Folk Dance Federation of California

New Year's Eve Dance Party
2023-12-31 21:00 - 2024-01-01 00:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Live Oak Recreation Center, 1301 Shattuck Avenue (at Berryman), Berkeley, CA, 94709 , United States
Celebrate the New Year in dance with the Berkeley Folk Dancers! Come early to help decorate and ignite the party! Bring finger food.
Registration: $12 at the door
For more details contact Peter D’Angelo

Berkeley Folk Dance's Birthday Ball
2024-01-06 13:00 - 17:00 | Live Oak Recreation Center, 1301 Shattuck Avenue (at Berryman), Berkeley, CA, 94709 , United States
Celebrate 83 Years of Berkeley Folk Dance
In January, BFD starts its 83rd year! Celebrate our birthday with us at the annual Birthday Ball, where we also welcome this year’s new beginners, as well as everyone who’s joined for the first time since last January.
The theme, is Come Fly With Me! Think of all the countries you could fly to!

Schedule

Time
Event
Price

1:00-2:00pm
Lunch
$25

2:00-5:00pm
Dancing
$12

Register

International Folk Dance Party
2024-01-12 13:15 - 16:00 | Age Well Center at South Fremont, 47111 Mission Falls Ct., Fremont, CA, 94539, United States
Free International Folk Dance Party. No partner or experience needed.
Dance Party Playlist
Party Play List

Peninsula Folk Dance Party
2024-01-13 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 enceed by Clem Dickey
We’ll have dances for all levels, beginning to advanced. 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.
Masks are optional. Up to date vaccinations are required. If you’ve already shown us your vaccine info, no need to do it again. If not, you can email it to us at pfdcparty@gmail.com or bring it with you.
Send your dance requests to pfdcparty@gmail.com along with any questions, comments, or suggestions. Our MC will be Clem Dickey for this all request party.
Dances range from beginning to advanced, and all forms (line, couple, and set). If you’d like to bring a snack to share, please make sure they are prepared for individual servings.
DOWNLOAD and share a flier.

Federation Board Meeting
2024-01-14 15:00 - 16:30 | Online, CA, United States
Join the Folk Dance Federation online for their board meeting. Various topics such as event planning, membership, publicity, insurance, and budget are discussed.
Sunday January 14, 3:00pm-4:30pm, online
Meeting ID: 893 5363 4541
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Join Online

Stockton Folk Dance Winter Weekend
2024-01-19 - 2024-01-21 | Online, CA, United States
Instead of making you wait all the way to July to enjoy the wonders of Stockton Folk Dance Camp, enjoy the 2024 Stockton Folk Dance Winter Weekend with
Dance – Music – Presentations – Videos – Games – Parties – Virtual Hugs

All online via Zoom
Featuring an all-star faculty with more than 70 hours of classes, presentations, parties, and replays

💖 20+ hours of new dance classes, presentations, live music, videos hours, and events.
💖 12+ hours of dance parties
💖 Replays of almost everything, so you get two chances to watch
💖 Puzzles, videos, and all the other great things you’ve seen at our Camps.

Featured artists include:
DANCE TEACHERS

Ahmet Lüleci – Turkish
Anna Angelova – Bulgarian
Erica Goldman – Israeli
Jaap Leegwater & Jan Wollring – Bulgarian
Richard Powers – Vintage Dances

MUSIC TEACHERS

Polly Tapia Ferber – Drumming
Michele Simon – Singing

PRESENTATIONS

Ahmet Lüleci – Cooking and Video Hour
Andrew Carnie – Scotland and Gaelic
Richard Powers – Vintage Dances

LIVE MUSIC

Bill Cope And Orkestar Unbound

ASIA PARTY WITH FUSAE CARROLL
CELEBRATING YVES MOREAU
This, along with our great MCs and Techs, will make it a wonderful weekend.
Visit https://stocktonfolkdancecamp.org/winter-weekend-2024/ for emerging details…
SCHEDULE

View Winter Weekend Camp Schedule
REGISTRATION
The entire online camp is free with registration on Zoom.
Register
DONATE
100 percent of each donation goes directly to the artists! Stockton Folk Dance Camp is a 501-c-3 nonprofit, so all donations are tax deductible. No contribution is too small.
Donate

Hungarian Dance House (Táncház) with Live Music
2024-01-20 16:00 - 22:30 | Black Box Theater, Woodside Priory, 302 Portola Rd, Portola Valley, 94028, United States
Eszterlánc invites you to join us at our táncház on January 20th, 2024. This is our regular start-of-the-year dance house, with László Orbán on violin, Miklós Lajos “Lecsó” on brácsa, and János Erdei on bőgő.
Our KCSP scholar, Ilka Dajka will lead the dance teaching circles. She will be helped by a male dance teacher visiting us from Hungary. Food and pastries, drinks (beer, wine, and soda) will be available for purchase.
All levels of experience welcome, no partner needed. Doors open at 4pm.

