Land Dancers Folk Dance Weekend
2025-08-30 11:00 - 2025-09-01 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Cliff’s land in the Santa Cruz Mountains, CA-9 & Skyline Blvd, Saratoga, CA, 95070
Please join the Land Dancers this Labor Day weekend August 30 to September 1 for International and Israeli folk dancing and music at The Land. Anyone is welcome. Fun for families. No charge. Held every Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend. Founded by Cliff Jenkins and friends in 1981.
You can camp out for the whole weekend or just come for the day and enjoy the deck, the creek, the forest, dancing and friends!
We dance outdoors on a big redwood deck where two creeks come together in the Santa Cruz Mountains, off Skyline Blvd near Highway 9. Dancing typically runs from around noon to 11 pm Saturday and Sunday but there isn’t a set schedule. Note map shown is only general vicinity, contact Betsy to RSVP and for directions.
The event is free of charge but we welcome donations to Land Dancers, the 501c(3) organization we created to organize and carry on folk dance weekends at the land. You may bring a check or cash to the land, mail a check to the address shown below, or use this link to make a donation through PayPal (you do not need a PayPal account to donate).
Contact Betsy Moore, eambetsy@gmail.com (408-507-7177) to request a flyer with directions and more info, to ask questions, or to be added to our email list.

Citrus Celebration Party (Orange You Glad to See Us?)
2025-09-04 19:30 - 22:15 | St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church, 18870 Allendale Avenue, Saratoga, California, 95070
Citrus Celebration Party
(Orange You Glad to See Us?)

Dance with the Saratoga International Folk Dancers for their citrus themed party. Use your imagination and come dressed for the theme. Bring a snack to share for the refreshment table.
Warmup and dances for beginners between 7:30 and 8:15pm. The dance party follows until 10:00-10:15pm.
This is a large, friendly group; you won’t be disappointed! Drop in fee $8, seniors $6, and first visit free. No charge for non-dancers and children. Discounts and scholarships available. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. More details…

34th Annual Polish Festival
2025-09-06 12:00 - 17:00 | Polish American Community Hall, 327 Main Street, Roseville, CA, 95678, United States
A 34 Year Tradition of Celebrating Polish Culture
Have you danced the Polka, ate Pierogi, and had your picture taken with a “Polish Princess”? Never, you say? Well, it’s about time you did!
Join the Polish American Club of Sacramento, Inc. at the 34th Annual Polish Festival. Come celebrate and learn about the Polish culture through traditional food, drink and song.
The best part of the Festival is the food and entertainment. There are no Polish Restaurants in the greater Sacramento area, so the Polish Festival is the only time when people can enjoy authentic Polish food while listening to traditional Polish music, performed by professional musicians.
Bogdan Komorniczak
PAC Entertainment VP
More than 1500 people are expected to attend this year’s festival. But don’t worry, there will be plenty of food. Come fill up on home-made Polish delicacies – over 5,000 Pierogi (potato-cheese filled, meat filled, or mushroom and sauerkraut filled dumplings); 1,000 Golabki (cabbage rolls); 700 pounds of Kielbasa (Polish sausage), hundreds of servings of Placki (potato pancakes) and a variety of Polish Pastries will be served.
Beside all the wonderful food and entertainment there will be several vendors on-hand selling Baltic Amber, handmade crafts, Polish souvenirs, and Polish Sausages. Don’t forget to visit the Polish marketplace! If you’re in a bidding mood there is also the silent auction. For those that wish to try their luck, tickets for the raffle will be available. You can commemorate your visit with a picture with a “Polish Princess” at the photo booth.
Dance the Polka or while you eat, enjoy the music of Chet Chwalik Polmuz Polka Band and Accordian music from Nicolai Prisacar. The performances of the Bay Area Polish Dance groups of Lowicznie and Sokoly are sure to impress.
There is something for everyone at the 34th Annual Polish Festival! The event is for all ages.
Admission and Parking are free. Wheelchair Access. Credit Cards Accepted.
Polish American Club of Sacramento
The Polish American Club of Sacramento, Inc preserves and perpetuates Polish traditions, customs, culture, and heritage through social events and activities. Since the foundation of the club in 1959 membership and the festival have grown. For more information about the performers and vendors please visit the festival website.

Peninsula Folk Dance Party
2025-09-13 19:00 - 22:00 | St. Bede’s Church Hall, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA, United States
Join the Peninsula Council Folk Dancers for an all-request dance party with MCs Becky Beniares and Nancy Kaye! Come early at 6:30pm for a dance lesson.
We’ll have dances for all levels, beginning to advanced, and all forms (line, couple, and set). Dress comfortably in layers; sneakers or low-heeled dance shoes recommended. Donations to help cover the cost of the hall are welcome. We do dances from nearly every country in the world, and the music is incredible.
Send your dance requests to pfdcparty@gmail.com along with any questions, comments, or suggestions.
Please stay home if you are sick, and please wear a mask if you are unsure or have been exposed to someone with a contagious illness. Thank you for your thoughtfulness.

