Folk Dance Federation of California

Global Folk Dance Party
2022-12-17 15:00 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online, CA, United States
This month’s Global Folk Dance Party theme is “Decorate for December”. We’re celebrating all the December holidays; show us your holiday spirit by decorating your dance space! Afterwards, join us for the after-party hosted by Paul Collins and friends — we’ll post the link for the after party during the GFDParty.
Join The Party
By Zoom
Register by Zoom
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 and requests e-mail us at virtualfolkdance@gmail.com. Alicia La Fetra, Lisa Michael, and Stacy Rose will be happy to help.

Cafe Shalom Dance Party
2022-12-10 19:30 - 23:30, 2022-11-12 19:30 - 23:30, 2022-10-08 19:30 - 23:30, 2022-09-10 19:30 - 23:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | 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 second 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…

Palomanians Pie Party
2022-12-10 19:00 - 22:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | 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.
Nothing to bring, all pies will be supplied by a group of the Palomanians. Dances range from beginning to advanced, and all forms (line, couple, and set). Denise Heenan will be our MC.
Email your requests to pfdcparty@gmail.com
Proof of up to date vaccinations are required. If you’ve been to our parties in the past, we’ve marked you as vaccinated. If this is your first party, please bring proof of vaccination or email us proof at pfdcparty@gmail.com. Per county guidelines, masks are not required but recommended.
Download and share a flier.

Texas Camp - Kolo Festival 2022
2022-11-24 - 2022-11-27 | Croatian Cultural Center, 60 Onondaga Ave., San Francisco, CA, 94708, United States
On-site in California & Texas with globally inclusive Zoom sessions
Thanksgiving Weekend, November 24-27, 2022

As always, there will be live music from: Albania, America, Armenia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Macedonia, Norway, Romani, Romania, Serbia, South Africa, Sweden and Turkey! Jam session charts available all year round! Bulgarian/Macedonian Jam & Sing-along — for all instruments!
On Site Registration
Kolo Festival

2022 will be the 71st annual Kolo Festival! For the health and safety of attendees, the number of on-site participants will be limited. Register early to reserve your spot! Covid safety protocols.
Dance Instructors

Sonia Dion & Cristian Florescu – Romanian Dances
Michael Ginsburg – Bulgarian-Macedonian Dances

More details on instructors…
Kolo Festival On Site Registration
For details visit http://kolofestival.org
Do you love Kolo Festival and wish to see it survive and flourish? We need your help to continue to produce this stellar music and dance program. Whether or not you can attend this year, please consider making a monetary gift.
This year your donation will have twice the impact. An anonymous donor has generously offered to match all donations, up to a total of $10,000, made directly to Kolo Festival. This offer expires November 30th.
Thank you for your consideration!
The California Kolo Festival Board

of
Texas Camp
Texas Camp is held at Greene Family Camp, 1192 Smith Lane in Bruceville, Texas, just south of Waco. The closest major airports are in Austin (AUS) and Dallas (DFW). Proof of vaccination must be submitted prior to camp. Covid safety protocols.
Dance Instructors

Ahmet Lüleci – Turkish Dances
Roo Lester & Larry Harding – Swedish Dances

and special guests Yves Moreau and France Bourque Moreau. Bruce Sagan as guest musician.
Texas Camp On Site Registration
For details visit https://tifd.org/2022-about-texas-camp/

Federation Board Meeting
2022-11-20 15:00 - 16:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online, CA, United States
Join the Folk Dance Federation Board online as they meet for their November 2022 planning meeting. Various topics such as event planning, membership, publicity, insurance, and budget are discussed. Get to see Federation meetings behind the scenes!
Sunday November 20, 3pm-4:30pm, online
Meeting ID: 813 8859 5294
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Join Online

Global Folk Dance Party
2022-11-19 15:00 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online, CA, United States
This month the Global Folk Dance Party features the dances of Dennis Boxell, Dick Crum, and Anatol Joukowsky.
Join our normal team, as well as Franklin Houston, Mady Newfield, and Sherry Cochran, as we feature dances from these master teachers. Also, as a special bonus, Yves Moreau is recording intros about each of these magnificent teachers that we’ll play throughout the party.
The party playlist may be found at https://bit.ly/vfdlist .
After us, the party continues with Paul Collins and Friends. That link will be posted during our party.
Next month’s Global Party will be Saturday, December 17, 2022 and every third Saturday after that.
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, ideas, and requests e-mail us at virtualfolkdance@gmail.com.