Schedule

Time
Event

4:00pm
Kid’s Dance

5:00pm
Adult Dance Teaching

6:00pm
Táncház

10:00pm
Singing

Admission
Adults $20
Youth 5-17 $5
Families (2 adults + 2 youth) $40
The event closes with open dance.

Cretan Glendi with Musicians from Crete
2024-02-05 19:00 - 21:00 | Joe Goode Annex, 401 Alabama at 17th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
At GreekFeet, we love to dance to live music! We are pleased to host Manolis Bobolakis and Vaggelis Bagourakis directly from Crete playing Cretan music for our dancing pleasure. Bring your dancing shoes for a night of lively dancing!
$20
Joe Goode Annex
401 Alabama Street at 17th Street
San Francisco
Ring the bell at the gate to enter.
Info: greekfeet@icloud.com
Sponsored by GreekFeet
Listen to Manolis Bobolakis, singer and violin

Vaggelis Bagourakis on Laouto

Festival of the Oaks
2024-02-10 13:00 - 21:00 | Live Oak Recreation Center, 1301 Shattuck Avenue (at Berryman), Berkeley, CA, 94709 , United States
For the 75th(!) anniversary of the Festival of the Oaks, there will be an afternoon workshop with John Morovich, followed a dance performance, an optional dinner, and an evening dance party.
Refreshments will be provided. Oh, and be sure to shop at (and/or donate to) the pre-owned folk dance costume sale (4:15 pm – 9:00 pm). For members of the Folk Dance Federation of California, there will be a membership meeting during the dinner hour.

Schedule

Time
Event
Price

1:00 pm
Doors open

1:30-4:00pm
Institute with John Morovich
$20

4:00-4:15pm
Dance performance

4:15-5:00pm
Dinner
$10

5:15-9:00pm
International Folk Dancing,Dances from around the world, Institute Reviews & Contras
$18

Special all-day Institutes and Folk Dance evening party package is $34.
John Morovich
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.
From 1980 through 2002, he was a featured performer with the Vela Luka Croatian Dance Ensemble and the Ruže Dalmatinke Orchestra. In December, 2001, he erformed in and served as orchestra director for the Croatian Christmas cantata Narodil Se Mladi Kralj, by Tomislav Uhlik of Zagreb, Croatia, which was directed by Mary Sherhart. Since 1979, he has performed with the Sinovi Tamburica Orchestra with friends George, Tom and Tim Jovanovich, Jeff Suhadolnik, and John Major. The band, which participates frequently in the Tamburitza Extravaganzas, now includes Matt Thompson and George’s son Nick. For five years he performed with a balkan-gypsy fusion rock band Kultur Shock, with recent immigrants from the Balkans; and he recorded two albums with the group.
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.
Register
DOWNLOAD and share a flier!
Contact Ruthie Gasser for more details.

Peninsula Folk Dance Party
2024-02-11 15:30 - 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 Valentines dance party emceed by Hollis and Lon Radin.
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.
Masks optional. Up to date vaccinations are required. If you’ve already shown us your vaccine info, no need to do it again. If not, you can email it to us at pfdcparty@gmail.com or bring it with you.
Send your dance requests to pfdcparty@gmail.com along with any questions, comments, or suggestions.
If you’d like to bring a snack to share, please make sure they are prepared for individual servings.
DOWNLOAD and share a flier

Yanni Konstantinou Greek Dance Workshop
2024-02-12 19:00 - 21:00 | Joe Goode Annex, 401 Alabama at 17th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
Yannis is a great friend to GreekFeet. We are happy once again to welcome Yanni for a special dance workshop. He is a great instructor and this is an opportunity not to be missed.
Joe Goode Annex
401 Alabama Street at 17th Street
San Francisco
Ring the bell at the gate to enter.
Yannis Konstantinou
Yannis Konstantinou
Yannis Konstantinou, is an internationally recognized teacher and researcher of Greek Macedonian Dances and culture. He has taught workshops extensively throughout Europe and the USA. Yannis is the current president of the highly respected dance association “Lygkistes” which has performed extensively throughout Europe. Yannis also served as the artistic director and instructor for Lykeion Ellinidion Florinas, teaching over 200 dancers of all ages on a weekly basis, as well as teaching at many Cultural Associations
Yannis’ passion for traditional music and dance began in his childhood, dancing with his family in his parents’ villages of Alona and Akrites in the Florina region of Greece. He is deeply committed to preserving and sharing the rich traditions, culture, music and dance of this region.

