Folk Dance Federation of California

Laguna Folk Dance Festival
2020-03-06 - 2020-03-08 | Laguna Woods Clubhouse 2, 24112 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Woods, CA, 92637, United States
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! This will be the 50th ANNIVERSARY of the festival and it will be a very special event!
We are proud to announce that our teachers this year are:
Yves Moreau
Yves Moreau Yves Moreau lives in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and is recognized as one of North America’s foremost exponents of Bulgarian dance and folklore. He has travelled to Bulgaria almost annually between 1966 and 1986 to research dance and to record music in all regions of the country. He has also lectured and conducted workshops throughout North America as well as on numerous occasions in Belgium, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Mexico, Brazil, Israel, Japan, Slovenia, Hungary, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, New Zealand, and Australia.
From 1972 to 1988 he directed Les Gens de Mon Pays , a Montreal-based amateur folk ensemble specializing in Bulgarian and French-Canadian folklore which toured widely in North America and represented Canada at several international folk festivals in the U.S.A. , France, Greece, Italy, and Bulgaria. Yves has also choreographed several stage suites of Bulgarian and French-Canadian material for various professional and amateur performing groups in North America, Australia and New Zealand.
From 1975 to 1985, Yves was special projects coordinator at the Canadian Folk Arts Council and also worked with Folklore Canada International , a private organization which coordinates cultural exchange programs and produces several international folk festivals in Canada. From 1986 to 2000, he was the coordinator of FCI’s annual Heritage International folklore workshop in Lachine (Quebec) and Cornwall (Ontario).
Yves, who speaks Bulgarian, has been a regular contributor to various folk music and folklore programs for Canadian radio and television. He has supervised recordings of Bulgarian folk music on the Balkanton , Worldtone , XOPO, Gega and BMA labels and has presented several papers at various conferences on ethnomusicology and folklore in America, Asia and Bulgaria. In 1980, Bulgaria awarded him with the Order of Kiril & Metodi (1st degree) for his work popularizing Bulgarian folk culture in North America.
Yves teaches mostly non-choreographed village material which he has collected during his many field trips. His teaching method is clear and thorough yet relaxed. A special emphasis is put on regional styles and background information. Above all, Yves wants to share his love for Bulgarian folklore and communicate the fun of dancing. Yves has also introduced and teaches folk dances of other Balkan countries as well as dances from Brittany (France) and his native Québec.
Among the popular dances introduced by Yves over the years are: Pinosavka, Dobrudžanska Râka, Gjuševska Račenica, Četvorno Horo, Dospatsko, Bičak, Sandansko Horo, Sadi Moma, Vlaško Horo, Sitna Zborenka, Panagjursko Horo, Kulska Šira, Dobra Nevesto, Vidinsko Horo, Sâbrali sa se sâbrali, Idam ne Idam, Dimitrija, Krivo Ihtimansko, La Bastringue, Les Saluts, Le Laridé, An Dro Retourné and Gavotte d’Honneur.
Yves has produced five (5) DVDs and matching audio CDs of his repertoire and has also released 3 CDs with some of his Bulgarian Village Recordings (1966-1972) on the BMA label. He also produced in 2003 a 2-CD collection of tunes by the legendary Bulgarian accordionist Boris Karlov (1924-1964) and just released (Sept. 2015) a new CD compilation dedicated to the famous Thracian clarinetist Georgi Koev. Yves is married to France Bourque-Moreau, an internationally-recognized specialist in children’s folkdance and music. They have three children. From 1998 to 2001, Yves was on the Board of Directors of the East European Folklife Center (EEFC) which organizes the annual Balkan Music and Dance Camps in the U.S.A. In 2006, Yves was the recipient of the of the San Antonio College (Texas) Folk Dance Festival Award and in 2007, of the «Preserving our Legacy Award» given by the National Folk Organization U.S.A. (NFO) for a Lifetime of Work and Achievement in Folk Dance and Folk Arts. In the summer of 2008, Yves celebrated his 60th birthday and 40 years of teaching Bulgarian Folk Dances and received the Presidential Medal and letter of congratulations from Bulgarian President Georgi Pârvanov. 2017 marks his 50th year of teaching Bulgarian folk dances around the world.
