Rexburg’s Summerfest throwing Kick Off Party Monday night
The Idaho International Summerfest is kicking off with a party at 7:15 Monday night in Rexburg at Madison Junior High.
Monday morning dancers from Israel, China, Guatemala and Colombia are practicing their moves for a joint performance tonight. Although the dancers speak different languages today’s flash mob was taught without a hitch.
“The music is the international language,” said Donna Benfield, executive director of the festival. “They all understand it, and they learn so fast.”
The dancers who have previously attended the festival were a little thrown off by the new practices.
“They’re expecting the same things we’ve done in the past, but it’s different,” said Benfield.
Another new addition to this year’s festival is a humanitarian service project. The project will consist of making and collecting items to send to orphanages in Ecuador and Africa.
“The community is coming together as well as the dancers,” said Benfield. “We want to give back to countries that aren’t able to come.”
The South Korean team of dancers was absent from the rehearsal, but is hoping to make it to Monday night’s kick off. The team flew in to San Francisco on Saturday just before a South Korean airliner crash landed, killing two two passengers. The dancers were hung up in San Francisco, but were finally able to fly to Salt Lake City Monday afternoon.