Annual Lunar New Year Festival
2024-02-17 13:00 - 17:30 | Cerritos Senior Center, 12340 South Street, Cerritos, CA, 90703, United States
The annual Cerritos Folk Dancers Lunar New Year Festival! Now in its 12th year!
Workshop teachers are Alexandru David and Mihai David.
Suggested donation: $15 per person at the door (non-refundable $12 if prepaid by Feb. 18, 2023)
There will be finger food served. If you like, you may bring food or non-alcoholic beverage to share with other dancers.
You have the option to attend the after-festival dinner together. The restaurant and the cost are to be announced in the festival. To reserve a seat, please sign up at the front desk by 4 p.m. on the day of the festival.
For more details contact CerritosFolkDancers@gmail.com or call Wen at 626 500 5035.

Global Folk Dance Party
2024-02-17 15:00 - 18:30 | Online, CA, United States
Celebrate Leap Year!
Is there anything more fun and joyous than leaping? Come leap, lift and jump with us as we celebrate leap year as only folk dancers can! We’ll have our usual team of dance leaders and this month we’re also joined by guest leaders Harry Solomon, Judy Solomon, Siu-Ching Lui, and Paul Tong. Have any ideas? Send them along to us!
Please come at 2:30pm to listen to pre-show music presented by Murray Spiegel. Also join us for the after party hosted by Paul Collins and friends.
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 Da! Mozhem
2024-02-26 19:00 - 21:00 | Hermann Sons Hall, 860 Western Avenue, Petaluma, CA, 94952, United States
Special dance party with band Da! Mozhem hosted by Petaluma Snap-Y Dancers. Bring tips for the band!
Da! Mozhem is back with new tunes and old favorites, playing at some great clubs and venues in the greater Bay Area, including Santa Cruz and Petaluma.
Da! Mozhem at the San Francisco Free Folk Festival
Da! Mozhem
Da! Mozhem plays and sings high-energy pan-Balkan music for the joy of dancing. D!M is a group of friends who have been playing together for well over a decade. The group has veterans from many excellent folklore bands such as the People’s International Silver String Macedonian Band, Born to Drone, Westwind, Sviraci, and the Slavonian Traveling Band. The band plays with emphasis on Bulgarian, Macedonian, and ex-Yugoslav traditions. Several members frequently travel to the Balkans to learn more about the folkloric music of the region. The group plays on traditional instruments unique to the region as well as modern instruments.

Laguna Folk Dance Festival 2024
2024-03-01 - 2024-03-03 | Laguna Woods Clubhouse 2, 24112 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Woods, CA, 92637, United States
Clubhouse 2 Southern California’s premier folk dance festival! Dance and instrumental workshops with master teachers, parties with live music, the famous Sunday Dance Concert, catered food… what’s not to like? The Laguna Festival is one of Southern California’s premier annual folk dance events. You can bet all your friends will be there. You should be too!