Advanced Class Fun Night
2022-11-18 19:30 - 21:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Live Oak Recreation Center, 1301 Shattuck Avenue (at Berryman), Berkeley, CA, 94709 , United States
All classes are welcome. More details coming…

Live Music Dance Party with Da! Mozhem
2022-11-11 19:30 - 21:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Live Oak Recreation Center, 1301 Shattuck Avenue (at Berryman), Berkeley, CA, 94709 , United States
Dance to your favorite international tunes with Da! Mozhem and Berkeley Folk Dancers!
Be sure to bring tips for the band,
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.

Fall Camp 2022
2022-11-11 - 2022-11-13 | Brandeis-Bardin Campus, 1101 Peppertree Lane, Brandeis, CA, 93064, United States
Fall Camp promises to be another vibrant, fun-filled weekend. Once again, camp will be on the Brandeis-Bardin Campus near Simi Valley (40 miles northwest of downtown LA), with a delightful combination of creature comforts (such as motel-style rooms) and a beautiful rural setting.
Fall Camp 2022 will feature master teachers Steve Kotansky and Roberto Bagnoli. In addition to their regular teaching of great new dances, each will teach additional sessions of fun but less challenging dances. This will appeal both to people who want to learn as much as possible from them and to those who are may be interested in other camp activities and want some light teaching sessions.
For the first time, one of Fall Camp’s dance rooms will be air conditioned and have a wood floor. Camp will offer many attractions, including dance parties, happy hours, the opportunity to participate in Terry’s “potluck band,” craft projects (including decorating T-shirts with Sandy), morning stretches with Mady, morning nature walks with Jan, star gazing with Marc, and more.
In the interest of the well-being of all campers (and others), all participants must provide proof of full vaccination and boosts. (The staff at Brandeis-Bardin will be fully vaccinated and boosted as well.) Other health measures (including the likely need for masks) are described here. If the pandemic forces camp to be canceled, you will receive a full refund.
It isn’t hype to say camp may fill up quite soon. Space at camp is more limited this year than in previous years, and we expect to sell out.
— read more at fallcamp.org or send an e-mail to Dance@FallCamp.org.
Registration and details…

Festivals of Light
2022-11-05 15:30 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Del Oro High School Theater, 3301 Taylor Road, Loomis, CA, 95677, United States
Last year I started a non-profit called International Dance Arts Collective. We have many cultures represented in this folk dance performance with both adults and children performing. Cristian Floresci and Sonia Dion came during the summer and choreographed our Romania suite. Please join us. It’s going to be a wonderful show.
Alexandra Shadle
Director, International Dance Arts Collective
Two shows: 3:30pm and 6:30pm
Purchase tickets

Al Lisin Remembrance and Dance
2022-10-29 15:30 - 19:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | St. Bede’s Church Hall, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA, United States
Circle your calendar for Saturday, October 29, from 3:30pm to 7:00pm. We will be holding an Al Lisin party at St. Bede’s; a mixture of memories of Al and his and Pat’s favorite dances. Come join Al’s folk dance and non-folk dance friends as we remember one of our great friends. This event will be free of charge and sponsored by the Lisin Family, the Peninsula Folk Dance Council, and The Palomanians.

Folk Dance Performance with Ensemble International

Al & Pat with Ensemble International

Al & Pat with Ensemble International

Al and Pat in the ’70s

Al & Pat & Denise

Al and Pat dedicating the Lisen Family Grove along the Skyline to Sea trail

Al & Pat hikinig with daughter Cheryl and husband Steve

Tentative Schedule
3:15 pm – Doors Open – Welcome and chatting
3:30 pm – Remembrances, videos and pictures
5:00 pm – Dance party set-up
5:15 pm – Dance party MC’d by Denise Heenan
7:00 pm – Closing
Al Lisen 1932 – 2022
Al Lisen 1932 – 2022
Alexander Vladimir Lisin passed away peacefully on the night of April 4, 2022. He will be remembered by his friends and family for his smart and kind demeanor, and his many joys in life – his wife Pat, their folk dancing endeavors, his running and hiking activities, his education and engineering career, and his love of people and the outdoors.
Born in 1932 in the Russian community of Harbin, China, his family immigrated to San Francisco in 1936. Al is survived by his four children and five grandchildren, his cousin and her three children and five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Patricia.
One friend commented, “He was the real deal…always one to ‘do the right thing’ and think beyond himself when it came to people and the planet.”
Read more…
As a reminder, vaccinated dancers only. If you’ve been to our parties in the past, we’ve marked you as vaccinated. If this is your first party, please bring proof of vaccination. Per county guidelines, masks are not required but recommended.
For more details contact Adony & Becky