Inaugural Ball 2025
2025-09-20 13:00 - 16:00 | Live Oak Recreation Center, 1301 Shattuck Avenue (at Berryman), Berkeley, CA, 94709 , United States
Berkeley Folk Dancers welcomes their new and returning officers. These are the people who are providing layers of structure and support that keep the Berkeley Folk Dance club running.
Please bring finger foods to share.

Cafe Shalom Dance Party
2025-09-20 19:30 - 23:30, 2025-10-18 19:30 - 23:30, 2025-11-15 19:30 - 23:30, 2025-12-20 19:30 - 23:30 | Congregation Am Tikvah, 625 Brotherhood Way, San Francisco, CA, United States
Israeli folk dancers from all over the Bay Area dance the night away at Café Shalom’s Saturday party—a monthly tradition since the 1960s! We play a wonderful mix of oldies and the latest dances based on requests. Dancers of all ages are invited to join the fun on the third Saturday of every month.
Saturday classes are large parties with many dancers from all ages and spectrum. We dance dances from 1918 and from 2018 back to back.
The first part of the evening – 30-45 minutes starts with slow and beginners dances, oldies, and dances which we learn in Tuesday class. Later we increase the intensity, up the beat and the pace and the evening is fully charged with great energy and fun.
7:30 pm – Warm-up, beginner’s, oldies dances, and recently taught dances
8:00 pm – Our party perks up… with circle, and couple dances
9:15 pm – Birthday celebrations, announcements, followed by a line dance set
9:30 – 11:30 pm – We’ll dance ‘til then or ‘til we drop – whatever comes first!
Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students.
Info: Text 669.444.1284
Cafe Shalom, more details…

Family Fun and Dancing
2025-09-26 19:00 - 22:00, 2025-10-24 19:00 - 22:00, 2025-11-28 19:00 - 22:00, 2025-12-19 19:00 - 22:00 | Miraloma Park Clubhouse, 350 O’Shaughnessey Boulevard (at Del Vale Avenue), San Francisco, CA, 94127, United States
Join Changs International Folk Dancers for a night of music and dance for the entire family!
An hour of fun dance activities to music from around the world. Every Fourth Friday, 7pm-8pm. Followed at 8-10pm by international folk dances from our club’s repertoire.
Adults accompanied by kids always free!

David and Marija Anniversary Dance
2025-09-27 11:30 - 17:00 | Live Oak Recreation Center, 1301 Shattuck Avenue (at Berryman), Berkeley, CA, 94709 , United States
Come help celebrate David and Marija Hillis’ anniversary with picnic and dance. More details coming… Save the date!
Banquet/Picnic 11:30am-3pm.
Dancing 2-5pm.

Officers Ball 2025
2025-10-04 13:00 - 22:00 | Veterans Memorial Building, Pleasanton, 301 Main Street, Pleasanton, CA, 94566, United States
The Folk Dance Federation’s annual festival of folk dance with workshops, on-site dinner, dance party, and special attractions returns! The theme this year is “FUN-ding the Future.”
The Officers Ball is also an important fundraiser for the Federation Scholarship Fund. Its Annual 50/50 Drawing is a popular feature: buy tickets for $1 each and, if your ticket is drawn, you receive 50% of the total ticket sales. Consider bundling the 2026 Federation Folk Dance Wall Calendar with your ticket purchase and pick up the calendar at the Ball.
Schedule

Price
Time (pm)
Event

1:00
Doors open

$25
1:30-5:30
Dance workshops

$20
5:30-7:00
On-site dinner (for those registered in advance)

$25
7:00-10:00
Evening celebration, dances from the workshop and your requests.

The special full package price of $55 (workshop, dinner, and party) may purchase all until September 30, 2025.
Workshop
The afternoon workshop will again feature a program of new and classic folk dances featuring local teachers. Dances to be taught will be provided in late September. The tentative list of instructors include:

Adony Beniares – Čapkan Dimčo (Macedonian, non-partner)
Craig Blackstone – Fjaskem (Swedish, mixer)
Marija Hillis – Three’s a Crowd (US, trio mixer)
Judy Kropp – Bridge of Athlone (Scottish, set)
Lothar Narins – Karkmarocka (Rusyan, non-partner)
Alan Rothchild – Hora Vrânceana (Romanian, non-partner)

Donate
Because of a matching grant, all donations made at or before the end of the Officers Ball that are designated for scholarships will be doubled. Donate ONLINE or bring cash or check to the Officers Ball.
DONATE to Scholarship
Registration
Officers Ball 2025 Registration form Register by September 30, 2025 to obtain the special all event package pricing (workshop, on-site dinner, and evening party) of $55 and save $15. On-site dinner registration is not available after September 30. New members with coupon pay for dinner only.
Option 1: Mail-In Registration
Download and complete registration form.
Make checks payable to the FOLK DANCE FEDERATION. If you are still planning to come for the entire event, email Sabine at Treasurer@folkance.com and tell her you will bring a check to the Officers Ball. Do NOT mail a check now.

