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10TuesdayMay272014ByMARIACHURCHFolkontheRockshasfoundanewexecutivedirec-torwhoislookingtobuildontheYellowknifemusicfesti-valsgrowingreputationintheNorthernnationalandinternationalmusicscenes.With39majormusicfes-tivalsonhisresumDavidWhitelockisbringingawealthofexperiencetothejob.WhitelockuprootedfromScotlandveyearsagotopursuehiseventsservicescareerinCanada.HestartedinVancouverbeforemovingtoFortMcMurrayandtwomonthsagocameNorthtoYellowknifetotakethereinsofFolkontheRocks.Iabsolutelylovethecom-munitysofar.Ihavenocom-plaints.ImsohappytobehereWhitelocksharedinaninterviewlastweek.ThenewdirectorsaidhespleasedtobeworkingwithafestivalthatisalreadyastapleintheNorthernmusicsceneandtheenvyofmanyotherCanadianmusicfestivals.WhitelocksaidhehashopestoevolveFolkontheRocksovertimebutthisyearplanstosimplygetafeelforthefestival.Thismeansnotin-troducinganybigchanges.Newdirectorsteering34thannualFolkontheRocksYellowknifesmusicfestivallookingforpublicfeedbackIdontwanttoimplementchangestoofasthesaid.Hav-ingculturallythebestprogramiswhatitsallaboutforme.ItssupportinglocalartistsintheNorthandsupportingCanadianartistswherewecantoobutwithoutlosingsightofthein-ternationalaudiences.Attractingworldwideatten-tionthroughinternationalartists-betheyAboriginalartistsin-digenousorworldmusic-isanavenueWhitelocksaidhedliketoexploreinthefuture.Thefestivalalreadyhasagreatreputationlocallyandthatsstartingtoreachoth-ershesaid.FolkontheRockswasre-centlymentionedonthepopularsocialnewsandentertainmentwebsitebuzzfeed.comwhichboastsmorethan130millionviewers.TheYellowknifefesti-valwaslistedamongstJapansFujiRockFestivalandIcelandsAirwavesunderthegroupingofinternationalmusicfestivalsthatmakeyouwanttotravel.Thatreallyexcitedus.ItsquitecooltobequotedinthesamelinesasAirwavesandtheMontreuxJazzFestivalWhitelocksaid.Thiswillbeyear34ofFolkontheRocksandwiththelineupalreadyannouncedandgeneratingbuzzwithbandslikeJunoaward-winningrockerMattMaysindiebandReubenandtheDarkNew-foundlandsTheDardanellesandtheQubecRedneckBlue-grassProjectWhitelocksaidhesexpectingthisyeartobearesoundingsuccess.ThelocalconnectionisextremelyimportanttothefestivalheaddedwithNorth-ernbandslikeYukonBlondeandTheStrumbellaslikelytobringmanypeoplethroughthegatesthistimearound.Thenewdirectorexpectstoseearound5000peoplethisyear.PublicfeedbacksoughtWhitelocksaidafocusforhimselfatthisyearsfestivalwillbedatacollectionandgatheringpublicfeedbackinanticipationfornextyears35thanniversaryofFolkontheRocks.Iwanttogetasmuchpub-licconsultationaspossible.IwanttoknowwhatpeoplereallyfeelandIwanttogetagoodsample.Acouplehun-dredpeopleisnotenough.Youneedtogetbetween500and1000soyoucanactu-allycorrelatethatinforma-tionandmakesomereallysolidrecommendationstomoveforwardhesaid.Whitelockishopingtohaveaboothattheeventthisyearthatgivesfestivalgoerstheopportu-nitytoreminisceaboutthepast34yearsofFolkontheRocksinordertocollectstoriesandarchivalphotographstohigh-lightatnextyearsanniversary.VolunteersstillneededScheduledtorunontheshoresofLongLakeJuly17-20FolkontheRocksisstilllookingforvolunteersandislessthanhalfwaytothegoalof350bootsonthegroundWhitelocksaid.Volunteerrolesincludehos-pitalityservicewhichassistsfestivalperformersbackstage.ForthelatestFolkontheRocknewsalistofperform-ersearly-birdticketsandvolunteerinformationvisithttpfolkontherocks.comHavingculturallythebestprogramiswhatitsallaboutforme.ItssupportinglocalartistsintheNorthandsupportingCanadianartistswherewecantoobutwithoutlosingsightoftheinternationalaudiences.DavidWhitelockPhotocourtesyofDavidWhitelockDavidWhitelockisthenewexecutivedirectorofFolkontheRocksYellowknifesannualmusicfestival.ByMARIACHURCHKristieVyseaFortSmithmotheroftwoneverplannedonbecominganartisan.Shedenitelydidntconsiderher-selfcrafty.Yetwhatbeganasacost-savingChristmascraftproj-ectsevenmonthsagohasturnedintoathrivingen-trepreneurshipforVysethankstoanunexpectedlyhugedemandforbrightouncytutus.Everylittlegirlwantstobeaprincessshesaidwhilethreadingsilkenwhiteribbonaroundtheelasticwaistbandofherlatesttutucreation.Thickstrandsofpinkpurpleandsparklybluetullecom-pletetheprincessgarment.TheseonesaregoingtotheEllenshowVysesaidcitingarecentclientsrequestfortutusaftergettingtick-etsforthepopularTVtalkshowthatincludesgivingagift.ThetutuswillbegoingtoRosieMcClellandandSo-phiaGraceBrownleetwoyounggirlswhofrequentlyperformonTheEllenDege-neresShow.Tutu-makingmomlaunchesbusinessinFortSmithPrincessgarmentsheadedtoHollywoodforTheEllenDegeneresShowSittinginherworkshopatherhomeinFortSmithsur-roundedbybrightrollsoftulleandribbonVyseex-plainedthathertutu-mak-ingbusinesslaunchedbackinNovemberwhenshewasonlineshoppingfortutustogiveasChristmaspresents.Themotheroftwoyoungboysdoublesasadayhomeoperatorandhasbeenrun-ningKristiesKiddieGardenoutofherhomeforthepastthreeyears.ThetutuswereChristmasgiftsfortheyounggirlsunderhercare.TopurchaseveorsixofthemwasgoingtobetooexpensiveforthedayhomesoIlearnedtomakethemonYoutube.Iorderedmysup-pliesinandmadeuptherstveshesaid.Whenthetutu-makingnewbiepostedphotosofherChristmascraftsonherper-sonalFacebookpageshehad12requestsovernight.Afteracoupleofsuccess-fulmonthspumpingouttutusforgiftsbirthdaypar-tiesandowergirldresses-typicallyaroundveordersaweekfromacrosstheNorthCanadaandevensomegoingtointernationaldestinations-TinyDancerTutuswasof-ciallyborn.ItsbeengoinggoodbutitsdenitelynotsomethingIhadplannedtogetintoshesaidwithalaugh.ButpeopleseemtoreallylikethemandIreallylikemak-ingthem.Vyseestimatesthatshehasmadecloseto150customtutustodate.Shesellsherwaresmainlybywordofmouthso-cialmediaandthrougharetailstoreinHighLevel.Someofhermoreelabo-ratetutushavebeenstyledtolooklikeDespicableMeminionsDisneyprincesseslikeElsafromtherecentanimatedmovieFrozenorgrandpeacock-featheredgownsofherowncreation.Becauseofthecustomna-tureofthetutuspricescanrangefromaslittleas20tomorethan100forelaboratemulti-piececreations.Whileshehassometimesstruggledtokeepupwithde-mandVyserecentlyfoundtimetoexpandhertutu-mak-ingbusinesstooffermatch-ingnecklacesandheadbands.AsfarassheknowsVysesaidTinyDancerTutusistheonlybusinessthatofferscustom-madetutusintheNWT.Onereasonmightbetheuniquechallengestoop-eratingaproduct-basedbusi-nessintheNorthshesaid.MybeadsarecomingfromChinaandmytulleiscomingfromtheUSsoshippingcantakeareallylongtimetogetmysuppliesuphereanditcancostjustasmuchinshippingasitdoesforthesupplyitselfVysesaid.Ontheotherhandhav-ingaproductmarketedasmadeintheNorthiscer-tainlyabenetforthenewentrepreneur.WheneverpeoplehearanythingismadeinNorth-ernCanadatheyllsayWewantitVysesaid.Thetutu-makersaidsheplanstoapplyforMadeintheNWTtagsajointini-tiativeofferedbytheNWTChamberofCommerceandtheGNWTtopromotetheter-ritoryscraftersandartisans.TocheckoutTinyDancerTutusvisithttpswww.facebook.comTinyDancerTutusByKristieKristieVyselaunchedhertutu-makingbusinessTinyDancerTutusearlierthisyear.PhotoMariaChurchArtsCultureFestivalsNorthernersEntrepreneurs