Folk Dance Federation of California

Bay Area Dance Week FREE Dance Session with Saratoga International Folk Dancers
2026-04-30 19:30 - 22:15 (America/Los_Angeles) | St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church, 18870 Allendale Avenue, Saratoga, California, 95070
The Saratoga International Folk Dancers are participating in Bay Area Dance Week by sponsoring a FREE evening of dance. There will be lots of fun, easy-to-follow dances for all ages. You’ll dance to music from all over the world – from Japan to Bulgaria, from Brazil to Serbia, from Poland to Turkey. This is a large, friendly group; you won’t be disappointed! More details…
Put on your tennis shoes or low-heeled dance shoes, and wear layered clothing because you’ll probably get warm from all the dancing.
Register Now!
Bay Area Dance Week is a 10-day celebration of bodies in motion, when our dynamic and diverse dance community opens their doors to the public to experience classes, performances and so much more, for free. Learn more about the Festival

BIFD Annual Workshop with Tineke & Maurits Van Geel
2026-04-24 19:30 - 2026-04-26 13:00 (America/Denver) | The Avalon, 6185 Arapahoe Rd., Boulder, CO, 80303, United States
The 2026 Boulder International Folk Dancers (BIFD) Annual Workshop includes featured master dance instructors Tineke and Maurits van Geel.
Schedule
Friday, April 24: Evening teaching session starting at 7:30 PM.
Saturday, April 25: Morning and afternoon teaching sessions, followed by an evening dance party.
Sunday, April 26: Morning review session of all taught dances, concluding around 1:00 PM.
Registration
Workshop costs
BIFD Members – $17/Workshop Session
Non-Members – $20/Workshop Session
Students with valid ID – Half price
Dancers over 90 – FREE

Saturday evening Dance Party is FREE for those attending all workshop sessions; $10 for all others.
Register
Maurits van Geel
Maurits Van Geel Maurits holds a degree in Arts and Crafts and Art History. He graduated as a folk dance teacher in 1977 and received his degree at Dance Academy level from the Ministry of Culture in 1986. He taught at folk dance clubs in Amsterdam and worked as a dance consultant for the City Council 1986-1988, initiating dance projects in schools in combination with setting up dance projects and festivals. Also in the 1980s, he specialized in Appalachian Clogging, worked as guest teacher in Belgium, The Netherlands, and Germany, and was invited to be a guest teacher at the Rotterdam Dance Academy.
He was employed by Het Internationaal Danstheater, a professional dance company in Amsterdam, first as choreographer and later as artistic director for 23 years (1988-2011). During his career, he produced over 47 theatre programs in the field of world dance for this company. Part of this job involved several months of dance research each year in order to prepare for these programs. His travels have included India, Pakistan, Turkey, Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Cherkassy, among many other countries. His archive consists of almost 900 DVDs, with research material from all over the world, most of it recorded by himself. He has also choreographed folk dances, among them Syrtos Kitrinou. Read more…

Tineke van Geel
Tineke Van Geel Tineke specializes in the teaching and choreography of Armenian dance and conducts workshops for students at various levels, from beginner to professional.
Her main focus is to break down complicated steps and movements to basic elements and slowly rebuild them into the original dance form. This skill is part of her worldwide success and is combined with a vast knowledge of Armenian dance and culture. She also discusses the history and background of each dance she teaches. She has taught folk dance workshops in Austria, Australia, Canada, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States. In addition to Armenian dance, Tineke has taught international and Dutch dances.
She started folk dancing in 1975. In 1977, Tineke received her degree in the Netherlands as folk dance instructor.
Since 1985, Tineke has spent much time in Armenia, regularly studying at the Pedagogic Institute and Choreographic School in Yerevan. She has danced with the village folk as well as learned alongside the performers. A part of each of her research trips to Armenia has been devoted to working with several amateur dance groups. She also has done extensive research on Armenian costumes. So far, two of her trips to Armenia have been sponsored by the Dutch government. Moreover, she has done research in the Armenian communities in the United States. Read more…

Romanian Dance Workshop with Cristian Florescu and Sonia Dion
2026-04-24 19:30 - 21:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Live Oak Recreation Center, 1301 Shattuck Avenue (at Berryman), Berkeley, CA, 94709 , United States
Berkeley Folk Dancers welcomes you to a Romanian dance workshop with master instructors Sonia Dion and Cristian Florescu on April 24. Doors open at 7 pm.
Experience the beauty of Romanian folk dance! Cristian and Sonia, will lead an evening Romanian folk dance workshop at Live Oak Park, Berkeley. Dancers of all levels are welcome. No partner required.
Register Now!
Sponsored by the Berkeley Folk Dancers. Contact Tom Sha for more details.
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…

Family Fun and Dancing
2026-04-24 19:00 - 22:00, 2026-03-20 19:00 - 22:00, 2026-02-27 19:00 - 22:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | 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!