Option 2: Online Registration
Online registration has ended.

North/South Folkdance Teachers’ Seminar
2025-10-10 19:00 - 2025-10-12 13:00 | Monte Toyon, 220 Cloister Lane, Aptos, CA, 95003, United States
Are you a folkdance teacher who would like to hone your skills or a dancer who would like to learn to teach? If so, plan to come to the N/S Folkdance Teachers’ Seminar!
About
North/South Folkdance Teachers’ Seminar is a gathering of teachers focused on improving teaching skills and sharing information and ideas with other teachers. All Folk Dance teachers, both current and prospective, are welcome. Each annual seminar features two master instructors who have specialized knowledge of folk dance.
The 2025 North/South Master Teachers are Sonia Dion and Cristian Florescu. They will lead workshops on Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday morning, plus cultural or teaching presentations. Both are professional teachers with decades of experience in welcoming and retaining dancers in the folk dance world.
Price
$320 with on-site accommodations, $270 off-site; Final payment due August 10, 2025. Price includes meals from Saturday breakfast through Sunday lunch and all activities. On-site accommodation is dorm-style with shared bathrooms.
Featured Guests
Sonia Dion and Cristian Florescu
Romanian Folk Dance and more…
Cristian and Sonia have been guest performers with the Collage International Dance Ensemble of Boston, have been regular teachers at l’ École supérieure de danse du Québec and have been selected to be part of the Artists in the Schools program sponsored by the Québec Ministry of Education. In recent years, they have developed a specific interest in working with recreational folk dance groups in Canada and the United States, Mexico and Brazil. They have been teaching in Europa (Austria, England, Poland, Germany, Italy,  Norway, Belgium, Switzerland, The Netherlands, France) in Asia (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia) and Australia  to share their love of Romanian folk traditions.
In recent years, Cristian and Sonia have developed a specific interest in working with recreational folk dance groups. They’ve been teaching in Brazil, Canada and the United States, Europe (Austria, Belgium, England, Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland and the Netherlands), Asia (Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan) to share their love of Romanian folk traditions. They have taught workshops in Canada and the United States and choreographed Romanian suites for performing groups, including the world-renowned BYU Folk Dance Ensemble in Utah. Read more…

Monte Toyon Camp & Conference Center
Helgesson Hall, Monte Toyon
Monte Toyon Camp & Conference Center is an idyllic oasis right in the heart of Aptos, California. Just a short drive from the west coast beaches you’ll head inland on a road that meanders through a beautiful wooded forest opening to our doorstep. Situated in a gorgeous and refreshing redwood forest setting, there are short nature trails that circle the camp for a peaceful walk in forest beauty. Monte Toyon is a short drive to nearby Nisene Marks State Park, Seacliff State Beach, and Santa Cruz Beaches and Boardwalk. Wi-Fi is available in meeting areas. Read more…
Registration deadline: August 10, 2025
Register

Peninsula Folk Dance Party
2025-10-12 19:00 - 22:00 | St. Bede’s Church Hall, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA, United States
Help us welcome special guests Arianna Ordway (Croatian), Sonia Dion and Cristian Florescu (Romanian) to our Sunday evening, October 12th, Peninsula Folk Dance Party. This is not a teaching workshop; they are joining us to relax and party! We’ll include many of the dances we’ve learned from Sonia, Cristian and Željko on the program. We’ll also be preparing some yummy Romanian snacks for you to try! MC will be Adony Beniares. Please bring a finger food snack to share.
We’ll have dances for all levels, beginning to advanced, and all forms (line, couple, and set). Dress comfortably in layers; sneakers or low-heeled dance shoes recommended. Donations to help cover the cost of the hall are welcome. We do dances from nearly every country in the world, and the music is incredible.
Send your dance requests to pfdcparty@gmail.com along with any questions, comments, or suggestions.
Please stay home if you are sick, and please wear a mask if you are unsure or have been exposed to someone with a contagious illness. Thank you for your thoughtfulness.

