Taught by Joe Graziosi at Texa-Kolo 2020. This is a tune-specific dance from Polygyros in the Chalkidiki peninsula. The title translates as “on top of the rosebush”. Traditionally a woman’s dance song. Dance notes… Alternate Videos
Caballito Blanco was introduced by Carolyn Mitchell or Helen Erfer, in 1949. It is based on a fado step. The recording the dance is presented with is known as Fado Blanquita. Fado (pronounced FA-due) means “fate” and describes a genre of “blues” derived from Brazilian, Portuguese, and African sources. In […]
Dance from the Western Rhodopes where there are strong concentrations of Pomaks (Bulgarian Muslims). Women’s singing dance (horovodna) often danced in the small courtyards or balconies (na cardak). Neda Voda Nalivala is another dance of this category. Originally presented by Yves Moreau. Dance notes… Alternate Videos
Originally taught by Iliana Bozhanova at a Sept 2019 workshop in Tucson. This dance is from Petrich in Pirin. Jamušak is the name of the dance. Ja dojdi Libe is the name of the song. Music by Todor Yankov. Dance notes…
The song, meaning Red Chili Pepper, is sung by Turkish pop musician Bendediz. Choreography by Roberto Bagnoli 2009, based on dance elements of eastern Anatolia Dance notes…
Gras Kalo (GRAHSS-kah-loh) means Black Horse. This Rom style dance was choreographed by Roberto Bagnoli to the song Ding Deng Dong played by the band Kal. Roberto has presented this dance at several festivals across the United States including the 2014 Stockton Folk Dance Camp at University of the Pacific. […]
Kazundzha (kah-zuhn-DZHAH) is derived from the Turkish word “kazan,” meaning boiler or cauldron. An older version of this dance is from Varna in the Dobrudzha region of Bulgaria. Having lost the context of its old name and meaning, the dance is becoming very popular in contemporary Bulgarian clubs for folk […]
A variation of the popular Širto type of dance common throughout the Pirin-Macedonia region of Bulgaria. This version was introduced by Belčo Stanev from Varna. Dance notes…
This dance was choreographed in 1981 by Gabi Moti and has recently experienced a recent revival when the song was re-recorded. Presented by Erica Goldman at the Stockton Folk Dance Camp 2013. Dance notes…
This dance was arranged out of traditional Hora Mare steps by Steve Kotansky and Daniel Sandu. It was taught by Steve Kotansky at the FACONE virtual folk dance workshop, May 2020. The steps are from Iaşi, Romania and Horeşti, Moldova. Dance notes…
Originally taught by Jaap Leegwater, who learned it from Ivan Gavrilov. The dance is from Dobrudža. Iliana Bozhanova taught a different version of this dance. Dance notes…
Taught by Richard Powers at the virtual 2021 Winter Stockton Folk Dance camp. Taught in 1948 at the first Stockton Folk Dance camp by Carl Myles, who learned it from a group in Corona California. It is attributed to a folk dance group in Hollywood called the “Hollywood Peasants”. The […]
Dance choreographed by Steve Kotansky. Title means Literally “go fetch your distaff”, but more colloquially it means “go gossip.” Dance notes… Alternate Videos
This individual dance, to music sung by Jerry Reed, has seen some popularity in International Folk Dance groups as a novelty number. The basic step pattern is shown, with a section in the middle showing a more energetic styling to similar movements.
