MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake students at Discover Elementary were the

first to enjoy a performance by multi-cultural dance trooupe Living

Legends.

The dance troupe performs again, for the public, at 5 p.m. and 8

p.m. at Moses Lake High School, located at 803 Sharon Ave.

MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake students at Discover Elementary were the first to enjoy a performance by multi-cultural dance trooupe Living Legends.

The dance troupe performs again, for the public, at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Moses Lake High School, located at 803 Sharon Ave.

More than 80 students attended the Brigham Young University production Monday which celebrates cultural heritage from North and South America as well as the South Pacific through talented performers of native descent.

"This is the first BYU Provo group we've had since 2004," says BYU Alumni Arts and Music Representative Carrie Welty, who coordinated Living Legends' visit to Moses Lake. "It's great because the community has really come together to open their homes to these 47 people."

Living Legends Artist Director Janielle Christensen spoke to Discover students before the performance, reminding them that the dancers they watched were students too, and were busy doing their homework and taking tests during their 10 day tour of the Pacific Northwest.

"They've all had their permission slips signed by teachers and are doing their homework on the bus," Christensen says. "They are such great role models for other students and for people of their different cultures."

A Samoan dance, centered around slapping away mosquitoes, started the performance followed by Ecuadorian, Alaskan,  Mexican, Paraguayan and American Indian dances. The "hoop dance" by native American dancers drew the most attention from students as two dancers used numerous hoops to create shapes such as wings and the globe.

Traveling by bus, the group brings more than 5,000 pounds of costumes, props, and production equipment through Washington and Idaho, performing seven major concerts and doing outreach performances and activities in cities like Olympia, Moses Lake and Boise.

Later this year, Living Legends travels to Russia this year as part of the international tour the group does every year.