American Rhythm Folk Ensemble
Group Photo

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Group Info
Location
Provo, UT, USA
Group Type
Dance & Music Group
Group Genre
Western American
Group Age Category
Children /Youth /Adults (12 - 51 years old)
Performance Style
Authentic, Elaborate, Stylized
Music Type
Live Music
Group Size
35 - 50 Members
Upcoming Tour Location
Mund'Art Festival Internacional de Musica E Dançes Tradicionaisin Fânzeres, Portugal
Upcoming Tour Dates
Booking Now!
Group Website
Group Bio
Based in Provo, Utah, the American Rhythm Folk Ensemble unites skilled dancers, vocalists, and musicians dedicated to celebrating and preserving American heritage through song and dance. They are an accredited member of CIOFF USA, demonstrating their commitment to artistic integrity and cultural exchange.
Founded by Twilla Mann in 2000, the ensemble is rooted in her lifelong passion for dance and cultural performance. Mann has a rich dance background that includes jazz, tap, ballet, American clogging, ballroom, and Scottish highland dance. She is an award-winning performer who has trained and judged nationally, earning the title of "Most Promising Dancer" in Scottish highland competitions.
The ensemble's performances typically last an hour and feature traditional shows with live music, blending historical American styles with energetic entertainment. Their repertoire covers a wide cultural spectrum, including:
- Pioneer songs and dances from Utah
- Appalachian Running Set with Hambone
- Civil War Medley
- Charleston, Lindy Swing, Western Suite, Country Hoedown
- Contra Dance, Square Dance, and various styles of modern clogging
- Vintage selections like Turn-of-the-Century Ragtime, 1920s Charleston, WWII Swing, and Crazy 1980s music.
In 2011, the ensemble participated in its first international festival in Rexburg, Idaho. From 2012 onward, they have represented the U.S. in countries such as France, Spain, Poland, Mexico, Canada, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Peru, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, and throughout the United States. Notable performances include the Rouergue International Folkloric Festival in France, the Zacatecas Festival in Mexico, and Mondial des Cultures in Quebec, along with participation in festivals across Poland, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and multiple European countries in 2024. Their domestic tours span cities across Utah and beyond, including workshops and showcases in Nebraska, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Colorado, and more.
The ensemble engages with local communities through goodwill tours, workshops, and performances at schools, churches, civic events, and youth gatherings. They were featured on ABC4 Utah, where their song and dance offerings were praised for uplifting spirits and showcasing their extensive international performing experience.
Founded in 2000 out of a passion for international folk festivals and cultural exchange, American Rhythm Folk Ensemble initially performed at various public and private venues, earning numerous titles at clogging competitions across the United States. Since its first international folk festival in 2011 and subsequent tour to France and Spain in 2012, the ensemble has participated in many folk festivals worldwide, embracing diverse cultures, sharing a love for heritage, and building lasting international friendships.
Director Bio
Twilla Mann

Reviews
Colorful and varied costumes, lively music, dances performed with grace and fullness and brilliancy impeccable technique, original choreographies, elements all of them which have contributed to impress in our mind a marked picture of their excellent quality.
Interviewee
The audience of the festival… remained really enthusiastic about their great and exciting performances. … We truly appreciated the group for its enthusiasm, its seriousness, its willingness and its respectful behavior.
Festival Director
Your beautiful dances, songs and melodies stay for a long time in our hearts. The skill of artistic performances was appreciated by big audience applause.
Festival Attendee
Previous Tours Attended
Mund'Art Festival Internacional de Musica E Dançes Tradicionaisin Fânzeres, Portugal (2025)
United States Tour of Eastern States (2025)
Musiques du Monde, Martigny, Switzerland (2024)
Pueblos Hermanos, Peru (2023)
Triangle Folklore Festival, Vejle, Denmark (2023)
Lorca, Jaen, Ciudad Real, and Badajoz, Spain (2022)
Pasian Di Prato, Imola, and Penna Sant' Andrea Italy (2019)
Queretaro, and Zacatecas, Mexico (2018)
Mezinarodni Folklorni Festival Cioff Plzen, Czech Republic (2017)
International Folklore Festival CIOFF Iov Frydek-Mistek, Czech Republic (2017)
International Folklorefestival Lausitz, Germany (2017)
Spotkania Folklorystyczne in Lublin, Poland (2016)
Miedzynarodowe Olsztynskie Dni Folkloru "Warmia" in Olsztyn, Poland (2016)
Le Mondial des Cultures of Drummondville in Quebec, Canada (2015)
Festival Zacatecas del Folklor Internacional in Zacatecas, Mexico (2014)
Rouergue International Folkloric Festival in Rodez, France (2012)