Bay Area Dance Week 2026
2026-04-24 - 2026-05-03 | San Francisco Bay Area, CA, United States
Save the date! Bay Area Dance Week is 10 days of free dance events celebrating our dynamic and diverse Bay Area dance community. Watch inspiring artists, practice your own style, or discover a new groove. Participating each year is easy and everything is free.
Event hosts around the Bay Area can submit free events to take place during Dance Week, ranging from classes, performances, open studios, workshops, and more.
Participants can explore the Bay Area Dance Week Hub to sign up for free events and customize their own Dance Week experience. Become a free community member to receive updates on Bay Area Dance Week and stay in the know about dance jobs, auditions, performances, discounts, and more.
Whether hip hop, hula, salsa, aerial, folk, modern, Bollywood, ballet, West African, or many more – Join together in dance, regardless of cultural background, race, faith, size, shape, sexuality, gender, or ability or age.

Workshop with Cristian Florescu and Sonia Dion
2026-04-23 19:30 - 22:15 (America/Los_Angeles) | St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church, 18870 Allendale Avenue, Saratoga, California, 95070
Saratoga International Folk Dancers is delighted to host a international dance workshop with Cristian Florescu and Sonia Dion, master instructors of Romanian dances.
This is a large, friendly group; you won’t be disappointed! More details…
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…

Romanian Dance Workshop with Sonia and Cristian
2026-04-21 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Monroe Hall, 1400 W. College Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA, 95401, United States
Join the Razzmatazz Folk Dancers for a very special Romanian dance workshop with master dance instructors Sonia and Cristian.
$10 for non-members of Razzmatazz Folk Dance Club.
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…

Cafe Shalom Dance Party
2026-04-18 19:30 - 23:30, 2026-03-21 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 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…

Global Folk Dance Party
2026-04-18 15:00 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online, CA, United States
We’re heading into summer – almost time for June camp. This month we bring you Pre-June camp – and a combination announcement and playlist. This month our GFDParty team will be joined by Catherine Rudin and Nina Lusterman, and also first time guest teachers Alene and Charles Boyar. The amazing Tom Pixton will be playing live music for us, as well. Thanks to our tech team for making these amazing parties possible. Please tune in at 2:30pm PST for some pre-show fun! As always, thank you to Andrew Carnie for the great website Folk Dance Musings, and the thousands of people who post videos on YouTube. And thanks to all of you for your support of folk dancing – both in-person and online. You all make the world a happier place. Hope to see you on the dance floor on Saturday April 18!
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!
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 or to send requests e-mail us at virtualfolkdance@gmail.com. Alicia La Fetra, Lisa Michael, and Stacy Rose will be happy to help.