Instructors
We are proud to announce that our teachers this year are Dr. Gergana Panova-Tekath and Roberto Bagnoli
Gergana Panova
Dr. Gergana Panova-Tekath
Dr. Gergana Panova-Tekath was born in Sofia, Bulgaria. From 1988 to 1993, she danced with the Filip Kutev Bulgarian National Folk Ensemble. She studied dance ethnology in Bulgaria and obtained her Ph.D. in dance from Dortmund University (Germany).
She regularly commutes between Bulgaria, where she heads the Ethnochoreology Department at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, and Germany, where she is Professor of Dance at Folkwang University in Essen.
She has published numerous articles and has written two books on various aspects of Bulgarian traditional dance. Besides organizing annual summer seminars in Bulgaria, Gergana has taught workshops in many countries: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Israel, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Brazil, Argentina and North America.
She graduated in Dance Pedagogy, Ethnochoreology, Choreography and Direction (Bulgaria), and Kinetography and Communicative Sciences (Germany) and has completed a Doctorate with “Summa cum laude” and awarded the prize “Dissertation 2004” from the Technical University of Dortmund (Germany) in the area of Cultural Philosophy. The title of her thesis is “Dance after Perestroika. The Communication between Eastern and Western Europe through the Bulgarian Folkdances.” Gergana qualified in Ethnochoreology and Communication in 2011 in Sofia.
She performed as a solo dancer and choreographer at the National Ensemble for Folksongs and Folkdances (Philip Koutev) in Sofia from 1988 to 1994, was a Choreographer for different Bulgarian and international Theater Projects, was a Senior Fellow and Associate Professor for Ethnochoreology at the Institute for Art Studies at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in Sofia, and has lectured at the Technical University of Dortmund, the Humboldt University, Berlin, the University in Zurich, the University of Music, Vienna, and the New Bulgarian University, Sofia.
Starting in 1994, she has conducted over 300 seminars and summer academies in folk dances in Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Holland, Israel, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, and the United States.
Gergana has published over 50 Articles and two books about dancing, nonverbal communication, ethnology, etcetera in Bulgarian, German, English, and Russian.
Read more…

Roberto Bagnoli
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…
Melanie Lawson Kareem
Ukulele playing and jamming
Returning to The Laguna Folk Dance Festival, Melanie Lawson Kareem, a folk dancer since childhood, shares her lifetime of enjoying music with others by teaching ukulele on Zoom, everyday. She is well-known in the folk dance world as “The Folk Dancer’s Ukulele Teacher” having taught at Stockton Camp since 2019.
Bands
Sans Frontières
Sans Frontières has a wide-ranging repertoire, tackling pieces that are widely danced, but not typically performed by IFD bands.  Their repertoire consists of relatively recent music that evolved from, and celebrates, ethnic heritage, but expresses that heritage in modern-day musical conventions – Music from anywhere in the world that’s popular for dance all around the world.  Read more…
Tzidia
Tzidia is a San Diego-based band made up of friends who previously performed together with the groups Trio Zheni, Eastern Exposure, and Dromia. Their name reflects these earlier associations. They play folk dance music primarily from the Balkans and surrounding areas, plus Scandinavia. Read more…
Hotel
Ayres Hotel within walking distance of festival. Phone (949) 588-0131 and ask for “Laguna Woods” discount. Available with the local operator only. (Do not use 800#).
Covid Policy
At this time we have no restrictions. People can decide their level of risk and wear a mask or not and/or take other measures as they deem appropriate to their particular situation. Please do not attend the Festival if you are feeling unwell. If you are feeling unwell, stay home and contact us for a refund.

More Details

International Folk Dance Party
2024-03-08 13:15 - 16:00 | Age Well Center at South Fremont, 47111 Mission Falls Ct., Fremont, CA, 94539, United States
Party Playlist Free International Folk Dance Party. No partner or experience needed. Come join us for easy and fun dances from around the world.
Wear yellow or green to help us celebrate the arrival of Spring!

Peninsula Folk Dance Party
2024-03-09 19:00 - 22:00 | St. Bede’s Church Hall, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA, United States
(Vecteesy.com) Calling all Hip Cats and Folk Dancers.
Join us on March 9 for a 50’s themed folk dance bash. Join the two ginchiest MCs on the planet, Alicia LaFetra and Ellie Wiener, as they spin your favorite folk dances from every decade.
Dressing up for this event is optional, but if you’re up for it, you can join us and be the bees knees, dressing up in whatever 50’s style suits you. Visit this webpage, or this link for ideas on dressing up.
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.
Requested donation of $10, but no one will be turned away due to money.
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.
Send your dance requests to pfdcparty@gmail.com along with any questions, comments, or suggestions.
DOWNLOAD and share a flier!
If you’d like to bring a snack to share, please make sure they are prepared for individual servings.

Global Folk Dance Party
2024-03-16 15:00 - 18:30 | Online, CA, United States
Connect Globally, Dance Locally. Follow folk dance leaders and dance watching enthusiasts worldwide.
Remember singing your ABCs? Well, now you can dance them! We’ll have our usual team of dance leaders and this month we’re also joined by guest leaders Mady Newfield and Catherine Rudin. Have any ideas? Send them along to us!
Please come at 2:30pm to listen to pre-show music presented by Murray Spiegel. Also join us for the after party hosted by Paul Collins and friends.
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.