Global Folk Dance Party
2025-10-18 14:30 - 18:30 | Online, CA, United States
It’s that spooky time of year! Join us to “Fall into Halloween” on Saturday October 18. We’ll be getting spooky with our usual team of dance leaders, who will be joined this month by our special guest Judy Silver.
As always, join us 30 minutes before each Global Folk Dance Party (2:30pm PST) for a different pre-show (quiz, video, music, trivia, etc) each month.
Join The Party
By Zoom
Register by Zoom
We’ve changed Zoom numbers. Here’s what you need to do. Use the registration link above and you’ll get an email from Zoom with your link for the Global Folk Dance Party. Feel free to share the above registration link with your friends, they’ll get their own link to join. With the new registration, you’ll get a reminder email the morning of the Global Folk Dance Party, so you don’t have to look for your link.

IMPORTANT – Do not use both computer and phone; you will generate feedback.
Zoom will best be viewed using side by side mode. See https://bit.ly/39dximU for info.
When in the meeting, click the ‘chat’ button to chat with everybody and make requests.
When you sign into Zoom, enter your name and city so we know where you’re from!

By Facebook Live
Join by Facebook Live
if Zoom is full or you just want to watch.
https://www.facebook.com/PFDCouncil/
For more details or to send requests e-mail us at virtualfolkdance@gmail.com. Alicia La Fetra, Lisa Michael, and Stacy Rose will be happy to help.

Dance Party with Bulgarika
2025-10-19 14:00 - 16:30 | Strawberry Recreation Center, 118 E. Strawberry Drive, Mill Valley, CA, 94941, United States
Dance to your favorite international tunes live with Bulgarika and Kopachka Folk Dancers
at Strawberry Rec. Center, Mill Valley!
BULGARIKA is back for their 2025 tour: Donka Koleva, Nikolay Kolev, Stoyan Kostav, and Anton Shekerjiev. The group features four maestros with decades of performing experience. They are all steeped in Bulgarian music and rhythms from a young age and bring the very best of the Bulgarian folk-music tradition for your enjoyment.
$15 general admittance, $7 students. Doors open at 1:30pm. Refreshments provided.
Covid protocols: Vax/boosters strongly encouraged, masks required if not (KN95, N95, and KF94–we can provide).
Additional parking at Strawberry Point school across street.
Be sure to bring tips for the band.

Fall Camp 2025
2025-10-31 - 2025-11-02 | Brandeis-Bardin Campus, 1101 Peppertree Lane, Brandeis, CA, 93064, United States
Join us at Fall Camp 2025 for another magical, fun-filled weekend of dance, music, crafts, nature, and camaraderie.
This year, Fall Camp 2025 will feature one main teacher, Catherine Rudin, plus several of our own California-based dance teachers. Catherine will present an eclectic mix of forgotten-classic and recent captivating dances, with particular attention to styling details that make a dance specific to a time and place. She has danced for more than 5 decades, enjoying a wide variety of styles and traditions. She has both family and linguistic research ties to the Balkans, especially Bulgaria. Balkan music and dance are her roots, but she loves and participates in other traditions as well.
In a return to a practice from the first Fall Camp and Camp Hess Kramer, several experienced and skilled California dance teachers will also present great dances that campers will enjoy learning.
Dancing will be in the magnificent, air-conditioned Wapner room, on a wooden dance floor. Fall Camp offers many other activities, including:

Dance parties on Friday and Saturday evening (Yes, we will solicit your dance requests in the weeks before-hand),
Meals together, Happy Hours, and other socializing with our precious dance friends,
The opportunity to play an instrument and/or sing in the Potluck Band,
Art/craft projects in the campus’ inspiring environment,
Morning stretching sessions and nature walks in the tranquil, outstandingly natural landscape,
Expertly-led star, and maybe satellite-gazing, well away from LA’s city lights.

Campus
Once again, Fall Camp will be on the beautiful rural Brandeis-Bardin Campus near Simi Valley, with its comfortable motel-style rooms in an idyllic, natural setting. Nestled in a woodsy alcove, the campus is a lovely place where you can enjoy being close to nature while still having the creature comforts of excellent meals (upgraded from previous years), motel-style rooms (with private bathrooms, heat, and air conditioning), and more. You can dance when you feel like it, and when you don’t, do other things such as catching up with friends, playing Scrabble, working on a jigsaw puzzle with others, getting a massage, completing a craft project, going for a walk in nature, reading a good book, meditating, or doing nothing at all. You don’t have to get on a plane or drive treacherous mountain roads to be with nature, and WiFi is available too!
About 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles, near Simi Valley, Brandeis-Bardin is a lovely and comfortable place to spend a weekend dancing with friends. The beautifully landscaped grounds have many mature trees and offer breathtaking views of the Santa Susana Mountains. The camp’s address is 1101 Peppertree Lane, Brandeis, CA 93064. Fly into Burbank or LAX.
Fall Camp Registration
Registration
Note that the Folk Dance Federation of California, South, Inc. requires participants to sign a waiver that is included in the file. As we get closer to the date, Brandeis-Bardin Campus will also require participants to sign a waiver, and that waiver can be signed online.
Register