A song/dance from the Asia Minor town of Artaki (now Erdek) on the Sea of Marmara. The dance is found in two forms, one as an open circle line dance and the other as an improvised Karsilamas type dance for couples. It is danced in 9/8 with the rhythmic pattern […]
This is a dance in the Arbëreshë style composed by Roberto Bagnoli to the song “Ec Ec” by Skanderband. The Arbëreshë are an ethnic and linguistic Albanian minority community living in southern Italy, mostly concentrated in scattered villages in the region of Calabria, but also with a few minor settlements […]
Presented by Stephen and Susan Kotansky. Dance notes…
Opincuţa is a fast Hora from the Balţi region. One of the remarkable characteristics of the Hora family is the arm movement, as the arms are held in W-pos. Usually the hands create small circles and thus give a dynamic and enticing feel to the dance. However, the movement should […]
Savila Se Bela Loza (SAH-vee-lah Seh-BEH-lah-LOH-zah) is translated to mean “A grapevine entwined in itself.” Presented by Dennis Boxell at University of the Pacific Folk Dance Camp, 1965. Dance notes… Alternate Videos
Seljančica Kolo or Djačko Kolo also called “Students’ Kolo,” remains one of the most popular kolos of Croatia and in the United States. It has been danced in California for many years. Dance notes… Alternate Videos Note other variations of the dance replace the hop step-steps with 7 walks and […]
It has been compared to the Macarena because of its infectious music, simple movements, and rapid and wide acceptance by dancers. As a result of the internet and the Jerusalema Dance Challenge, this dance has spread around the globe. Although Jerusalema does not fit everyone’s definition of a folk dance, […]
Originally choreographed by Hennie Konings in 1998 and also taught in the US by Lee Otterholt. The title translates as “little winter”. Dance notes… Alternate Videos
Winds on the Tor (a “World” dance) This is a modern Sacred Circle dance from the Galstonbury Circle group. This circle dance was taught by Steve Kotansky at the Sunday night party on 17 July 2016 at Stockton Folk Dance Camp as the date coincided with the First Annual World […]
Čamčeto or Chamcheto (CHAHM-cheh-toh), meaning small boat, was described in 1934 (Folk Dances, Vol I, #100) by the Jankovich sisters of Belgrade. It was introduced in 1956 at the Santa Barbara Folk Dance Conference and S.F. Kolo Festival by Anatole Joukowsky and taught by him at Idyllwild 1982, by Dean […]
Le Maitre de Maison (luh MEH-truh duh may-ZOHN) is a branle from Alsace, France. Marilyn Wathen learned it there in the summer of 1982. She presented it at the 1986 Statewide Institute at Santa Rosa, California and at the 1987 University of the Pacific Folk Dance Camp. Dance notes… Alternate […]
Originally taught in the US by Yves Moreau who learned it from Stefan Stojkov in 1970. The dance is from the village of Lovnidol. It is a Četvorno type dance. Dance notes… Alternate Video
Marino Oro was originally taught by Atanas Kolarovski. The dance is from the region of Skopska Blatija. Dance notes… Alternate Videos
Introduced to North America by Camille Brochu, who learned it from the Ansamble Sredec and taught widely in the US by Yves Moreau. Dance notes…
Tamzara is known both as a song and as a dance. It is also a man’s name. As a dance, it is a traditional dance done in many regions of Armenia. All tamzaras are in 9/8 (short-short-short-long). There are many varieties of this dance because it was known in many […]
Originally choreographed and taught by Roberto Bagnoli. Janet Reineck taught a different dance to this song in 1985 at the Kolo festival. Dance notes…
Jocul de-a lungul (ZHOH-kool deh-ah LOON-gool) is a non-partner dance from Transylvania. Jocul translates as “dance” and lungal means “long” or “along” (the line). Jocul de-a lungul was introduced at the 1969 Kola Festival in San Francisco by Mihai David, a former dancer with the Romanian State Folk Dance Ensemble. […]
Tankosava is a Serbian dance similar to Šetnja with additions, done to nice rousing music. Dance notes… Alternate Videos
Originally taught by Alexandru David, learned from the Beryozka Ensemble. Dance notes… Alternate Videos
GOCINO KOLO (GOHT-see-noh KOH-loh) is an arrangement of steps by Bora Gajicki of Long Beach, California, a former member of KOLO, the national company of Yugoslavia. He presented the dance at the 1973 San Francisco Kolo Festival and at the 1974 University of the Pacific Folk Dance Camp, Stockton, California. […]
This dance is is from the village of Gradište in Pavlikenski district. Taught by Jaap Leegwater, Jaap learned it from Ivan Donkov. The title translates as “until the third step”, which may be a mnemonic on how many times to do the first part. Dance notes…
Čapkan Dimčo. Originally taught by Atanas Kolarovski, Olga Sandolowich, or Sandy Starkman. Dance notes…
