Festival of the Oaks

Save the date!

The 72nd annual international Festival of the Oaks features a morning international folk dance workshop with Maurits & Tineke Van Geel, a hot lunch, exhibition dance performance, and a program of afternoon recreational dances. Includes a pre-owned folk dance costume sale in the dance hall. Fun for all ages! No partner needed.

Schedule

9:00-9:30am Registration
9:30am-12:00pm Dance workshop with Tineke & Maurits Van Geel, $16.00
12:00-1:00pm Hot lunch, $8.00
12:00-1:00pm Folk Dance Federation meeting. Includes lunch provided to Federation members attending.
12:30-4:30pm Pre-owned folk dance costume sale
1:00pm Exhibition dance performance
1:00-5:00pm International dance party. Dances from around the world and institute reviews. $13.00

All Day — Institute and Folk Dancing, $26.00

12:30-4:30pm Pre-owned folk dance costume sale

Free refreshments will be served all afternoon.

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Tineke van Geel

In 1977 Tineke van Geel received her degree as folk dance instructor. She specializes in Armenian dance and works as a choreographer. Tineke conducts workshops for students at various levels, beginners to professional, and has taught classes in international folk dance, Dutch and Armenian dances in many countries around the world. Her main focus is to break down complicated steps and movements to basic elements and slowly ‘rebuilding’ them to the original dance form. This skill is part of her worldwide success and is combined with a vast knowledge of Armenian dance and culture.

Since 1985 she has regularly visited Armenia to study folklore at the Pedagogic Institute and Choreographic School in Yerevan. A part of each research trip was devoted to working with several amateur groups in Armenia and doing research on costumes. Two of those research trips were sponsored by the Dutch government. On several occasions Tineke visited the USA to observe the dances performed by the Armenian communities there. Read more…

Maurits van Geel

Maurits was artistic director of the professional Dutch dance performance group The Internationaal Danstheater for 24 years. During this interval, the group performed 47 different evening shows. Part of this job involved several months of dance research each year in order to prepare for these programs.

Maurits has traveled extensively in his dance research that has emphasized the Roma culture and those in the Caucasus. These travels have included India, Pakistan, Turkey, Russia, England, France, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ossetia, Dagestan, and Cherkassy. He has also choreographed many dances.

In the last several years, Maurits has been teaching often with Tineke, and this has included workshops in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. In North America, the couple have taught at Oktoberfest in Montreal, Pinewoods Camp in Maine, and Stockton Folk Dance Camp. Read more…