MIROSLAV BATA MARCETIC was a leading performer, soloist and choreographer, with the Serbian National Folk Ensemble "Kolo" in Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro (former Yugoslavia) for seventeen years and is the recipient of several awards for his artistic work. He has attended almost all folk dance seminars held in former Yugoslavia and eventually, he became the instructor of several workshops held in former Yugoslavia, Japan, and Israel and currently in Canada and the USA. As a well-known choreographer, he was chosen by the Folk Dance Association of Serbia to be a judge at folklore competitions that were taking place in Serbia and Miroslav created a great number of choreographies which have won either first or second prizes in competitions, both in Former Yugoslavia and in Canada. Under his artistic direction, many ensembles have won artistic awards. In Canada, Miroslav works in several dance associations and ensembles. Due to his long-term, dedicated and victorious work in the Canadian Serbian community, on December 26th 2005 Miroslav was awarded the Golden Plaque by the Cultural-Academic State Association of Serbia. In 2004, Miroslav established his own school of dance, "Academy of Serbian Folk Dancing" which includes more than 300 dancers of all ages, and a folk band. The Academy of Serbian Folk Dancing is the winner of many artistic awards. He works with the international folk dance community where he is teaching Serbian and East-European dances. Bata has devoted his entire professional career to the preservation and perpetuation of folklore and dance. His contribution to the Canadian Serbian folklore community is immeasurable. He also does workshops all over the U.S.
ERCÜMENT KILIÇ was born in Ankara, Turkey, to parents of Azerbaijani background (Eastern Turkey near the Russian border). He comes from a large family of dancers and musicians. At the age of four, he began dancing with his uncle, Selahattin Kiliç, one of the foremost authorities on Azerbaijani dance. In addition, Ercüment spent his summers in Iğdir, a town on the skirts of Mt. Ararat, better known as the town of one thousand and one weddings. There, everyone danced, including Ercüment.
Ercüment had early education and training in music (he played the accordion) and dance, was a member of the Turkish Folklore Ensemble of Ankara in 1976, and was a member of the Turkish National Ensemble. He came to the United States in 1977 to go to college and. was invited for seminars and lectures during his university years to all fifty states of the U.S., and to Canada, England, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan. He has performed more than 100 times throughout the United States and formed a local performance group.
Through personal lectures, as well as numerous television and radio programs, he has promoted Turkish culture and discussed Turkish politics around the world. With his orchestra, he has also produced a number of musical recordings that have been made available to musicologists in many countries. He is known worldwide for his contributions to the promotion of Turkish culture and has written various cultural articles that have been published in a number of languages.
Ercüment was a long-time president of the Turkish association TURANT. He initiated many grassroots activities and projects that were later adopted by other Turkish-American organizations around the country. Among these activities was the participation of local Turkish Americans in PBS TV programs; Meals on Wheels type projects, such as Turkish Angels; and the foundation of Turkish Women's Leagues for the Republican and Democratic Parties in Dallas, Texas.
He also was instrumental in securing additional Congressional members to the then newly founded Turkish Caucus in the US Congress. In 2002, Ercüment moved to Washington, D.C. to assume the post of president of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) and has subsequently initiated various new programs for the Turkish-American community of 300,000, such as internships at the US Congress for Turkish-American students and a national voter registration drive for Turkish-Americans.
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While Caroline is be-bopping all over the place: France to see her Sister, CA, OR to see other family and to dance, I have offered to do this newsletter. Years and years ago I used to be the editor, and let me tell you how long ago it was - I typed it on a typewriter and took it to Kinko's to shrink it and make copies, cutting and pasting it all together, but literally cutting and pasting. If I recall, I did do one on the computer for whoever was editor, and it took forever. This probably will too, and it won’t have links probably, (wait! John says he’ll do the links!) but don’t let this scare you - keep reading! I’ve attended everything Florida that I can these last few months. The Spring Fling, a night in Orlando at Israeli to see Ruthy, the Sarasota Stomp, and yesterday the Flagler Fling, and I must say, I am really glad I’m a folk dancer — I love the dancers, I love the dances, I love the music, I love the food. I could go on and on, but I have to work on this newsletter! Note a new flyer for next February’s camp, NOTE Andor’s workshop sponsored by Melbourne. Hope you’re having as nice a summer as I am (altho no trips for me this year — sob!)
Update on Eva Stunkel -- she has improved in recent weeks and one of her favorite things is showing her visitors the cards, notes, and pictures she has received from her dance friends. She remains at the following care facility address:
Eva Stunkel
Manor Care Health Services
5511 Swift Road
Sarasota, FL 34231
Judy Merkt doing her thing (DJing) at the Sarasota Stomp
Greetings from Sarasota, fellow dancers.
Our Summer Stomp turned out to be a lovely evening Tropical Storm Debby FINALLY left our area and Wednesday, the 27th was beautiful. There were 25 attendees with several coming from a little distance — always fun for us Terry Abrahams & Ursula Tison from Tampa, Vicky Kulifay from Dunedin, and Caroline & Gary Lanker from Frostproof. We also welcomed a new couple, Aubie & Sandy Coran who reported that they had a wonderful time and will be back! Since the "Stomp", we have continued to have a smaller but equally fun crowd with new people popping in here and there ( FIVE new people this last week ! ). The hope always is of course that some of these folks fall in love with this dance genre, as we all have, and join our ranks.