Federation Board Meeting
2024-03-17 15:00 - 16:30 | Online, CA, United States
Join the Folk Dance Federation online for their board meeting. Various topics such as event planning, membership, publicity, insurance, and budget are discussed.
Sunday March 17, 3:00pm-4:30pm, online
Meeting ID: 893 5363 4541
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Join Online

San Antonio Folklife and Dance Festival 2024
2024-03-22 - 2024-03-24 | Our Lady of the Lake University, 411 SW 24th St., San Antonio, TX, 78207, United States
The San Antonio Folklife and Dance Festival (SAFDF) is a beloved tradition of international folk dance teaching, music, parties, and camaraderie! This year is its 66th year. SAFDF is an in-person event in the Multicultural Activities and Recreation Center (MARC) on the campus of the beautiful Our Lady of the Lake University.

For 2024

Dance teachers:

Andy Taylor-Blenis, teaching international dances and leading her famous dance stretches
Miroslav “Bata” Marčetić, teaching Serbian dances
Željko Jergan, teaching Croatian dances

Dance parties with live music by Shirley Johnson and Slavadillo
Free public folk-dance performances, ethnic craft vendors, and food vendors at Rolling Oaks Mall (March 23 and 24, noon to 5 pm)

Registration and Details

End of Quarter Party with Da! Mozhem
2024-03-28 19:30 - 22:15 | St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church, 18870 Allendale Avenue, Saratoga, California, 95070
Celebrate an end-of-quarter party with the Saratoga International Folk Dancers with live music by Da! Mozhem!
Warmup and dances for beginners between 7:30 and 8:15pm. Recorded music alternates and live music by Da! Mozhem. $8-10 plus tips for the band.
Party theme: Flower Power!
This is a large, friendly group; you won’t be disappointed! Drop in fee $8, seniors $6, and first visit free. More details…
Da! Mozhem at the San Francisco Free Folk Festival
Da! Mozhem
Da! Mozhem plays and sings high-energy pan-Balkan music for the joy of dancing. D!M is a group of friends who have been playing together for well over a decade. The group has veterans from many excellent folklore bands such as the People’s International Silver String Macedonian Band, Born to Drone, Westwind, Sviraci, and the Slavonian Traveling Band. The band plays with emphasis on Bulgarian, Macedonian, and ex-Yugoslav traditions. Several members frequently travel to the Balkans to learn more about the folkloric music of the region. The group plays on traditional instruments unique to the region as well as modern instruments.

NFO Conference 2024
2024-04-04 - 2024-04-09 | Greene Family Camp, 1192 Smith Lane, Bruceville, TX, 76630, United States
Annual NFO Meeting and Conference 2024
April 4 – 9, 2024 in Bruceville, Texas
Two great opportunities at the same time!
NFO Conference and Total Solar Eclipse Viewing
The upcoming conference will have everything you’ve come to expect from NFO – a broad array of fascinating workshops, presentations, arts, crafts, music, and dance; our annual membership meeting and elections; and a wonderful opportunity to network.
This year we will also have a special bonus, a total solar eclipse! Take advantage of this rare celestial event; the next total solar eclipses visible in the US won’t occur until 2044 or 2045.
Registration
Conference registration includes lodging for 5 nights, meals, and all NFO Conference activities. Fees range from $500 to $650 per person for the entire Conference, depending on your room assignment. The rooms at Greene Family Camp are described in detail below. For those living close by or who manage to find other nearby lodgings, there is a less expensive commuter rate; but be warned that due to the eclipse, many hotels are already booked and room rates are high!
For those who live nearby or have lined up their own accommodations and transportation in the area, we are offering a Commuter rate which covers meals and NFO Conference activities (not lodging): $325.
Details and Registration
Venue
Greene Family Camp, 1192 Smith Lane, Bruceville, Texas (same as TIFD’s Texas Camp location) is located in the eclipse’s longest zone of totality and has the best chance of good weather in the US (of course, eclipse viewing can not be guaranteed). GFC is basic but comfortable, with climate controlled lodging and event venues spread out over their 150 acre campus. All meals and NFO dance parties will be in the Chadar Ochel Dining Hall. Other events may take place in the Goldberg Performing Arts Center and at the lakeside Pavilion. For more information about lodging see the registration section below or the camp’s web page.
Travel
Plan your flights to the Austin (preferred) or Dallas airports. There is no public transportation from either airport to the Camp, and due to the eclipse, rental cars will be increasingly more expensive and hard to find. So if you plan to rent a car, you may want to do that now!When planning your transportation, note that the Conference runs from Thursday to Tuesday. The total solar eclipse occurs on Monday April 8, roughly 12 – 3 pm, and because of expected traffic and airline schedules, you will not be able to view the eclipse and get to the airport to catch a flight out later that day. Stick around at camp to join the post-eclipse fun, including various activities and a final Monday night dance party!
For ongoing updates in programming, schedule, and registration visit the NFO 2024 Conference Web Page.