Il Cantico Delle Creature was choreographed by Brigitte Stufkens-Geerlings. But Ira Weisburd has been main teacher of the dance in the US. Dance notes… Alternate Videos
Roata Femeilor (ROAH-tuh fa-MAEE-lohr) comes from Maramureq and is performed by women who are usually dancing and singing at the same time. The name of the dance is “Roata femeilor” and it means the wheel of the women because the women are moving in a circle in a quiet tempo […]
Introduced to the US by Yves Moreau in the late 1990s. Known as “Drjanovska Račenica I” because there is another dance by this name, also taught in the US by Yves Moreau. The dance is from the Severnjaško Region. Dance notes… Alternate Videos
Taught by Anna Angelova at the 2022 World Camp. Also taught by Anton Andovov. The dance is part of the modern horoteka/club dance movement. Dance notes…
Vrapcheto (VRAHP-cheh-toh), a line dance from the repertoire of the Pioneer Youth Ensemble of Sofia, Bulgaria, was presented at the 1982 Statewide Festival Institute of the Folk Dance Federation of Cali-fornia in Concord, May, 1982 by Marcus Moskoff. Dance notes… Alternate Videos
Taught by Bata Marčetić at the 2021 Texa-Kolo Festival and the 2014 Lyrids Folk Dance Festival. This dance is from Central Serbia. Dance notes…
Passu Torrau (PAH-soo toh-RAU) comes from the vicinity of Nuoro (territory of Mamoiada) in Sardinia. Unlike most Sardinian dances, it consists of two different steps. Passu means “step” and torrau means “to come back.” There are many versions of this popular dance, but all are from the vicinity of Nuoro. […]
This line dance is a contemporary choreography set to a folk song. The name means “stillness (tranquility) over the river.” It was taught by Jane Kitchel at Berkeley Folk Dancers on April 24, 1999. She learned the dance from the Bay Area Sacred Circle Dance Group. Presented at Stockton Folk […]
Paraliakos (pah-rah-lee-ah-KOHSS) was learned by Lee Otterholt from Giorgios Lelakis in the mid to late 90’s. Mr. Lelakis was a well known Cretan dance teacher. “Paraliakos” means “by the seaside” and Mr. Lelakis calls the dance “the beach dance.” Mr. Lelakis believes the dance resembles those like “Gaitenaki rodou.” The […]
Aj lipo ti je (AHEE lee-poh TEE yeh), means “It’s nice.” The song “Aj lipo ti je” belongs to the “Drumarac” type songs usually sung while walking to the field/party or home from the field/party. Sometimes they’ll sing in the “kolo” too. Slavonija is the largest and most fertile part […]
Choreographed and taught by Iliana Bozhanova, also taught by Lee Otterholt. Dance notes…
Celebinsko Horo, Bulgarian folk dance from Trakia region, Bulgaria. Introduced by Belčo Stanev and taught widely by Jaap Leegwater. Performed to the song Oj Jano, Jano. Dance notes…
The dance was learned by Tom Bozigian in the early ’60’s from Jimmy Haboian of Detroit, Mich. Mr. Haboian learned the dance in his youth from the Kurdish minority of that city. The dance is now extremely popular throughout the various Armenian communities of the U.S. Dance notes… Additional Video
Soroca, a town of some 40,000 inhabitants on the banks of the Nistru River, is the administrative seat of the district of the same name. The town’s coat of arms displays the fortress of Soroca against a purple background. There are references as far back as the 15th century to […]
Hora de Mina (HOH-rah day MUH-nuh) was learned by Mihai David while he was a member of the Romanian State Folk Ensemble, 1965-68. This version of the dance is from Oltenis and was presented by Mihai David at the Santa Barbara Folk Dance Symposium in 1977 and by his brother, […]
Presented by Sonia Dion and Cristian Florescu, Lyrids Folk Festival 2017. Dance notes…
One of the many variations on the dance Tropanka, widespread throughout Dobrudža in Northeastern Bulgaria. Tropanka means «stamping dance». This version is from the region of Devnja near Varna and has an interesting structure of 15 meas. Learned from Belčo Stanev, Presented at Lyrids Folk Dance Festival 2017. Dance notes…
From Međimurje, Croatia The title translates as “five countrywomen”. Originally taught by Željko Jergan at Stockton Folk Dance Camp 2015. Dance notes…
Dance choreographed and taught by Roberto Bagnoli. Dance notes…
From Bucovina, Romania. Originally presented by Sonia Dion and Cristian Florescu. Dance notes…
Mavromata (mahv-roh-MAH-tah), meaning “dark-eyed girl,” was learned by Dick von der Zwan from Greek-Thracian immigrants living in Germany. It was learned from him in the 1980s by Lee Ottorholt, who taught it during his February 1999 California Tour and at the 2006 Stockton Folk Dance Camp. Dance notes…
An urban dance from the early 20th century done to a well-known song, Dujni mi, dujni. The dance is related to the “strolling” Odeno or Pravoto type as well as the Serbian dance Šetnja. Learned from the Goce Delèev Macedonian Society in Sofia, 1969. Presented by Yves Moreau at Stockton […]