Peninsula Folk Dance Party
2025-11-08 15:00 - 18:30 | St. Bede’s Church Hall, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA, United States
Join the Peninsula Council Folk Dancers for an all-request dance party with Kaela Fine and Laura Richards as MCs! Invite your friends for a short beginner dancer workshop at 3pm.
We’ll have dances for all levels, beginning to advanced, and all forms (line, couple, and set). Dress comfortably in layers; sneakers or low-heeled dance shoes recommended. Donations to help cover the cost of the hall are welcome. We do dances from nearly every country in the world, and the music is incredible.
Send your dance requests to pfdcparty@gmail.com along with any questions, comments, or suggestions.
Please stay home if you are sick, and please wear a mask if you are unsure or have been exposed to someone with a contagious illness. Thank you for your thoughtfulness.

Global Folk Dance Party
2025-11-15 15:00 - 18:30 | Online, CA, United States
We’re going to honor our Northern friends on Saturday November 15. We’ll have our usual team of dance leaders, who will be joined this month by guest teachers Lori Larsen, Bev Neilson, Riki Advi and Judy Silver. Have any ideas? Send them along to us! Until the playlist is compiled email your dance requests or questions to virtualfolkdance@gmail.com. As always, join us 30 minutes before each Global Folk Dance Party at 2:30pm PST for a different pre-show (quiz, video, music, trivia, etc.) each month. Hope to see you on the virtual dance floor on Saturday November 15.
Join The Party
By Zoom
Register by Zoom
We’ve changed Zoom numbers. Here’s what you need to do. Use the registration link above and you’ll get an email from Zoom with your link for the Global Folk Dance Party. Feel free to share the above registration link with your friends, they’ll get their own link to join. With the new registration, you’ll get a reminder email the morning of the Global Folk Dance Party, so you don’t have to look for your link.

IMPORTANT – Do not use both computer and phone; you will generate feedback.
Zoom will best be viewed using side by side mode. See https://bit.ly/39dximU for info.
When in the meeting, click the ‘chat’ button to chat with everybody and make requests.
When you sign into Zoom, enter your name and city so we know where you’re from!

By Facebook Live
Join by Facebook Live
if Zoom is full or you just want to watch.
https://www.facebook.com/PFDCouncil/
For more details or to send requests e-mail us at virtualfolkdance@gmail.com. Alicia La Fetra, Lisa Michael, and Stacy Rose will be happy to help.

Kolo Festival 2025
2025-11-28 09:00 - 2025-11-30 00:00 | Croatian Cultural Center, 60 Onondaga Ave., San Francisco, CA, 94708, United States
2025 will be the 74nd annual Kolo Festival! Kolo Festival includes dance, vocal, and instrumental classes, along with dancing, sing-alongs, culture corners, instrumental jam sessions, kafanas and parties, brass, Bitov, Izvorno bands and more!
Musicians from around the world playing folk dance music from Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Macedonia, Norway, Romany communities, Romania, Serbia, Sweden, Turkey, and the United States.
Schedule
Kolo Festival 2025 Schedule
Dance Instructors