Combined Members' Trial Dance Selection Meeting and Halloween Party
2022-10-28 19:45 - 21:45 (America/Los_Angeles) | Live Oak Recreation Center, 1301 Shattuck Avenue (at Berryman), Berkeley, CA, 94709 , United States
More details coming…

Camp Nirkoda Ba'Kerem 2022
2022-10-27 - 2022-10-30 | Wonder Valley Ranch and Resort, 6450 Elwood Rd, Sanger, CA, United States
Israeli dance camp and wine tasting adventure
With phenomenal teachers Michael Barzelai and Yaron Elfasy from Israel.
Set in the lush landscape of a private ranch, Nirkoda Ba’Kerem is all about community. Come join your friends — some you’ve known for years, and some you’ve yet to meet — for a fun-filled weekend of nonstop Israeli dancing located at the beautiful Wonder Valley. We’ll enjoy the benefits of California’s famous vineyards by incorporating a wine tasting adventure during the camp! Excellent wine and fantastic Israeli Dancing—what could be better?! Don’t miss it!
Featuring

Friendly atmosphere that focuses on connection and community
Learn new dances, attend specialty sessions, dance ’til morning!
One-of-a-kind wine tasting curated by our camp sommelier
Gourmet food, with special attention to your dietary needs
Relaxing setting with beautiful accommodations at various tiers to meet your comfort and cost preferences

Food
The prices include all meals (Thursday dinner to Sunday breakfast) and snacks. Meals are kosher-style (no pork, no mixed meat / milk, no shellfish). The camp can accommodate most dietary requirements (vegetarian, vegan, lactose-free). For those requiring certified kosher meals, that can be arranged for a surcharge. Ask the registration team about kosher menus and pricing.
Events
Access to all Israeli dance and other camp activities (games, Shabbat services, etc.) is included.
Accommodations
We also include linens, daily towel exchange, and hotel-like amenities (soap, shampoo). For those in the hotels, there is also a Keurig and mini-fridge.
Wine Tasting
All levels include our signature wine tasting experience. Camp Nirkoda Ba’Kerem’s wine experts have chosen several local vintages for you to sample as our sommelier helps you to identify the subtle flavors of each wine. For those participants who do not drink, we will have a simultaneous fancy non-alcoholic beverage tasting. All dancers have the opportunity to evaluate their favorites and to enjoy the hors d’oeuvres selected for their harmonious pairing with the wines.
Meet the Staff
Yaron Carmel is one of the best-regarded teachers in the Israeli folk dance world! He started dancing at the age of 8, and hasn’t stopped since then. He performed with Dado Kraus’s troupe and danced at sessions led by Meir Shem-Tov, Shuki Terem, and Beber Shushan. Just after completing his military service, he opened his first harkada in 1995 in Karmiel, followed by Mayaan Tzvi and Misgav. Today, he runs five weekly sessions, marthons, special events, and an annual trip to Masada, as well as having been a guest teacher at camps all over the world for more than 20 years!
Chen Blum brings unparalleled energy and impeccable style to the dance floor. Born in Israel, he began folk dancing at age 7, and he danced with Dado Kraus, Shlomo Maman, Yonaton Karmon, and others, but he soon entered the world of professional dance. After high school, he studied with the Contemporary Ballet of Caracas, Venezuela, subsequently performing with the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company and in professional productions, such as the Cameri Theather’s The Producers. Today, he lives in Santiago, where he directs the local folk dance department and Camp Chile Rokedet. He is the choreographer of Ivdu Et Hashem Besimcha, Kol Paamonim, and more.
Latishya Steele returns as our Mistress of the Computer, our Granter of Requests, our Voice Upon the Microphone — in other words, our incomparable DJ. She will keep you on your feet all night long — and well into the morning! Latishya started her dancing career in Boston and Chicago, and she is now one of the Bay Area’s favorite teachers and programmers, with an incredibly deep repertoire and a talent for keeping the party going.
Aaron Alpert is your camp director and host for the weekend. His main job is to ensure that you’re having an awesome time! He’s been teaching, running sessions, and organizing workshops in the Bay Area for 12 years. Along with Latishya, he runs Nirkoda Le’Chayim every Thursday in Palo Alto. Let him know if there’s anything that can make your camp experience better.
Accommodations
Dorm, Basic Hotel, and Deluxe Hotel levels available. To receive the early bird price, you must be paid in full by August 28, 2022. Read more…
Registration
Register
All participants must provide proof of Covid-19 vaccination in order to attend. All dancers will be required to test prior to arrival at camp, either with a PCR test no more than 72 hours before arrival, or a rapid antigen test no more than 24 hours before arrival. You may provide a lab report or photo of your rapid antigen test upon arrival. Read more…
Contact registration@nirkoda.com for answers to any questions.