Jaap Leegwater Bulgarian Dance Workshop
2024-04-09 17:00 - 19:40 | Cerritos Senior Center, 12340 South Street, Cerritos, CA, 90703, United States
Cerritos Folk Dancers (CFD) hosts a Bulgarian dance workshop, featuring Jaap Leegwater. Donation:$10.
Please DOWNLOAD, print, or share a flier.
Please don’t come if you have fever, coughing, or other Covid-19 related symptoms.
If you have signed the Cerritos waiver forms earlier, you don’t need to sign them again. Otherwise, you may DOWNLOAD them, read and sign, and bring them to the registration desk of the event. Alternatively, you may pick up the blank forms at the registration desk and sign the waivers over there.
Jaap Leegwater
Jaap Leegwater Jaap Leegwater started his dance career in his native country, The Netherlands, where he earned degrees in both education and international folk dance. Fascinated with the irregular Balkan rhyhms and drawn to the expressiveness of its movements, Jaap specialized in Bulgarian dance and choreography. In 1969, he was one of the first non-Bulgarians invited to study at the State Choreographer’s Schools in Sofia and Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Mr. Leegwater was first introduced to the American folkdance scene by the late Ciga Despotovic in 1980. He gratefully recognizes the support and inspiration received from Marianne and Michael Herman, Dennis Boxell and Yves Moreau in establishing himself in Northern America professionally.
For the past 30 years Mr. Leegwater has conducted workshops and dance seminars in various countries: The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Israël, England, United States, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. He is a regular instructor at many major dance camps and organizations including Maine Folk Dance Camp, Stockton Folk Dance Camp at the University of the Pacific, Mendocino Folklore Camp, the EEFC Balkan Music and Dance Camp, Kolo Festival, in San Francisco, Texas Folk Dance Camp, New Mexico August folk dance Camp, Santa Barbara Folk Dance Symposium, Montreal International Folk Dance Camp, Ontario Folk Dance Camp and the Bulgarian Festivals in Vancouver, B.C. Read more…

Workshop and Dance Party with Jaap Leegwater
2024-04-13 15:30 - 20:30 | St. Bede’s Church Hall, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA, United States
Jaap Leegwater will be teaching a Bulgarian Dance Workshop at 3:30 PM, with live music from Jaap on flute and Filip Filipov on accordion, followed by a dinner break and an International Folk Dance Party.
Dress comfortably; sneakers or low-heeled dance shoes recommended. Party snacks welcome.

Schedule

Time
Event
Cost

3:30 – 5:00pm
Dance Workshop with Jaap and Filip
$10

5:00 – 6:00pm
Dinner Break – please bring your own dinner; we will provide a few Bulgarian snacks to share

6:00 – 8:30pm
International Folk Dance Party – We’ll have dances for all levels, beginning to advanced, all countries, and all forms (line, couple, and set). We will of course include many of Jaap’s dances in the program and he and Filip will be there to dance with us and play for us! Emcee: Adony Beniares
$10

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.
Jaap Leegwater
Jaap Leegwater Jaap Leegwater started his dance career in his native country, The Netherlands, where he earned degrees in both education and international folk dance. Fascinated with the irregular Balkan rhyhms and drawn to the expressiveness of its movements, Jaap specialized in Bulgarian dance and choreography. In 1969, he was one of the first non-Bulgarians invited to study at the State Choreographer’s Schools in Sofia and Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Mr. Leegwater was first introduced to the American folkdance scene by the late Ciga Despotovic in 1980. He gratefully recognizes the support and inspiration received from Marianne and Michael Herman, Dennis Boxell and Yves Moreau in establishing himself in Northern America professionally.
For the past 30 years Mr. Leegwater has conducted workshops and dance seminars in various countries: The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Israël, England, United States, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. He is a regular instructor at many major dance camps and organizations including Maine Folk Dance Camp, Stockton Folk Dance Camp at the University of the Pacific, Mendocino Folklore Camp, the EEFC Balkan Music and Dance Camp, Kolo Festival, in San Francisco, Texas Folk Dance Camp, New Mexico August folk dance Camp, Santa Barbara Folk Dance Symposium, Montreal International Folk Dance Camp, Ontario Folk Dance Camp and the Bulgarian Festivals in Vancouver, B.C.