Roberto Bagnoli
Bulgarian, Romani and Turkish Dance
Roberto Bagnoli Roberto Bagnoli grew up in Rome, where he was first introduced to folk music and dance, eventually taking part in several performances and teaching dance classes. He subsequently studied various forms of folk dance in workshops throughout Europe, Israel, and North America under the guidance of renowned choreographers and teachers. Roberto now lives in Reggio Emilia in Northern Italy, considered to have one of the most important dance communities in Italy.
From 1995 to 2003, he performed as a dancer and choreographer with the Terra di Danza Dance Company and was involved in the production of Raggi di luna Italiana and Capriccio Italiano (Italian dances), GiroGiroMondo (dances from around the world), Keltic Emotion (Celtic dances), Mazal Tov (Israeli dances), and Ethnos (international folk dances).
He is the founder of Folk Atelier Reggio Emilia (FARE), devoted to the development and conservation of folk dance heritage. As director of FARE, he is in charge of organizing and conducting folk dance classes, workshops with Italian and foreign specialists, and of the performing sector, staging various performances, parties, and dance gatherings.
He currently organizes two dance camps in Europe: Balkanot (Balkan and Israeli dance) and Camp Yofi (Israeli Dance).
Roberto teaches weekly classes in various cities in the north of Italy and conducts monthly sessions in Rome and Milan besides conducting workshops and seminars throughout Europe, the United States (notably the Stockton Folk Dance Camp), and Canada, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan. Read more…
Sonia Dion and Cristian Florescu
Romanian Folk Dance
Cristian and Sonia have been guest performers with the Collage International Dance Ensemble of Boston, have been regular teachers at l’ École supérieure de danse du Québec and have been selected to be part of the Artists in the Schools program sponsored by the Québec Ministry of Education. In recent years, they have developed a specific interest in working with recreational folk dance groups in Canada and the United States, Mexico and Brazil. They have been teaching in Europa (Austria, England, Poland, Germany, Italy,  Norway, Belgium, Switzerland, The Netherlands, France) in Asia (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia) and Australia  to share their love of Romanian folk traditions.
In recent years, Cristian and Sonia have developed a specific interest in working with recreational folk dance groups. They’ve been teaching in Brazil, Canada and the United States, Europe (Austria, Belgium, England, Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland and the Netherlands), Asia (Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan) to share their love of Romanian folk traditions. They have taught workshops in Canada and the United States and choreographed Romanian suites for performing groups, including the world-renowned BYU Folk Dance Ensemble in Utah.Read more…
Tanya Dimitrov
Tanya Dimitrov’s journey into the world of dance began at the age of six in the small village of Petarch, Bulgaria, where traditional music and dance were a vibrant part of daily life. Inspired by her father, who instilled in her a profound love for Bulgarian culture, Tanya knew from an early age that dance was her true calling — the only path she ever wished to follow. She pursued this passion with unwavering dedication, training at the prestigious National School of Dance Art in Sofia, Bulgaria, with a specialization in Bulgarian folk dances. Tanya continued her education, earning an MFA in Dance from the Academy of Music, Dance, and Fine Arts in Bulgaria, an MFA in Dance from Arizona State University, an MA in Creative Enterprise and Cultural Leadership from ASU, and a Masters degree in Business Economics from the University of Plovdiv. Now based in Phoenix, Arizona, Tanya is the Artistic Director of the Balkanik Dance Group and a leading organizer of the Bulgarian Folklore Festival “Tupan Bie.” Her work bridges generations and geographies, celebrating the richness of not only Bulgarian traditions but also the diverse tapestry of Balkan dances. For Tanya, dance is more than performance; it is storytelling, memory, and community made visible. With over two decades of experience, she is dedicated to ensuring that these living traditions are passed on, honoring the past while inspiring new generations to keep the spirit of Bulgarian and Balkan folk dance alive. Read more…
Maria Bebelekova
Bulgarian Singing
Maria Bebelekova from the Bulgarian Rhodope town of Shiroka Luka, learned singing from her mother and grandmother. She studied at the Shiroka Luka Folk Music School and the Plovdiv Conservatory, then returned to her hometown, where she taught at the music school for 15 years. She sang with the Bulgarian women’s choir Angelite for three seasons, and has performed and recorded regularly with other ensembles. Maria teaches kindergarten and singing for adults and children at the Khan Asparuh Bulgarian School in Sunnyvale, CA, and gives private singing lessons in the San Jose, CA area.Read more…
John Morovich
Tamburica, Croatian Singing
John Morovich John Morovich, born in 1965, grew up in Seattle’s sizable Croatian community. Since 1973, he has studied, taught, and performed traditional music and dance of Croatia and other parts of Southeastern Europe. He was awarded the prestigious Washington State Arts Commission Folk Arts Fellowship for 2001.
He is currently the artistic director of the Seattle Junior Tamburitzans, a 50-member youth ensemble of which he was a performer from 1974 through 1987 and since 2013 has directed Tamburaski Orkestar Kisobran. He conducted the Jele Croatian Women’s Choir and Klapa Ruzmarin in Vancouver, BC, Canada. He was selected as Guest Conductor for the Croatian Fraternal Union of America Junior Cultural Federation Festival held in Chicago, in July 2005.
John has taught at many camps and seminars, including the California Kolo Festival in San Francisco, the Balkana Seattle Balkan Camp, the Texas Camp, the East European Folklife Center’s Balkan Music & Dance Workshops, and the Seattle Folk Dance Festival. John has also worked with many folklore ensembles across the United States and Canada. He most recently choreographed for the Ban Jelačić Croatian Dance Ensemble of Penticton, B.C., Canada; Hrvatski Vitezovi; Sarajevo of Vancouver; and Zagreb of Victoria, B.C., Canada, and Ethnic Dance Theatre of Minneapolis. MN. Dances John has taught include Kabanica i Seksera, Grizlica, H’ajd Na Lievo, Mazulka, Okrani Se Moje Kolo Malo, Repa, Sad Moi Dragi u Šumi Kod Koza, Saljsko Kolo, Slavonsko Kukunješče, Sroteš, Sˇ’tiri Snehe, Tanac po Susasko, Veloluški Tanac, and Žena Ide Na Gosti. Read more…
Musicians (aka Performers)
Registration

Chubritza International Folk Band
Fanfare Zambelata
Orkestar Unbound
Sinovi
More performers to be announced!

