture that drew Dottie Hoffman to Silver Dollar City’s annual World-Fest celebration.
“It’s my heritage. It’s the music and the language I love. Oh, and the beer,” the 65-year-old Nixa resident said with a laugh while standing in line to see the Feet of Fire Irish dance and music show.
Bennie Hardy, 75, and his wife, June, 72 from Texas County, Mo., have been making regular pilgrimages to Silver Dollar City every year since 1972.
“I’ve made it to all of their World-Fests,” June said. “I like seeing the people from different countries and dresses and art, and we like to sample all the different food.”
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see different acts,” her husband added. “We can’t go to these places in the world today ... it’s too expensive and too dangerous. For most of us, this is as close as we will ever get.”
‘Feeling their ancestry’
Continuing through May 4, World-Fest is an annual celebration of international music and culture.
This year, it features performers from five continents and nine countries. Headlining this year’s slate of performers is the Irish step-dancing act, Feet of Fire.
“The audiences have loved the show so far,” said Stephanie Molloy, a 19-year-old step-dancer from Dublin, Ireland. “We see the same people coming back time and time again. I think it’s going down well.”
Damean Frael, 23, another step-dancer in the Feet of Fire show, agreed.
“They have been really open to the music,” he added. “They love the rhythm.”
The Feet of Fire show features a nine-piece Irish band, nine young step-dancers, several fire-dancing numbers and world-renowned Irish harper Dearbhail Finnegan.
“I think in their hearts they are feeling their ancestry,” Finnegan said. “I think Ireland looks a lot like it does around here. When we play, I can feel the audience going with it.
“The audiences here always come with a good attitude ... even on a cold day,” she added in a thick Irish accent.
Feet of Fire made a big impression on the Schillaci family from Buffalo, Mo.
Calli Schillaci, age 9, and her brother Jonathan, 6, both seemed dazzled by the show.
“My favorite part was the girl with the fire,” Calli said excitedly.
“It looked like feathers,” Jonathan added.
The kids weren’t the only ones impressed by the musical celebration of all things Irish. Their mother, Cathy Schillaci, 36, was wowed as well.
“It made me want to go take tap-dancing classes,” she said, praising World Fest. “It’s a great place for (the kids) to learn a little about different cultures. Every bit of experience with other cultures is good.”
Also performing
Watoto Children’s Choir: Children from Kampala, Uganda, offer a soulful blend of African rhythms and contemporary gospel music.
Zunyi Acrobats from China: Back for a return engagement of dancing, bending and pinpoint precision acrobatics.
Plus:
Steel drums of Trinidad
Ecuador Manta
Russian Academic Band
Scotland’s Beggar’s Row Band
Noticky, Czech Republic Children’s Folk Troupe