Yves has agreed to come out of retirement to help the Laguna Folk Dance Festival celebrate its 50th anniversary. (He also taught at out 25th anniversary!) We are very proud and honored that he agreed to teach for us!
Aaron Alpert
Aaron Alpert Aaron Alpert started dancing before he was born! His parents met at Israeli folk dancing in Los Angeles, and his childhood is filled with dance memories — from participating in his first dance camp at the age of two months, to acting as his father’s “remote control” when he taught, to performing in Saturday night talent shows at the Camp Alonim for Jewish youth that takes place every summer just north of Los Angeles, California.
In his first year at UC Berkeley, Aaron became one of the instructors and the curriculum developer for Jewish Studies 98: The Israeli Dance DeCal. In January 2009, Aaron joined the teaching and music DJ rotation at Cafe Simcha, a weekly Israeli dance session held near Berkeley. He also sporadically substitutes for Loui Tucker and Karina Lambert at the larger South Bay Israeli dance sessions.
In October 2012, Aaron founded his own dance session, Nirkoda! (“Let’s dance!”). After the first 10 months in a small studio on the Stanford University campus, the evening dance party was popular enough to require moving to a larger venue, Temple Etz Chayim in Palo Alto, California. Aaron’s first appearance as a staff member at a dance camp was Camp Rikud in 2016. A few months later, Aaron hosted a workshop, Nirkoda Mi’Nona, featuring Nona Malki, an Israeli dance choreographer and teacher from Vancouver. Another venture, Nirkoda Ba’Kerem, is a weekend-long Israeli dance camp in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, that will include wine-tasting and a guest choreographer, Yaron Malichi, flying in from Israel. Aaron has also taught at the Stockton Folk Dance Camp.
Schedule
There will also be CAMEO appearances by former Laguna Festival teachers TOM BOZIGIAN and LEE OTTERHOLT. The National Folk Organization (NFO) will be holding its annual conference in conjunction with the festival, so many dance leaders from all over the United States will be there.
The Festival will, as always, include dancing to LIVE MUSIC (three bands!) Friday night, workshops all day Saturday, a very happy Happy Hour (with dancing to 50’s style pop and rock music!) and a gala dinner that evening followed by dancing to live music with MIAMON MILLER and band, then reviews Sunday morning, a concert after lunch (catered meals are available onsite both Saturday and Sunday so you don’t have to leave the beautiful clubhouse where we dance), and again dancing to live music Sunday afternoon.
As always our popular SING-ALONGS will be led by the always-cheerful MICHAEL LAWSON and the Southern California Lifetime Achievement Award will, for the 5th time, be awarded to a worthy recipient who has made an exceptional contribution to the Southern California folk dance scene.
If you can stay an extra day, we will DANCE ON THE BEACH on the Monday after the festival – a very unique experience not many other festivals can offer!
Download schedule
Meals
Catered food will again be available (must be ordered beforehand) for both Saturday and Sunday lunches and, of course, the Saturday banquet. Meals are purchased separately from the program and must be ordered by February 20, 2020.
Registration
Register before February 20, 2020 for all events at the Passport level of $100 ($120 at the door). Passport does NOT include meals, which must be ordered separately.
If you are registered for the NFO Conference, a festival passport is included in your conference registration, but you still need to order any meals you might want separately.
If you are coming from out of town, you can book rooms at the nearby Ayres Hotel at a discounted rate. The Ayres Hotel is a short walking distance from the festival venue.
In honor of our 50th anniversary every participant will also receive a charming, complimentary souvenir of the event to remember this certainly very memorable event by.
Register Now
DOWNLOAD mail-in registration form.