More details…
Registration

Register

Kolo Festival 2026
2025-11-28 09:00 - 2025-11-30 00:00 | Croatian Cultural Center, 60 Onondaga Ave., San Francisco, CA, 94708, United States
2026 will be the 75th annual Kolo Festival! Kolo Festival includes dance, vocal, and instrumental classes, along with dancing, sing-alongs, culture corners, instrumental jam sessions, kafanas and parties, brass, Bitov, Izvorno bands and more!
Musicians from around the world playing folk dance music from Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Macedonia, Norway, Romany communities, Romania, Serbia, Sweden, Turkey, and the United States.
Schedule
Kolo Festival 2026 Schedule
Dance Instructors

Ahmet Lüleci
Dances of Turkey
Ahmet Luleci A native of Turkey, Ahmet is an accomplished choreographer, dance teacher and performer as well as a researcher of Anatolian culture. He is currently the artistic director of the Boston based Collage Dance Ensemble, which allows him to further his goal of making folk dance and music accessible to a wider audience.
Since arriving in North America in 1985, he has taught many workshops and camps throughout the United States as well as Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Holland, England, Switzerland, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Norway, Italy, Spain and Australia. He has set innumerable suites of dances for the stage working with dance organizations around the world. Read more…
Sonia Dion and Cristian Florescu
Romanian Folk Dance
Cristian and Sonia have been guest performers with the Collage International Dance Ensemble of Boston, have been regular teachers at l’ École supérieure de danse du Québec and have been selected to be part of the Artists in the Schools program sponsored by the Québec Ministry of Education. In recent years, they have developed a specific interest in working with recreational folk dance groups in Canada and the United States, Mexico and Brazil. They have been teaching in Europa (Austria, England, Poland, Germany, Italy,  Norway, Belgium, Switzerland, The Netherlands, France) in Asia (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia) and Australia  to share their love of Romanian folk traditions.
In recent years, Cristian and Sonia have developed a specific interest in working with recreational folk dance groups. They’ve been teaching in Brazil, Canada and the United States, Europe (Austria, Belgium, England, Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland and the Netherlands), Asia (Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan) to share their love of Romanian folk traditions. They have taught workshops in Canada and the United States and choreographed Romanian suites for performing groups, including the world-renowned BYU Folk Dance Ensemble in Utah.Read more…
Tanya Dimitrov
Bulgarian, Romani and Turkish Dance
Tanya Dimitrov’s journey into the world of dance began at the age of six in the small village of Petarch, Bulgaria, where traditional music and dance were a vibrant part of daily life. Inspired by her father, who instilled in her a profound love for Bulgarian culture, Tanya knew from an early age that dance was her true calling — the only path she ever wished to follow. She pursued this passion with unwavering dedication, training at the prestigious National School of Dance Art in Sofia, Bulgaria, with a specialization in Bulgarian folk dances. Tanya continued her education, earning an MFA in Dance from the Academy of Music, Dance, and Fine Arts in Bulgaria, an MFA in Dance from Arizona State University, an MA in Creative Enterprise and Cultural Leadership from ASU, and a Masters degree in Business Economics from the University of Plovdiv. Now based in Phoenix, Arizona, Tanya is the Artistic Director of the Balkanik Dance Group and a leading organizer of the Bulgarian Folklore Festival “Tupan Bie.” Her work bridges generations and geographies, celebrating the richness of not only Bulgarian traditions but also the diverse tapestry of Balkan dances. For Tanya, dance is more than performance; it is storytelling, memory, and community made visible. With over two decades of experience, she is dedicated to ensuring that these living traditions are passed on, honoring the past while inspiring new generations to keep the spirit of Bulgarian and Balkan folk dance alive. Read more…
Maria Bebelekova
Bulgarian Singing
Maria Bebelekova from the Bulgarian Rhodope town of Shiroka Luka, learned singing from her mother and grandmother. She studied at the Shiroka Luka Folk Music School and the Plovdiv Conservatory, then returned to her hometown, where she taught at the music school for 15 years. She sang with the Bulgarian women’s choir Angelite for three seasons, and has performed and recorded regularly with other ensembles. Maria teaches kindergarten and singing for adults and children at the Khan Asparuh Bulgarian School in Sunnyvale, CA, and gives private singing lessons in the San Jose, CA area.Read more…
Musicians (aka Performers)
Registration
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Register

Old World Carolers Ruby Jubilee Ball
2025-12-06 19:00 - 21:00 | Monroe Hall, 1400 W. College Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA, 95401, United States
Join The Old World Carolers as they celebrate 40 years of singing for good causes. Waltz to old European carols—there will be a Scandinavian set also. There’s plenty of room to just sit and listen as well.
With special guest Tim Rued, fiddle and nyckelharpa.
Ball or folk attire encouraged. Potluck snacks, zero waste please.
$10 donation, kids free.