Officers Ball 2022
2022-10-22 13:00 - 22:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | 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! This year’s theme is “Life is a Masquerade!”
Schedule

Price
Time (pm)
Event

1:00
Doors open

$25
1:30-5:30
Dance workshops

$15
5:30-7:00
On-site dinner with the always popular sing-along with Bill Cope (for those registered by October 18)

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

Workshop
The afternoon workshop will again feature new and classic folk dances taught by local teachers including Yvonne Couvillion, Julie East, Carol Friedman, Ori Gold, Carol Friedman, Andy Partos, Alan Rothchild, Rebecca Tsai, and Lenore Watson. Read the flier for the dances they will be teaching.
Registration
Officers Ball 2022 Mail-in Registration Register by Tuesday October 18, 2022 to obtain the special all event package pricing (workshop, on-site dinner, and evening party) of $50 and save $15. On-site dinner registration is not available after October 18. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination required.
Thank you for attending!

Global Folk Dance Party
2022-10-15 15:00 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online, CA, United States
Come to our Global Folk Dance Party on Saturday October 15. Afterwards join us for the after party hosted by Paul Collins and friends. This month’s Global Folk Dance Party is a Pre-Texa-Kolo party, getting ready for in-person Texas Camp and Kolo Festival. We look forward to dancing with you on Saturday October 15 from 3:00pm to 6:30pm Pacific Time.
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 and 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
2022-10-14 20:00 - 22:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Strawberry Recreation Center, 118 E. Strawberry Drive, Mill Valley, CA, 94941, United States
Dance to your favorite international tunes with Da! Mozhem and Kopachka Folk Dancers.
$15 general admittance, students free. Doors open at 7:30pm.
Covid protocols: proof of vaccination, masks required (K95 or KN95 preferred).
Be sure to bring tips for the band.
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.

Bianca De Jong Workshop
2022-10-10 19:30 - 21:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Live Oak Recreation Center, 1301 Shattuck Avenue (at Berryman), Berkeley, CA, 94709 , United States
Visiting from the Netherlands, master dance instructor Bianca de Jong will teach international dances from her extensive repertoire. Don’t miss this rare opportunity!
Masks and proof of Covid-19 vaccination+booster(s) required.

Biana de Jong
Bianca De Jong Based in the Netherlands, Bianca has choreographed and taught many of the dances we love and also taught by other Master Teachers. Among her many dances are Tu Romnie, Devetorka na baba, Askin Cesi Mi, Ashun daje Mori and Gatij ëd gòj.
Bianca de Jong has been teaching folk dance since 1977. In 1981 she qualified as a folk dance teacher, officially recognized by the Ministry of Culture in the Netherlands. From 1978 on Bianca studies Bulgarian folklore and travels to Bulgaria. She visits amateur and professional ensembles, researchers, and (village) dancers. From 1983-1990, she visited Turkey regularly to study folklore. From 1981-1995, Bianca has organized folklore tours to Bulgaria and once to Turkey.
Bianca is actively involved in training folk dance teachers. Teaching folk dance is a great passion of hers and she considers the teaching as an art and craft in itself that brings a lot of fun! Her basic philosophy in teaching is that it should be done in such a way that you can describe it as “learning by dancing”. Read more…
Register online or at the door
Register
E-mail Tom Sha for more details…