CANCELLED - Greek Glendi with Yiannis Linardakis and Antonis Leontidis
2020-02-17 19:00 - 21:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Joe Goode Annex, 401 Alabama at 17th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
CANCELLED
MUSICIANS NOT ALLOWED ENTRY IN THE U.S.
Music starts at 7:30pm. Ring the bell at the gate to enter.

Mardi Gras Shuffle
2020-02-17 18:30 - 22:30 | St. Bede’s Church Hall, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA, United States
iTunes Shuffle mode will determine which of your advanced dance requests is played next. Send your favorite dance names to Lucy or Karen and we will assemble a master list of 100 favorite dances for iTunes Shuffle to select for playing. We may do 3 Romanian dances in a row! Adony Beniares will MC this event!
Snack contributions appreciated.
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Scandomania! Golden Gate Nordic Music & Dance Festival
2020-02-14 - 2020-02-16 | Hermann Sons Hall, 860 Western Avenue, Petaluma, CA, 94952, United States
We hope you will join us for Scandomania! a Nordic music and dance festival in Petaluma, CA, February 14-16, 2020. The festival workshops will feature the Swedish dance Slängpolska. Accomplished and well-respected dance teachers and musicians from Sweden will be leading dance and music workshops during the weekend. Evening dance parties will feature a wide variety of dances from Sweden and Norway.
Slängpolska is a great entry level dance for people new to Scandinavian dancing, fun for beginners and experienced dancers alike. Learn more about slängpolska here.
Bonus: Ceylon Wallin Nyckelharpa Workshop, a post-festival event, February 17, in El Cerrito, CA. More information about this workshop can be found here.
Read more…
Registration
$130 per person until January 17, $160 thereafter
If under 18 yrs. old: $65 per person until January 17, $80 thereafter
Optional on-site catered lunches on Saturday and Sunday are available for an additional fee of $12.50 per day.
Register

Valentine's Dance Party
2020-02-12 19:45 - 22:00 | Holbrook Palmer Park, Carriage House, 150 Watkins Avenue, Atherton, CA, 94027, United States
Join Suzanne Rocca-Butler and the Carriage House Folk Dancers for a Valentine’s Day folk dance party. Bring your dancing shoes and good cheer. Snacks or beverages to share are also appreciated if you are able. Looking forward to seeing you!

Joe Graziosi Greek Dance Workshop
2020-02-10 19:30 - 21:30 | Joe Goode Annex, 401 Alabama at 17th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
GreekFeet is pleased to announce a special Greek dance workshop featuring one of our favorite guest instructors Joe Graziosi. Joe will be teaching a mix of regional Greek dances.
Ring bell at the gate to enter.

Joe Graziosi
Joe Kaloyanides Graziosi has done extensive research on regional dance in Greece and among Greek communities in the U.S. He has taught throughout the world for community groups and at major folk dance camps, including the Balkan Music and Dance Workshops since 1982. He has served as judge and advisor for the west coast Greek Orthodox Folk Dance Festival (FDF) since 1984, and judge and advisor for the southern states Hellenic Dance Festival (HDF) for the past 8 years. He is, along with Ahmet Luleci, co-founder of the annual World Music & Dance Camp, now in Iroquois Springs, NY.

Maurits and Tineke van Geel Workshop and Party
2020-02-09 14:00 - 18:00 | All Saints’ Episcopal, 555 Waverley St., Palo Alto, CA, 94301, United States
Workshop featuring Maurits and Tineke van Geel teaching dances of Armenia, the Roma, and other countries. Followed by dance party.
1:45pm Doors open, request dancing
2:00 – 6:00pm Workshop and party with the Van Geels
Among the many dances the van Geels have brought us are Nazeli Bar, Tou Paradeisou Lemonia, Erzeroumi Shoror, Syrtos Kitrinou, To Milo and Shoror.
They will have music, video, and dance notes for purchase. Snacks greatly appreciated for the Kafana
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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…

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…

Festival of the Oaks
2020-02-08 09:00 - 17:00 | Albany Veterans Memorial Building, 1325 Portland Ave, Albany, CA, 94706, United States
Save the date!
The 72nd annual international Festival of the Oaks features a morning international folk dance workshop with Maurits & Tineke Van Geel, a hot lunch, exhibition dance performance, and a program of afternoon recreational dances. Includes a pre-owned folk dance costume sale in the dance hall. Fun for all ages! No partner needed.
Schedule
9:00-9:30am Registration
9:30am-12:00pm Dance workshop with Tineke & Maurits Van Geel, $16.00
12:00-1:00pm Hot lunch, $8.00
12:00-1:00pm Folk Dance Federation meeting. Includes lunch provided to Federation members attending.
12:30-4:30pm Pre-owned folk dance costume sale
1:00pm Exhibition dance performance
1:00-5:00pm International dance party. Dances from around the world and institute reviews. $13.00
All Day — Institute and Folk Dancing, $26.00
12:30-4:30pm Pre-owned folk dance costume sale
Free refreshments will be served all afternoon.
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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…

