Instructors

Bata Marčetić

.Miroslav Bata Marcetic was a leading performer, soloist and choreographer, with the Serbian National Folk Ensemble “Kolo” in Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro (former Yugoslavia) for seventeen years and is the recipient of several awards for his artistic work. He has attended almost all folk dance seminars held in former Yugoslavia and eventually, he became the instructor of several workshops held in former Yugoslavia, Japan, Israel and currently in Canada and the USA. As a well-known choreographer, he was chosen by the Folk Dance Association of Serbia to be a judge at folklore competitions that were taking place in Serbia and Montenegro from 1980 to 1993.

In Canada, Miroslav works in several dance associations and ensembles: Kralj Petar II from Winona since 1993, , Serbian Club “Kordun” since 2004 and he worked in S.C.A. “Oplenac” in Mississauga from 1993 until 2004 and in Folk Dance Ensemble “Hajduk Veljko” from Toronto from 1999 until 2006. Due to his long-term, dedicated and victorious work in the Canadian Serbian community, on December 26th 2005 Miroslav was awarded the Golden Plaque by the Cultural-Academic State Association of Serbia.

In 2004, Miroslav established his own school of dance, “Academy of Serbian Folk Dancing” which includes more than 300 dancers of all ages, and a folk band instructed and directed by Mica Petrovic, a music coach par excellence, whose last forty years of his adult life have been dedicated to publicizing and promoting Serbian folk music. The Academy of Serbian Folk Dancing is the winner of the many artistic awards. More details…

Introducing Miroslav “Bata” Marčetić

Joan Hantman

Joan Hantman began classical dance at the age of three and was performing “on pointe” on stage in downtown Boston by the age of eight. She was introduced to Israeli dance at Brandeis University, and thus began the start of a lasting relationship. She has studied with most of the major choreographers and has been teaching and performing Israeli dance ever since.

Within Israeli dance, Joan has danced with the performing groups Keren Shemesh, Screaming Sa’adya and the Electric Camels, Zikukim, Parparim (with whom she performed at the Mets stadium in New York), and Bustan Boston (with whom she performed in the first Karniel festival in Israel). Joan was the coordinator and an instructor of the MIT Folk Dance Club’s Israeli dancing for more than a quarter century, and was on the board of Directors for the Boston Israeli Folk Dance Festival. Joan has also been on the staff of Sababa camp in New York, and now co-organizes the IFC camp in New York as well.

While dancing at MIT, Joan caught sight of International and Balkan dancing and a new passion ensued. She began attending workshops in the United States, and then attended many dance seminars in Bulgaria, Greece, Israel, Macedonia, Romania, and Turkey. She complemented Ercüment Kılıc’s teaching in the United States and has demonstrated dances with Israel Yakovee, Shlomo Maman, Avner Naim, and Moshiko. International performing groups included Collage led by Ahmet Luleci and the Mandala Folk Dance Ensemble as both a dancer and artistic director, (with which she performed throughout the northeast and in England and Hungary). Joan has also performed vocally at the prestigious Pirin Pee and Koprivštica festivals in Bulgaria. She currently sings with the Balkan band Veselba and with the Bulgarian chorus Superdevoijce.

In her spare dance time, Joan can also be seen doing swing, salsa, and clogging dance, or appearing as background in various movies and Internet or television shows. In real life, Joan works as a nurse at UCLA’s Santa Monica Hospital.

Introducing Joan Hantman

Registration

Lodging should be purchased separately. Children under 18 are admitted free with a paying adult. Young adults aged 19-21 can receive a 50% discount if they volunteer for 1-2 hours. Work scholarships are available.

The full festival package is $125 for all workshops and parties if registered by May 7. The final day to pre-register is May 7, 2023. The Saturday only full package is $75, or $85 at the door. Individual events may be registered for $25 apiece or $30 at the door.

Additional offerings include a Saturday lunch or evening dinner, a commemorative T-shirt.

Online Registration

Register online

Mail-In Registration

Please download and print the Registration form, then complete it and make your check or money order payable to: Folk Dance Federation of CA, South. Send your form and check or money order to:

Statewide Registrar, Stefanie Holzman
5702 Kern Dr., Huntington Beach, CA 92649.

More Details…

Visit the Statewide 2023 webpage at https://socalfolkdance.org/statewide.htm for the latest information about schedule, opportunities for cultural excursions, post festival Sunday afternoon gathering, teachers, music (bands & playlists), hotels, restaurants, parking, directions, etc. Mask and proof of vaccination requirements will follow CDC, State, and County COVID regulations at the time of the event.
All details

For more details also contact: Diane Baker 949-244-0666 or e-mail diane.baker@diandden.net.