Bianca De Jong Workshop and Party
2022-10-09 16:00 - 21:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | St. Bede’s Church Hall, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA, United States
Join the Peninsula Folk Dance Council for an afternoon dance workshop with master instructor Bianca De Jong, dinner, and evening dance party. Bianca de Jong is visiting us from The Netherlands.
Price is $10 for the workshop and $10 for the party, appetizers and refreshments included in the price. If you are having money issues, please don’t that let you not attend, ping Adony or one of the officers separately and we’ll help you out.
Schedule

Price
Time (pm)
Event

$10
4:00-5:30
Bianca de Jong Workshop

5:30-6:15
Dinner break – We’ll have some pizzas and appetizers, but feel free to bring your own or something to share.

$10
6:15-9:30
Dance party with Bianca, MCd by Clem Dickey and Alicia LaFetra.

Biana de Jong
Bianca De Jong Based in the Netherlands, Bianca has choreographed and taught many of the dances we love and also taught by other Master Teachers. Among her many dances are Tu Romnie, Devetorka na baba, Askin Cesi Mi, Ashun daje Mori and Gatij ëd gòj.
Bianca de Jong has been teaching folk dance since 1977. In 1981 she qualified as a folk dance teacher, officially recognized by the Ministry of Culture in the Netherlands. From 1978 on Bianca studies Bulgarian folklore and travels to Bulgaria. She visits amateur and professional ensembles, researchers, and (village) dancers. From 1983-1990, she visited Turkey regularly to study folklore. From 1981-1995, Bianca has organized folklore tours to Bulgaria and once to Turkey.
Bianca is actively involved in training folk dance teachers. Teaching folk dance is a great passion of hers and she considers the teaching as an art and craft in itself that brings a lot of fun! Her basic philosophy in teaching is that it should be done in such a way that you can describe it as “learning by dancing”. Read more…
As a reminder, vaccinated dancers only. If you’ve been to our parties in the past, we’ve marked you as vaccinated. If this is your first party, please bring proof of vaccination or email us proof at pfdcparty@gmail.com. Per county guidelines, masks are not required but recommended.
Send your requests to pfdcparty@gmail.com and Alicia and Clem will use them in putting the program together.

San Antonio Folk Dance Festival
2022-10-07 19:00 - 2022-10-09 19:00 (America/New_York) | Online, CA, United States
The San Antonio Folk Dance Festival (SAFDF) celebrates dancing, music, costumes, and friendship of cultures from all over the world. Come celebrate with us for a wonderful, special weekend of international folk dancing and culture! Join SAFDF online for a special three-day virtual festival!
Instructors
The San Antonio Folk Dance Festival features world-renowned master teachers and choreographers:

Fusae Carroll (teaching the Macedonian dances of Atanas Kolarovski)
Shmulik Gov-Ari (teaching Israeli dances)
Iliana Bozhanova (teaching Bulgarian dances) and musical accompaniment from accordionist Todor Yankov
Zeljko Jergan (teaching Croatian dances)

and culture corners with well-known folk dance luminaries:

Bob Leibman, presenting his travels to eastern Macedonia and showing video footage of village dances
John Morovich, discussing the Ladarke, a Croatian song cycle written by Emil Cossetto in 1950
Marvin Moehle, leading a special teaching tutorial about Balkan women’s scarves and jewelry
Shmulik Gov-Ari, discussing the influence of the Yemenite step on Israeli dancing

Details on Instructors
Schedule
View Full Schedule
Register
Join by Zoom

Dance Workshop with Bianca De Jong
2022-10-06 19:30 - 22:15 (America/Los_Angeles) | St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church, 18870 Allendale Avenue, Saratoga, California, 95070
Saratoga International Folk Dancers hosts a folk dance workshop with master instructor Bianca De Jong.
For more details e-mail loui@louitucker.com.