Dance Party with Mosaic
2020-02-07 19:30 - 22:00 | Bethany Lutheran Church, 1095 Cloud Avenue, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
Mosiac Mosaic brings their own unique take on the music of the Balkans, Scandinavia, and elsewhere. The members are: Tony Canavarro (gaida, guitar), Barry Gregory (flugelhorn, trumpet), Phillip Cline (soprano saxophone), Fran Van Atta (bass guitar), Jeanne Faulkner (tupan), and Randa Jacobs (flute, pennywhistle).
Bring some light refreshments and non-alcoholic beverages to help make it a party, and tips for the band!

Greek Dance Glendi/Party with Musicians from Crete
2020-02-03 19:00 - 21:30 | Joe Goode Annex, 401 Alabama at 17th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
Join us for a fun Cretan Glendi with two talented young musicians from Hania and Kissamos (west of Hania) areas, Georgios Frantzeskakis (Violin) & Georgios Stratakis (Laouto). This dynamic duo has been making waves all across Crete, Greece, US, and the rest of the world. Both in their mid-20s, their popularity spans all ages and generations, and also all corners of the island of Crete. Their unique style and endless energy make for a great dance/glendi atmosphere, and their fun-loving personalities make for memorable moments and lots of laughs.
Music starts at 7:30pm. Ring the bell at the gate to enter.

10th Annual Lunar New Year Festival
2020-02-02 13:00 - 17:00 | Cerritos Senior Center, 12340 South Street, Cerritos, CA, 90703, United States
Schedule The Cerritos Folk Dancers’ Tenth Annual Lunar New Year Festival features dance workshops by master instructor Daniela Ivanova-Nyberg, lessons by Sue Chen and Wen Chiang, dance party, and a traditional New Year’s Lion dance to celebrate the Year of the Mouse!
There will be finger food available. You are encouraged to bring food or non-alcoholic beverage to share with other dancers.
If you would like to receive the syllabi through the email, free of charge, please sign up at the front desk or let Wen Chiang know.
Video recording is not allowed except by the authorized CFD photographers. Video taping will be available online after the festival. Sign up at the front desk or let Wen Chiang know in order to be sure to receive the links to the videos.
There will be a name badge for each attendee. Please return the name badge before you leave. When the name badge is returned, any of the first one hundred payers will receive a red-envelope, which contains a small amount of currency.
After the festival, we will have dinner together in honor of the master teacher. The restaurant and the cost are to be announced in the festival. You are welcome to join the dinner together. To reserve the seat, please sign up at the front desk, before 4 p.m. We used to have close to thirty people come to the dinner. This time, we are going to set a limit to twenty people. Please sign up early.
Let’s dance together and celebrate the Year of the Mouse in the festival.
DOWNLOAD schedule.
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For more details contact CerritosFolkDancers@gmail.com or Sue at (562) 338-2298
Daniela Ivanova-Nyberg
Daniela Ivanova-Nyberg Daniela Ivanova-Nyberg, Ph.D. is an accomplished, professional folk dance teacher, choreographer and researcher of Bulgarian dance in Bulgaria and in the United States. In addition, she is a very gifted choreographer, and also a researcher of the South Slavic folk dance culture. Daniela graduated from the Institute of Music and Choreography, Sofia, and also from the Sofia University “St. Kl. Ohridski,” with MA degrees in Philosophy and Cultural Studies. This broad educational background gives her the unique opportunity to combine theory and practice, research, teaching and performance in her very extensive works. Since 2003 Daniela has made teaching tours to the U.S., appearing in more than 40 States of the US and in over 400 workshops. Read more…

Changs International Folk Dancers Party with Da! Mozhem
2020-01-31 19:30 - 22:30 | Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church, 417 31st Ave (between Clement and Geary), San Francisco, CA, 94121, United States
Dance to your favorite international tunes with Da! Mozhem and Changs International Folk Dancers. Please bring a snack to share.
$5 plus 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.