Lyrids Folk Dance Festival 2026
2026-04-17 - 2026-04-19 | Pitt Meadows Heritage Hall, 12460 Harris Road, Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, V3Y 2J5, Canada
The twelfth and final Lyrids Folk Dance Festival will take place April 17-19, 2026 at Pitt Meadows Heritage Hall an hour drive east of Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Our guest artists will be Tineke and Maurits van Geel presenting Armenian, Roma, and other International dances.
Zakuska from Seattle, WA will be the Saturday evening party band.
Register
Zoom Registration
For more details e-mail info@lyridsfolkdancefestival.org
Donations Gratefully Accepted
Please support the Festival and the Presenters. Drop into our Saturday party and we’ll tell you how to purchase the music and video packages from the Presenters.
Featured Guests
Tineke van Geel
Tineke Van Geel
In 1977 Tineke van Geel received her degree as folk dance instructor. She specializes in Armenian dance and works as a choreographer. Tineke conducts workshops for students at various levels, beginners to professional, and has taught classes in international folk dance, Dutch and Armenian dances in many countries around the world. Her main focus is to break down complicated steps and movements to basic elements and slowly ‘rebuilding’ them to the original dance form. This skill is part of her worldwide success and is combined with a vast knowledge of Armenian dance and culture.
Since 1985 she has regularly visited Armenia to study folklore at the Pedagogic Institute and Choreographic School in Yerevan. A part of each research trip was devoted to working with several amateur groups in Armenia and doing research on costumes. Two of those research trips were sponsored by the Dutch government. On several occasions Tineke visited the USA to observe the dances performed by the Armenian communities there. Read more…
Maurits van Geel
Maurits Van Geel
Maurits was artistic director of the professional Dutch dance performance group The Internationaal Danstheater for 24 years. During this interval, the group performed 47 different evening shows. Part of this job involved several months of dance research each year in order to prepare for these programs.
Maurits has traveled extensively in his dance research that has emphasized the Roma culture and those in the Caucasus. These travels have included India, Pakistan, Turkey, Russia, England, France, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ossetia, Dagestan, and Cherkassy. He has also choreographed many dances.
In the last several years, Maurits has been teaching often with Tineke, and this has included workshops in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. In North America, the couple have taught at Oktoberfest in Montreal, Pinewoods Camp in Maine, and Stockton Folk Dance Camp. Read more…

Federation Board Meeting
2026-04-12 15:00 - 16:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online, CA, United States
Join the Folk Dance Federation for their board meeting. Various topics such as event planning, membership, scholarships, publicity, insurance, and budget are discussed.
Join on Zoom
Meeting ID: 818 0783 2797
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Folk Dance and Tea Party
2026-04-11 15:30 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | St. Bede’s Church Hall, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA, United States
Come join the Peninsula Council for their an afternoon tea and dance party! Share your favorite brew, tea time stories, and folk dances with your friends!

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.

Cerritos Sonia and Cristian Romanian Workshop
2026-04-07 17:00 - 19:40 (America/Los_Angeles) | Cerritos Senior Center, 12340 South Street, Cerritos, CA, 90703, United States
The Cerritos Folk Dancers proudly presents a Romanian dance workshop with master instructors Sonia Dion and Cristian Florescu on April 7.
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…

Free International Folk Dance Class
2026-03-31 11:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Age Well Center at South Fremont, 47111 Mission Falls Ct., Fremont, CA, 94539, United States
Free international folk dance class with Rebecca Tsai. Info: r1234eb@yahoo.com.tw (Rebecca Tsai).

Sunday Afternoon Folk Dancing at Almonte
2026-03-29 14:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Almonte Clubhouse, 105 Wisteria Way, Mill Valley, CA, United States
Kopachka Folk Dancers invites you to come as their guest March 29, 2026 for a dance lesson 2pm-2:30pm for all level dancers followed by request dancing until 4pm. The afternoon is free. Doors open at 1:30pm.
Kopachka welcomes all dancers, new to Balkan dance or experienced, who enjoy community, haunting music, unusual rhythms and excellent exercise for mind and body. Come join us for our first once-a-month, recurring, Sunday afternoon dancing. The next one is scheduled on Sunday, May 31st.
More details about the Kopachka Folk Dancers

Live Music with Ezgija
2026-03-28 19:00 - 21:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave, Santa Cruz, CA, 95062, United States
Live music dance party with the Ezgija band at the Live Oak Grange! Doors open at 7 pm; Ezgija plays 7:30-9:30. $15 sliding scale.
Sponsored by the Cabrillo Folk Dancers.
Ezgija
EZGIJA is a Santa Cruz based band specializing in dance tunes from the Balkans, Turkey, and surrounding regions.

Annual Red & Black Ball
2026-03-28 19:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Monroe Hall, 1400 W. College Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA, 95401, United States
Join the Razzmatazz Dancers for their annual Red and Black Ball dance party! The first hour will be dancing to recorded music. The rest of the evening will be live music and singing with Yabulka and Gradina.
Don’t forget to wear red & black! $10 for adults, children free, plus tips for singers and musicians. Snacks for our refreshment table are greatly appreciated.