Strumička Petorka (STROO-meech-kah PEH-tor-kah) is a choreography of Macedonian steps by Bora Gajicki. It was presented by him at the 1976 University of the Pacific Folk Dance Camp. Dance notes… Additional Video
Somogyi Karikazo is a girls’ dance from Somogy district, southern Hungary. Somogyi Karikazo is a circle dance, and belongs to the “old layer” of the Hungarian folk dances. SOURCE: Sandor Timar, folklorist and choreographer, Bartok Ensemble. Arranged by Andor Czompo. Dance notes…
Beleilot Hakayitz Hachamim (Hot Summer Nights) – Israeli folk dance by Tuvia Tishler. Dance notes…
This is a wedding dance from the Kočani area of Macedonia. It is danced relatively calmly, even leisurely, and is sometimes led by the bride. It used to be performed in many festivals, both local and at Bitola. Dance notes…
Koritsa means “girl” in Greek. Lee Otterholt learned this dance from Steve Kotansky and presented it at the 2006 Stockton Folk Dance Camp. Dance notes…
In the Romanian folk repertoire are found many modern dances with Eastern inspiration and influence. These dances are called Manele. Among them Dana (DAH-nah), one ofthe most popular, is performed by gypsies who live near the capital city of Bucharest or in other major cities in southern Romania. Those gypsies […]
Na Polonyni is a Ukrainian folk dance from western part of the Ukraine. This dance is one of the dances from the province of Hutsulshina. All of them are typically danced in a circle which breaks down into smaller circles and couples, circling to fast-paced music. The name of the […]
Originally taught by Pece Atanasovski, Dick Crum (and others) Dance notes…
Rom dance from Muntenia, Romania presented by Sonia Dion & Cristian Florescu at the 2017 Stockton Folk Dance Camp. Dance notes…
Originally taught by Alexandru David.Dance notes…
Anna’s Visa was presented by members of a gilledans (fellowship dance) group from Stockholm at the Chicago Swedish American Museum in September 2012. Gilledanser are dances set to a specific tune and with a repeating specific choreography. Anna’s Visa is danced in both Sweden and Norway and currently very popular. […]
Hora Agadati (HOR-ah ah-gah-DAH-tee) is one of the earliest Israeli dances. It was orig-inally choreographed by Baruch Agadati in 1929 and presented (in a somewhat revised ver-sion) at the first Dalia Festival in 1944. The first figure was added at that time by Gurit Kadman. Dance notes…
Hora din Câmpie, meaning “Dance from the countryside”, is a circle dance from Banat region, Romania. Originally taught by Theodore Vasilescu. Dance notes…
Kouventa stin Kouventa, meaning “Conversation”, was observed by Jaap Leegwater with some friends in a Greek restaurant in Amsterdam 2018. There was a nice performance going on by a visiting performing group from Greece. One of the dances they did was to this tune Kouventa stin Kouventa. Jaap was sitting […]
Sytos Samothrakis (seer-TOHS sah-moh-THRAH-kees), meaning Syrtos from Samothrace, is from the north Aegean sea island of Samothrakis. Presented by Lilian Vlandi at Stockton Folk Dance Camp 2013. Dance notes…
Presented at Stockton Folk Dance Camp 2018, Tapan Cuka (TAH-pahn CHOO-kah) was choreographed by Vlasto, arranged from traditional steps to fit this piece of music. Dance notes…
Yves Moreau, Albanian group at Heritage ’97. The dance was presented by Stephen Kotansky at the 1999 Stockton Folk Dance Camp. Dance notes…
Góralski ze Stoctonu (goo-RAHL-skee zeh stahk-TOH-noo) or Stockton Goralski is a modern non-partner dance based on the folklore of the people living in the Tatra Mountains of southern Poland. The name means “the dance of the mountain folk (Górale) from Stockton.” It was taught by Richard Schmidt at the 2005 […]
Pazardžijska Kopanica – Bulgaria “Kopanica line dance” from the region of the town of Pazardzik in the transition area between Sopluk and Trakia.Kopanicari translates to diggers, woodcarvers, which might either indicate that this type of dance was originally associated with the people practicing this profession. or could also be a […]
Originally taught by Jaap Leegwater. The dance is a medley of two dances that learned from Tanya Vukovska with the Pirin State Ensemble. Kalajdžijsko (“The tin smith’s dance”) and Kostadino Mile Sino (“Kostadin, my dear”). Steve Kotansky and Dick Crum taught different versions of these dances. Dance notes…
Vlaško (VLAIASH-koh) is a Vlach dance from N. Bulgaria. It was learned by Francois Legault in. 1976, and the original source was Boris Valkov. Yves Moreau presented the dance at the 1980 Stanford Spring Festival. Dance notes…
This version is taught by Jaap Leegwater and Bianca De Jong to the music Kitko Zelena Kravena. This dance was also taught by Lee Otterholt. The other version was taught by Yves Moreau and is done to the song Puštono Ludo i Mlado. Dance notes…