Greek Cretan Dance Workshop with Achilleas Fourakis
2020-01-27 19:30 - 21:30 | Joe Goode Annex, 401 Alabama at 17th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
To get ready for our Cretan Glendi on February 3, we will be hosting Achilleas Fourakis to teach us some Cretan Dances. Raised and taught dance by Effie and Vasilis, Achilleas has grown up in the Minoan Dance program since birth. Countless years of FDF practices and performances, performing at glendis and conventions, performing in Greece, and now teaching as well. Achilleas has taken the teachings from his parents and continues enthusiastically to carry on the tradition of Cretan dances and music. Spending his summers in Crete researching and perfecting the styles, dancing with the locals, performing with the local dance groups, and studying local dancers, he has put much emphasis on the dance style from Kissamos and western Hania.
Ring the bell at the gate to enter.

Folk Dance and Tea Party
2020-01-26 14:45 - 18:00 | St. Bede’s Church Hall, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA, United States
This event is on a SUNDAY afternoon! It’s a chance for those dancers who don’t like to drive at night to join one of these parties, and to try teas and snacks from around the world!
Come dance with your friends on a great wood floor! Dances range from beginning to advanced and all forms (line, couple, set). We will be serving tea and tea-time snacks from around the world.
MC’d by Hollis Radin. Send requests or questions to Hollis. She will incorporate requests into the program.
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2020 Scholarship Ball
2020-01-25 13:00 - 16:00 | IOOF Hall, 467 Main Street, Placerville, CA, 95667, United States
GOLD DIGGERS DANCE
Each year the Sacramento Folk Dance Council (SIFDAC) raises funds for scholarships to attend folk dance camps through donations from the Scholarship Ball. Eligible candidates are selected based on procedures and requirements determined by SIFDAC.
Please bring finger food to share–thank you! Why not dress as “gold diggers” in denim or “fancy dress!”
DOWNLOAD, print, and share a flier!
Dance requests will not be sold this year, but SIFDAC member clubs are invited to pre-request popular dances–half of the program will be Golden Oldies and half will be Newer Dances. The pre-request deadline will be the end of 2019.
In early January 2020, preview the 2020 Scholarship Ball program, plus visit membership and scholarship application details.
Thank you for your support in helping local dancers attend folk dance camps via our SIFDAC scholarships!

Folk Dance Party with Zabava International
2020-01-24 20:00 - 22:30 | Strawberry Recreation Center, 118 E. Strawberry Drive, Mill Valley, CA, 94941, United States
Dance to Balkan music and beyond performed live by Zabava International!
Spacious sprung wood floor; lots of free parking. Please consider bringing refreshments to share.
DOWNLOAD, print, and share a flier.
Bill Cope
Zabava International!
Energetic, soulful, and rhythmically dazzling music played from the center of the dance floor–music from Albania, America, Armenia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Macedonia, Norway, the Romani, Romania, Serbia, South Africa, Sweden and Turkey traditions. The musicians recreate the vibrant interplay of traditional music and dance from the cultural crossroads.
Michele Simon: Vocals & percussion
Valerie Rose: Violin
Tom Farris: Chordophones & percussion
Bill Cope: Bagpipes, chordophones, keyboard, (and more?)
More details…

San Leandro Folk Dance 1st Year Celebration
2020-01-19 12:30 - 15:00 | DC Dance Center, 1555 Washington Avenue, San Leandro, CA, 94577, United States
Please join us in celebrating one year of sharing folk dance in the mid-East Bay. The renowned Loui Tucker shares her teaching skill.
12:30 – 1:00pm Noshing
1:00 – 3:00pm Class
Be our guest! No class fees this day!
Share with your wannabe-a-dancer friends, especially if they live in the East Bay. New dancers welcome! No need to bring a partner, but bring a friend to share the fun. Wear comfortable shoes. Bottled water is a good idea too.
Free on-street parking and at Safeway city lot 1/2 block away. Give yourself some time to park. It’s only a short 4 block walk from the San Leandro Bart station to the studio.