Palomanians Pie Party
2025-12-13 15:30 - 18:30 | St. Bede’s Church Hall, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA, United States
The annual Palomanians Pie Party featuring ice cream, refreshments and pie all provided by the Palomanians! Come join us for an evening of dancing and pie. Denise Heenan is MC.
Nothing to bring, all pies, ice cream, and refreshments will be supplied by the Palomanians. Dances range from beginning to advanced, and all forms (line, couple, and set). Email your requests or questions to pfdcparty@gmail.com
Please stay home if you are sick, and please wear a mask if you are unsure or have been exposed to someone with a contagious illness. Thank you for your thoughtfulness.

Razzmatazz Holiday Party
2025-12-13 19:00 - 22:00 | Monroe Hall, 1400 W. College Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA, 95401, United States
Join the Razzmatzz Folk Dancers for their ‘Tis the Season Holiday Folk Dance Party on Saturday, December 14 from 7:00pm – 10:00pm at Monroe Hall, 1400 W. College Ave., Santa Rosa. Doors open at 6:30pm. Admission: $5. Tips for the musicians and singers are greatly appreciated.
The evening will begin with recorded dance favorites from 7pm – 8pm, followed by a reading of “The Night Before Christmas” and Hanukkah songs. The rest of the evening will feature live music with GRADINA, local Balkan choral group and YABULKA playing Bulgarian dance tunes on traditional instruments.
Snacks for our refreshment table are welcome. We hope you can be there!

Saratoga Folk Dancers Black & White Ball
2025-12-18 19:30 - 22:15 | St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church, 18870 Allendale Avenue, Saratoga, California, 95070
Celebrate the holidays with the Saratoga International Folk Dancers. Dress in black, white, or some combination — it makes for great photos. Refreshments for the table welcome!
Warmup and dances for beginners between 7:30 and 8:15pm. Request dancing for the rest of the evening. This is a large, friendly group; you won’t be disappointed! Drop in fee $8, seniors $6, and first visit free. More details…

Global Folk Dance Party
2025-12-20 15:00 - 18:30 | Online, CA, United States
A bit of fun this month- our Global Folk Dance team teachers will be joined by Adony Beniares and Paul Collins. Thanks to our tech team for making these amazing parties possible. Tune in at 2:30pm PST for some pre-show fun!
Join The Party
By Zoom
Register by Zoom
We’ve changed Zoom numbers. Here’s what you need to do. Use the registration link above and you’ll get an email from Zoom with your link for the Global Folk Dance Party. Feel free to share the above registration link with your friends, they’ll get their own link to join. With the new registration, you’ll get a reminder email the morning of the Global Folk Dance Party, so you don’t have to look for your link.

IMPORTANT – Do not use both computer and phone; you will generate feedback.
Zoom will best be viewed using side by side mode. See https://bit.ly/39dximU for info.
When in the meeting, click the ‘chat’ button to chat with everybody and make requests.
When you sign into Zoom, enter your name and city so we know where you’re from!

By Facebook Live
Join by Facebook Live
if Zoom is full or you just want to watch.
https://www.facebook.com/PFDCouncil/
For more details or to send requests e-mail us at virtualfolkdance@gmail.com. Alicia La Fetra, Lisa Michael, and Stacy Rose will be happy to help.

Christmas Night Dance Party
2025-12-25 19:00 - 22:00 | St. Bede’s Church Hall, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA, United States
Once upon a time, a family gathered with friends and relatives every Christmas Night to celebrate the day. They shared food and beverages, and danced away the evening. John Nicoara was there. It was from the stories of these warm memories that Jan and he, and Becky and Adony, were inspired to continue that tradition with a new family — YOU!
All request Folk Dance Party hosted by the Peninsula Council! Send your request to pfdcparty@gmail.com. This is our 19th annual Christmas dance party.
Please stay home if you are sick, and please wear a mask if you are unsure or have been exposed to someone with a contagious illness. Thank you for your thoughtfulness.
Bring a finger food snack to share. Water and punch will be provided.