Filip Filipov
Filip Filipov Filip Filipov is a musician, born and raised in Varna, Bulgaria who plays the accordion, tupan, as well as keyboard. Filip has played numerous performances throughout the Bulgaria as well as at many international festivals in Finland, Russia, The Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, France, Norway, Denmark, the Azores, Brazil and so on. He has also played with many wedding bands such as Folklorni Ritmi (Folk Rhythms) where I worked side by side with the well-known folk singer Rouska Dobreva. During that period we had several appearances on national TV and recorded two CDs. Filip has played with many other bands and ensembles as a guest soloist. In 1994, he created his own band Chernomorec. Filip has a very large and diverse repertoire. Read more…
Please send your dance requests and questions to pfdcparty@gmail.com
DOWNLOAD, print, and share a flier.

Workshop with Jaap Leegwater
2024-04-15 19:00 - 21:00 | Hermann Sons Hall, 860 Western Avenue, Petaluma, CA, 94952, United States
Dance workshop with Jaap Leegwater hosted by Petaluma Folk Dancers. More details coming soon!
Jaap Leegwater
Jaap Leegwater Jaap Leegwater started his dance career in his native country, The Netherlands, where he earned degrees in both education and international folk dance. Fascinated with the irregular Balkan rhyhms and drawn to the expressiveness of its movements, Jaap specialized in Bulgarian dance and choreography. In 1969, he was one of the first non-Bulgarians invited to study at the State Choreographer’s Schools in Sofia and Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Mr. Leegwater was first introduced to the American folkdance scene by the late Ciga Despotovic in 1980. He gratefully recognizes the support and inspiration received from Marianne and Michael Herman, Dennis Boxell and Yves Moreau in establishing himself in Northern America professionally.
For the past 30 years Mr. Leegwater has conducted workshops and dance seminars in various countries: The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Israël, England, United States, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. He is a regular instructor at many major dance camps and organizations including Maine Folk Dance Camp, Stockton Folk Dance Camp at the University of the Pacific, Mendocino Folklore Camp, the EEFC Balkan Music and Dance Camp, Kolo Festival, in San Francisco, Texas Folk Dance Camp, New Mexico August folk dance Camp, Santa Barbara Folk Dance Symposium, Montreal International Folk Dance Camp, Ontario Folk Dance Camp and the Bulgarian Festivals in Vancouver, B.C.

Bulgarian Dance Workshop with Jaap Leegwater and Filip Fiipov
2024-04-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Monroe Hall, 1400 W. College Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA, 95401, United States
Join the Razzmatazz Folk Dancers for a very special Bulgarian dance workshop with Jaap Leegwater and Filip Filipov.
$10 for non-members of Razzmatazz Folk Dance Club.
Jaap Leegwater
Jaap Leegwater Jaap Leegwater started his dance career in his native country, The Netherlands, where he earned degrees in both education and international folk dance. Fascinated with the irregular Balkan rhyhms and drawn to the expressiveness of its movements, Jaap specialized in Bulgarian dance and choreography. In 1969, he was one of the first non-Bulgarians invited to study at the State Choreographer’s Schools in Sofia and Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Mr. Leegwater was first introduced to the American folkdance scene by the late Ciga Despotovic in 1980. He gratefully recognizes the support and inspiration received from Marianne and Michael Herman, Dennis Boxell and Yves Moreau in establishing himself in Northern America professionally.
For the past 30 years Mr. Leegwater has conducted workshops and dance seminars in various countries: The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Israël, England, United States, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. He is a regular instructor at many major dance camps and organizations including Maine Folk Dance Camp, Stockton Folk Dance Camp at the University of the Pacific, Mendocino Folklore Camp, the EEFC Balkan Music and Dance Camp, Kolo Festival, in San Francisco, Texas Folk Dance Camp, New Mexico August folk dance Camp, Santa Barbara Folk Dance Symposium, Montreal International Folk Dance Camp, Ontario Folk Dance Camp and the Bulgarian Festivals in Vancouver, B.C.
Filip Filipov
Jaap is traveling with master accordionist Filip Filipov who has worked with Bulgarian choreographer Belcho Stanev in Ensemble Varna.