Táncház with Zagyva Banda
2020-01-11 16:00 - 23:00 | Verhalen Family Black Box Theater, Woodside Priory, 302 Portola Rd., Portola Valley, CA, 94028, United States
The Zagyva Band on tour from Budapest will be performing in the Black Box theatre at the Woodside Priory. The program schedule is:
4 – 5pm Concert
5 – 6 pm Children’s táncház
6 – 11pm Adult táncház with teaching circles
During the táncház Ignac Kadar, a professional dancer from Hungary, and Laci Tihanyi, director of the Eszterlánc ensemble here in the Bay Area, will lead teaching circles so you don’t have to know the dances to participate. They will also play some simple Moldvai dances that anyone can do.
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Here’s a teaser on what these guys sound like (Ignac Kadar is their percussion guy and the dancer in the video):

Dance Party with Da! Mozhem
2020-01-03 19:30 - 22:00 | Bethany Lutheran Church, 1095 Cloud Avenue, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
International Dance Party with Da! Mozhem Dance to your favorite international tunes with Da! Mozhem.
Bring snacks and non-alcoholic beverages to help make it a party, and tips for the band!
Da! Mozhem
Da! Mozhem is quite possibly the largest folk dance band popular today in the Bay Area. 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 Travelling 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. Its members for this party are John Burke (accordion, vocals), Joyce Clyde (gadulka, vocals), Sonne Lemke (vocals), Paul Litsky (tambura), Alan Moore (accordion, kaval), Barbara Saxton (vocals), Lew Smith (doumbek, tupan), Ginny Snyder (clarinet, tambura, accordion, brach, gajda, vocals), Holly Thuman (bass, vocals), Nettie Wijsman (vocals), and Radmila Zaric (vocals)

BFD New Year's Eve Party
2019-12-31 21:00 - 2020-01-01 00:00 | Francis Albrier Community Center, 2800 Park Street, Berkeley, CA, 80, United States
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2020!!! Come celebrate with BFD!
It’s Tuesday night, December 31st (of course) from 9pm to Midnight
members $5, non-members $7
Wear your slinky, sultry, elegant, fancy duds (or just comfy garments) and get ready to dance the night away. Bring some snacks to share with the crowd. It is an all request night, so bring a list of your favorite dances (written out or in your agile brain).

Christmas Night Dance Party
2019-12-25 19:00 - 22:00 | St. Bede’s Church Hall, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA, United States
Once upon a time, a family gathered with friends and relatives every Christmas Night to celebrate the day. They shared food and beverages, and danced away the evening. John Nicoara was there. It was from the stories of these warm memories that Jan and he, and Becky and Adony, were inspired to continue that tradition with a new family — YOU!
Please join us on Christmas for a FREE all request evening party with friends dancing on a great wood floor! This is our 11th annual Christmas dance party. Bring your house guests and dance off the stuffing and pies!
Send requests to Adony and Becky.
Bring a snack to share!

Winter Solstice Celebration
2019-12-19 19:30 - 22:00 | St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, 1399 43rd Ave, at Judah St., San Francisco, CA, 94122, United States
Celebrate Winter Solstice in an evening of dance, music, and Mandala’s annual bell ringing ceremony! Bring your own bell or borrow one of ours. Join us in the ringing of bells to scare away the demons of darkness and welcome the sunlight’s return showing the way to spring. Some refreshments are provided and you are welcome to add to the table.

Introduction to International Folk Dance
2019-12-15 13:00 - 15:00 | DC Dance Center, 1555 Washington Avenue, San Leandro, CA, 94577, United States
Come meet the world at our international folk dance club. New dancers welcome. No need to bring a partner, but bring a friend to share the fun. Wear comfortable shoes. Light snacks provided. Loui Tucker is featured instructor.
New dancers are invited to learn international folk dance in the East Bay in this monthly 2hr session.
$8 drop in / $15 for 3 months.
Free parking in the area and it’s only a short 4 block walk from the San Leandro Bart station to the studio.
Share with your wannabe-a-dancer friends, especially if they live in the East Bay.
To join or for more details e-mail Gigi Jensen or call (510) 326-6415. The DC Dance Center web site or office will not have information of the class.

Holiday Celebration and Second Harvest Fundraiser
2019-12-14 15:00 - 19:00 | First Baptist Event Hall, 305 N. California Avenue, Palo Alto, CA, 94301-4105, United States
Holiday Celebration and Second Harvest Food Bank Donation

3:00-7:00pm
Request dance party with quick teaching of fun dances by our wonderful local instructors.