Biana de Jong
Bianca De Jong Based in the Netherlands, Bianca has choreographed and taught many of the dances we love and also taught by other Master Teachers. Among her many dances are Tu Romnie, Devetorka na baba, Askin Cesi Mi, Ashun daje Mori and Gatij ëd gòj.
Bianca de Jong has been teaching folk dance since 1977. In 1981 she qualified as a folk dance teacher, officially recognized by the Ministry of Culture in the Netherlands. From 1978 on Bianca studies Bulgarian folklore and travels to Bulgaria. She visits amateur and professional ensembles, researchers, and (village) dancers. From 1983-1990, she visited Turkey regularly to study folklore. From 1981-1995, Bianca has organized folklore tours to Bulgaria and once to Turkey.
Bianca is actively involved in training folk dance teachers. Teaching folk dance is a great passion of hers and she considers the teaching as an art and craft in itself that brings a lot of fun! Her basic philosophy in teaching is that it should be done in such a way that you can describe it as “learning by dancing”. Read more…

Inaugural Ball
2022-10-01 19:30 - 22:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Live Oak Recreation Center, 1301 Shattuck Avenue (at Berryman), Berkeley, CA, 94709 , United States
Coming this Saturday, October 1, is the Inaugural Ball, BFD’s first one in three years, where we’ll welcome our new and returning officers. These are the people who are providing layers of structure and support that keep the Berkeley Folk Dance club running. The program is ready to view.
Decorations are being collected and made as we speak. So, get your tropical finery out (our theme is Pacific Island Dreams), bring a small snack to share if you are so inclined, and please buy your tickets online ahead of time (although you can get them at the door as well). We’ll have your name tag ready at the door. See you on the dance floor!
Masks and proof of vaccination+booster(s) required.
Purchase tickets

Dance Party with Da! Mozhem
2022-09-30 19:00 - 21:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Miraloma Park Clubhouse, 350 O’Shaughnessey Boulevard (at Del Vale Avenue), San Francisco, CA, 94127, United States
Dance to your favorite international tunes with Da! Mozhem and Changs.
Chang’s is the oldest (soon to be celebrating 85 years!) folk dance group in the US. One reason is that they really know how to have a wonderful time, and share their love of dance with people of all ages and experience.
Covid protocols: proof of vaccination at the door, masks required
Be sure to bring tips for the band.
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.

Federation Board Meeting
2022-09-18 15:00 - 16:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online, CA, United States
Join the Folk Dance Federation Board online as they meet for their September 2022 planning meeting. Various topics such as event planning, membership, publicity, insurance, and budget are discussed. Get to see Federation meetings behind the scenes!
Sunday September 18, 3pm-4:30pm, online
Meeting ID: 813 8859 5294
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Join Online

Global Folk Dance Party
2022-09-17 15:00 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online, CA, United States
This month’s Global Folk Dance Party is a Pre-World Camp party and Ahmet Luleci, Fusae Carroll, Rikki Nicolae and others will lead dances. We look forward to dancing with you on Saturday September 17 from 3:00pm to 6:30pm Pacific Time.
Afterwards join us for the after party hosted by Paul Collins and friends.
You may register for World Camp at this link.
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/
If you have any dance requests, please send them to virtualfolkdance@gmail.com, along with any questions you might have. Alicia La Fetra, Lisa Michael, and Stacy Rose will be happy to help.

International Folk Dance in Person Party
2022-09-11 15:00 - 17:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Redwood City Women’s Club, 149 Clinton Street, Redwood City, CA, 94062, United States
Join the Peninsula Council Folk Dancers for an all-request dance party! We’ve missed dancing with you!
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 recommended, but not required. 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.
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.

West Coast BalkanFest
2022-09-10 12:00 - 23:00, 2022-09-09 18:00 - 23:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Presidio Theatre Plaza, 99 Moraga Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94112, United States
Come celebrate Balkan music and dance with us at our weekend festival—in person! Our West Coast BalkanFest will be held in the picturesque Presidio of San Francisco. Jump into the joy with a live-music dance party on Friday night and then come back for classes and more dance parties on Saturday with world-class instructors and performers. People of all ages and experience levels are welcome!
Daily Schedule
Please note the schedule and bands are subject to change, even at the very last minute. The below is an outline of activities. A full, detailed schedule will be published soon.
Friday, September 9
Doors open at 6:00 p.m.
The evening activities start at 6:30 p.m. with a dance workshop to get your feet moving
Dance party outside on the Plaza to live bands until 11:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 6
Doors open at 12:00 noon
Music and singing classes, dance walkthroughs by expert teachers, multiple bands for listening and dancing to all day long
BalkanFest activities continue until 11:00 p.m.
Covid protocols: We are asking ALL participants to present evidence of current Covid vaccinations and boosters (see the registration form for details), and we will require masking in all indoor spaces.
Registration and details…