Filip Filipov – Sedi Donka | Филип Филипов – Седи Донка

Bulgarian Music and Dance Workshops with Jaap and Filip
2024-04-18 17:30 | Chico Creek Dance Center, 1144 W. 1st Street, Chico, CA, 95928, United States
Join a music and/or dance workshop with legendary masters Jaap Leegwater and Filip Filipov hosted by Chico World Dancers! One may attend one or both workshops: music workshop 5:30-6:30pm and dance workshop from 6:30pm.
Jaap Leegwater
Jaap Leegwater Jaap Leegwater started his dance career in his native country, The Netherlands, where he earned degrees in both education and international folk dance. Fascinated with the irregular Balkan rhyhms and drawn to the expressiveness of its movements, Jaap specialized in Bulgarian dance and choreography. In 1969, he was one of the first non-Bulgarians invited to study at the State Choreographer’s Schools in Sofia and Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Mr. Leegwater was first introduced to the American folkdance scene by the late Ciga Despotovic in 1980. He gratefully recognizes the support and inspiration received from Marianne and Michael Herman, Dennis Boxell and Yves Moreau in establishing himself in Northern America professionally.
For the past 30 years Mr. Leegwater has conducted workshops and dance seminars in various countries: The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Israël, England, United States, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. He is a regular instructor at many major dance camps and organizations including Maine Folk Dance Camp, Stockton Folk Dance Camp at the University of the Pacific, Mendocino Folklore Camp, the EEFC Balkan Music and Dance Camp, Kolo Festival, in San Francisco, Texas Folk Dance Camp, New Mexico August folk dance Camp, Santa Barbara Folk Dance Symposium, Montreal International Folk Dance Camp, Ontario Folk Dance Camp and the Bulgarian Festivals in Vancouver, B.C.
Filip Filipov
Jaap is traveling with master accordionist Filip Filipov who has worked with Bulgarian choreographer Belcho Stanev in Ensemble Varna.

Filip Filipov – Sedi Donka | Филип Филипов – Седи Донка

Lyrids Folk Dance Festival 2024
2024-04-19 - 2024-04-21 | Peretz Center, 6184 Ash Street, Vancouver, British Columbia (BC), Canada
Save the date for the nineth Lyrids Folk Dance Festival 2024 featuring folk dances presented by Cristian Florescu & Sonia Dion (Romanian dances), and Tom Bozigian & Sheree King (Armenian dances). Zakuska from Seattle, WA will be the Saturday evening party band. Save the date!
Register
For more details e-mail info@lyridsfolkdancefestival.org

2024 Blossom Festival
2024-04-20 12:30 - 17:00 | City College of San Francisco, Wellness Center, 50 Frida Kahlo Way, San Francisco, CA, 94112, United States
The annual Blossom Festival includes a folk dance party, short dance workshops, and more. Free!
Dance activities will be held in the Wellness Center, 3rd Floor, Studio 301. Use of public transit is encouraged (BART Balboa Park Station or SF Muni). The first hour will feature Dancing for All Ages especially for new dancers and families.

Schedule

Time
Activity

12:30 – 1:30 PM
Dancing for All Ages

1:30 – 5:00 PM
General Dancing

COVID policy
Vaccinations and all boosters required. Masks strongly encouraged but not required.
Parking
Because of parking limitations, you may want to consider carpooling or public transportation. Parking on-campus $5. Campus parking information

Global Folk Dance Party
2024-04-20 15:00 - 18:30 | Online, CA, United States
Dance with Jaap Leegwater and Filip Filipov online and us on Saturday April 20! We’ll have our usual team of dance leaders and this month we’re also joined by guest leader Sherry Cochran. Have any ideas? Send them along to us! The playlist is still being compiled so email your dance requests or questions to virtualfolkdance@gmail.com.
Please come at 2:30pm to listen to pre-show music presented by Murray Spiegel. And the afterparty this month is being hosted by Lyrids Folk Dance Camp and you won’t even have to log into a different Zoom to attend – just stay right where are for the GFD Party!
Connect Globally, Dance Locally. Follow folk dance leaders and dance watching enthusiasts worldwide.
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.