Saratoga Folk Dancers Quarterly Party
2026-03-26 19:30 - 22:15 (America/Los_Angeles) | St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church, 18870 Allendale Avenue, Saratoga, California, 95070
Top Hats, Fedoras, and Bonnets – Oh My! Wear your favorite headgear to the party and, if your peers vote your selection the best, you’ll win a $25 gift card. 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…

Greek Feet Dance Party with AVRA
2026-03-23 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Joe Goode Annex, 401 Alabama at 17th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
We love a party at GreekFeet and what a wonderful way to spend a Monday night dancing and listening to Greek music to the live tunes of AVRA. Join us for a night of hospitality, dancing, and good vibes!
AVRA performs traditional Greek music for dancing, listening and transporting you on a magical musical journey to Greece. Dance to a diverse repertoire of songs: the deep, soulful tunes of Epiros; the joyful, spirited music of the Greek Islands; the driving, pulsating rhythm of Pontic music; and the rich tradition of Greek Macedonia music with its complex and intricate rhythms. AVRA features

Greg Masaki Jenkins on clarinet, percussion, and vocals
Ari Langer on violin
Jenette Selin on accordion and santouri
Michael Garibaldi on percussion, vocals, and laouto

GreekFeet meets at the Joe Goode Annex, 401 Alabama Street at 17th Street, San Francisco. Please ring the bell at the Gate and we will buzz you in

Global Folk Dance Party
2026-03-21 15:00 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online, CA, United States
Since this April will be the last Lyrids Folk Dance Festival, let’s dance favorites from the twelve years of the Camp! In addition to the Global Team, we’ll be joined by Lori Larsen, Bev Neilson, Jana Rickel, Siu-ching Lui, Paul Tong, and Chrisanne Pennimpede!
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!
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.

Peninsula Folk Dance Party
2026-03-14 15:00 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | St. Bede’s Church Hall, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA, United States
Join the Peninsula Council Folk Dancers for a 1970s theme all-request dance party with Alicia LaFetra and Ellie Wiener 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.

Laguna Folk Dance Festival 2026
2026-03-06 - 2026-03-08 | Laguna Woods Clubhouse 2, 24112 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Woods, CA, 92637, United States
Clubhouse 2 Southern California’s premier folk dance festival! Dance workshops, parties with live music, the famous Sunday Dance Concert, ice cream social, happy hour… 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 Daniel Sandu and Anna Angelova.
Daniel Sandu
Daniel Sandu Daniel Sandu was born in Bucharest in 1967 and began dancing with Romanasul ensemble at age six. As a child, he accompanied the Romanian delegation to a world dance ensemble in Cuba (1978), and at age 18 became a professional dancer with Rapsodia Romana (1985) in Bucharest.
Since 1992 he has danced with Het Internationaal Danstheater in Amsterdam. He obtained a bachelor of dance education degree in 2003 from the Rotterdamse.
A fulltime resident of the Netherlands, he is currently on staff at the folk dance house, Terpsichoré, in Amsterdam, where his course “Rhythm, Romania, Roma” (3R) ranks among their most popular offerings. Read more…

Anna Angelova
Anna Angelova Anna grew up in a small town in Northern Bulgaria where the lively local festivities (sabors) and traditional ceremonies kindled her interest in folklore at an early age. Anna’s dance adventures started when she joined the town’s folk dance ensemble where she learned from esteemed choreographers and performed along experienced dancers throughout her youth years.
Upon coming to the United States to further her education, Anna was introduced to the internationally acclaimed Ahmet Lüleci’s Collage Dance Ensemble: a unique experience that unlocked passion and appreciation for the greater Balkan magic and beyond. The eight years Anna spent performing with Collage on local and national stages were instrumental for her growth as a dancer – from professional attitude to stage presence to polished style to authentic connection with our ancestors through Ahmet’s vibrant choreographies. In 2022, Anna was honored to teach Bulgarian Dance at Ahmet’s annual World Camp in Rock Hill, New York. Read more…
Registration
Mail in Registration Form Online Registration is available on or before February 28th. Passport and Event tickets will be available at the door. Meals are available to purchase by pre-order only separately on or before February 28th. Meal purchases are not available at the door.
Registration Form and Waiver

NFO Conference 2026
2026-03-05 - 2026-03-08 | Old Murphey School, Shared Visions Retreat Center, 3717 Murphy School Road, Durham, NC, 27705, United States
Annual NFO Meeting and Conference 2026
March 5 – 8, 2026 in Durham, North Carolina
Save the date!
Arrive in time for the Welcoming Reception on Thursday evening. Friday starts out with the NFO Annual Membership. The rest of the weekend will be full of presentations, workshops, performances, and parties, and the Awards Banquet on Saturday evening. Plan to stay through Monday morning for the post-conference debrief.
We hope you will join us in Durham for three+ days of cultural activities, events, and friends, including:

Presentations
Dance instruction
Music workshops
Evening dance parties
Workshops
Performances
Live music
Singing
Networking opportunities
Awards banquet
Annual business meeting

Presenters
Many more presenters and performers will be announced, but here’s a preview of our exciting program.