Donation: $15 and/or 10 cans of food for the Second Harvest Food Bank (checks payable to Second Harvest Food Bank). Goal is 300 cans and $300. No glass containers or expired cans.
Among us, there are students to seniors on limited or fixed income who would appreciate receiving help with meals. The Moveable Feet is donating the cost of the hall and refreshments. Thank you in advance for your support.
The City of Palo Alto asks that we:

Park only in legal spaces, avoiding bike lanes or too close to driveways
Avoid talking loudly outside

For more details contact Lucy or Karen
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Balkan Dance Party with Zabava International!
2019-12-13 19:30 - 22:00 | Bethany Lutheran Church, 1095 Cloud Avenue, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
Live Balkan music and dancing to Bill Cope and Zabava International! Stanford International Dancers is also celebrating Melissa Miller’s birthday! It’s a party night, so snacks and drinks are welcome, as are tips for the band.
Bill Cope
Zabava International!
Energetic, soulful, and rhythmically dazzling music played from the center of the dance floor–music from Albania, America, Armenia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Macedonia, Norway, the Romani, Romania, Serbia, South Africa, Sweden and Turkey traditions. The musicians recreate the vibrant interplay of traditional music and dance from the cultural crossroads.
Michele Simon: Vocals & percussion
Valerie Rose: Violin
Tom Farris: Chordophones & percussion
Bill Cope: Bagpipes, chordophones, keyboard, (and more?)
More details…

Holiday Party
2019-12-11 19:45 - 22:00 | Holbrook Palmer Park, Carriage House, 150 Watkins Avenue, Atherton, CA, 94027, United States
Help Suzanne Rocca-Butler and the Carriage House Folk Dancers celebrate their end of quarter with a holiday folk dance party. Help bring snacks and non-alcoholic beverages to share for the refreshments table.

Holiday Folk Dance Party with Orchestra Euphonos
2019-12-09 19:00 - 21:30 | Hermann Sons Hall, 860 Western Avenue, Petaluma, CA, 94952, United States
Come join the Petaluma Snap-Y Dancers in Petaluma for their annual Holiday Folk Dance Party. The first hour will feature dancing to old and new recorded favorites, followed by Orchestra Euphonos performing a great mix of Balkan, Israeli, and Romanian music. Orchestra Euphonos is a Bay Area-based Eastern European folk and klezmer band. Their uplifting sound is characterized by a brass and woodwind melodic front line. Orchestra Euphonos performs songs and melodies from old world Bessarabia and the Balkans. Their performances are joyous occasions filled with wild takes on old favorites, group improvisations and lots of dancing.
Everyone is welcome to come and dance and/or just listen to the fabulous music. Please bring drinks or snacks to share.
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For more info contact: Carol Friedman, 415-663-9512,

Palomanians Pie and Denise's Birthday Party
2019-12-07 19:30 - 22:00 | St. Bede’s Church Hall, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA, United States
The annual Palomanians Pie Party featuring ice cream, refreshments, and of course pie all provided by the Palomanians! This year’s party is FREE, in honor of the the 80th birthday of our Tuesday night teacher and tonight’s emcee, Denise Heenan.
Send your folk dance requests to Denise and she will incorporate them into the program.
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Razzmatazz Holiday Party
2019-12-07 19:00 - 22:00 | Monroe Hall, 1400 W. College Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA, 95401, United States
Join the Razzmatazz Folk Dancers for their annual Holiday folk dance party in Santa Rosa.
More details coming…

Razzmatazz Holiday Party
2019-12-07 19:00 - 22:00 | Monroe Hall, 1400 W. College Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA, 95401, United States
Join the Razzmatazz Folk Dancers for their annual Holiday folk dance party in Santa Rosa. The party will feature live music with Sonoma County’s Orkestar Santa Rosa band: Jim Avera, Barbara Babin, Ken Genetti and Jana Mariposa.
Start the evening dancing to recorded favorites followed by a reading of “The Night Before Christmas” and a visit from Santa for the children. Then we will dance to live music with Orkestar Santa Rosa for the rest of the evening.
Adults: $5, plus tips for the musicians. Children are free and welcome! Bring some snacks to share for our holiday table.
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