Phil Jamison – Appalachian Dance Traditions
Erik Bendix – International Dancing
Sheila Kay Adams – Storytelling
Ben Owen – Pottery
Triangle Shape Note Singers – Singing
Apple Chill Cloggers – Dancing
Debby Szajnberg – NFO Grant Report: Global Rhythm Games

Registration opens November 28, 2025. More info will be posted to the website as updates are available.
For ongoing updates in programming, schedule, and registration visit the NFO 2026 Conference Web Page.

BYU Intl Folk Dance Ensemble: Journey - Sacramento
2026-02-28 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | CA
Get ready to experience the vibrant and energetic BYU International Folk Dance Ensemble—it’s going to be a cultural extravaganza!
Journey: Reflections shares strength from the past through traditional music and dance. Join the dancers for 90 minutes as they portray cultures from all over the world. Experiencing the ensemble’s furious footwork, pulsing rhythms, live music, and vibrant costumes will leave you with a special kind of wanderlust. Through a variety of dances—American clogging, Irish step dance, Indian folk fusion, Ukrainian hopak, and more—Journey: Reflections invites all to look back and reflect on the path that has shaped us into who we are today and to find unity in differences. Despite their diverse appearances, the dances exemplify how we all have the same human experiences. Let’s commit to reach out in wonder as we reflect together.

Meet the Brigam International Folk Dance Ensemble 2025-2026! This talented group of performers is ecstatic to be representing cultures from all around the world and sharing the joy of dance with audiences this season. More details…
Program
Look for Tickets

Come to Dance - Hungarian Film Screening
2026-02-28 15:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Hungarian Reformed Church, 35660 Cedar Blvd, Newark, CA, 94560, United States
Come to Dance!
Curious about the unspoken rules in folk dance — who leads, who follows, what’s “allowed,” and why?
On February 28, 2026, at 3:00 PM, join us for a powerful documentary screening + community conversation about boundaries, gender roles, and tradition in folk dance — then and now.
After the film, we’ll have a discussion with director Júlia Redő, joining us live on Zoom from Hungary 🇭🇺✨
Those who wish to stay are also invited to a shared circle conversation to reflect together, share personal experiences, and listen to one another.
🎥 Film screened in Hungarian with English subtitles
🎟️ Free admission
❤️ Donations are welcome to help cover the director’s honorarium for moderating.
Come watch, reflect, and connect with the community — dancers and non-dancers welcome!
Location: Hungarian Reformed Church, 35660 Cedar Blvd, Newark, CA 94560

BYU Intl Folk Dance Ensemble: Journey - Oakland
2026-02-27 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Oakland California Temple, 4770 Lincoln Ave, Oakland, CA, 94602, United States
Get ready to experience the vibrant and energetic BYU International Folk Dance Ensemble—it’s going to be a cultural extravaganza!
Journey: Reflections shares strength from the past through traditional music and dance. Join the dancers for 90 minutes as they portray cultures from all over the world. Experiencing the ensemble’s furious footwork, pulsing rhythms, live music, and vibrant costumes will leave you with a special kind of wanderlust. Through a variety of dances—American clogging, Irish step dance, Indian folk fusion, Ukrainian hopak, and more—Journey: Reflections invites all to look back and reflect on the path that has shaped us into who we are today and to find unity in differences. Despite their diverse appearances, the dances exemplify how we all have the same human experiences. Let’s commit to reach out in wonder as we reflect together.

Meet the Brigam International Folk Dance Ensemble 2025-2026! This talented group of performers is ecstatic to be representing cultures from all around the world and sharing the joy of dance with audiences this season. More details…
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BYU Intl Folk Dance Ensemble: Journey - Stockton
2026-02-26 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | CA