Our current "summer substitute teachers" continue to step up to the plate and keep us learning -- we want to make sure we keep those brain cells stirred up. Just a reminder that we do dance all summer in Sarasota, take September off, and then begin again in October when Andi Kapplin returns from Vancouver.
Love at the Sarasota Stomp
Shirley and Dimitri Babiak
I admit it — it was a posed picture — taken by Varda Ruskin.
Lou and Ann Paige, Sergio Zigras, Delores Lustig, Dimitri Babiak, Terry Abrahams (sans gold shoes)
Our fourth annual Flagler Fling on June 30th was our best yet! We are so appreciative of the wonderful turnout -- it was great to see people whom we haven't seen in a while -- Joyce Story and her friend Madeline, Chick and Karen. Orlando was well represented, and we welcomed folks from Gainesville, Tampa, Frost Proof, etc. More than 40 people danced at the Ocean Marina Clubhouse on Saturday. Many stayed over until Sunday, when we walked the beach in the morning. Maggie's European Café welcomed eighteen of us again for brunch overlooking the ocean. Then, it was on to my house for a dip in the pool. Thank you, everyone, for making the weekend a huge success. And, we all want to thank Tony and Kay Afonso for taking over the kitchen for food prep and cleanup. What a nice way to greet the summer.
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Front Row: Minnie Berkowitz, Bobby Quibideaux, Linda Fagan, Eva Gabor, Palmira Mara-Valls, Kelly Fagan
Second Row: Jan Lathi, Betty Nehemias, Terry Abrahams, Ursula Tison
Third Row: Kay Afonso, Unknown, Unknown, Caroline Lanker, Ann Robinson, Nicki Wise
Fourth Row: Pat Henderson, Arleen Kaufmann, Bonnie Olsen, Linda Seltzer, Joyce Story, Gary Lanker, Tony Afonso, Donna Young, Manuel Mora-Valls, Jack Seltzer, Larry Wartell, Eva Back
Not in Picture: Max and Diane Forkel, Julieta Brambila, Karen and Chick Hechtman, Jan Arcari
For those who knew Bobbie Ward, some of us for over 40 years, we are truly saddened by her passing. Bobbie was such an "up" person!
Her motto was: "If you're not having fun, it's your own fault." And so she did - always had fun - at the theatre, the
circus, in her travels while abroad (she had the most fascinating house
of anyone I know, decorated with her purchases from other countries),
and of course, dancing. But besides that, Bobbie, being a true
Florida Cracker, was extremely knowledgeable about Florida, especially
Tampa, and loved telling interesting history stories. She knew
all the flora and fauna in Florida and could name all the birds.
One of her favorite activities was paddling (kayaking) the rivers
of FL, and was upset when she needed help getting in and out of the
kayak as she grew weaker -- but she kept at it! Over the years
she did lots of Flamenco dancing, was in trios that performed whenever
asked, spreading joy to many. She and Barbara had wonderful
costumes when we did International performances.
One of my
favorite stories was when we had a new young guy in our group who was
afraid he'd make a mistake during the performance. I told him not
to worry - all eyes were on Bobbie anyway -- her gorgeous red hair, her
terrific smile, her gorgeous costume, the flow of her body, she was the
center of attention. And we loved her for it. Another thing
we admired her for were her scrapbooks. Every picture (and she
generously gave us copies) had a complete explanation on the back --
she was a genius with the labels! She was very creative too. One
of her clubs sponsored an annual tea, and her table decorations were by
far the best in the room. She helped me design her buttons for
her reunions, and she was particularly clever. Her professional life
and club life away from dancing were both extensive and interesting
too. From here, I'm going to just quote some of her obituary -- which
she wrote herself (she explained she knew herself better than anyone
else) -- actually, she organized her entire funeral so that her kids
wouldn't have to worry. She retired after 44 years with the U.S.
Government to include nine years of duty in Key West, Florida, overseas
Clark Air Base in the Philippines, plus Berlin and Giessen, Germany, as
well as assignments with U.S. Central Command and Special Operations
Command on MacDill Air Force Base. (Terry's insert here -- she
introduced Jerry Raz to folk dancing when at MacDill AFB) Bobbie was a
1985 charter and life member of Hillsborough High School Alumni
Association and on the Board of Directors since 1999; A member of the
HHS 1951 Reunion Committee and Chairman for the 40th, 45th, 50th, and
55th reunions; Life member of Florida Theatre Conference and Friday
Morning Musicale, on the Jackson Heights Community Reunion Committee
for over 30 years, plus member of Tiger Bay Club of Tampa, Spanish
Lyric Theatre's Ladies Guild
and SLT Board, LULAC (League of Latin American Council,) and Tampa
International Festival Folk Dancers and Florida Folk Dance
Council. Bye
Bobbie -- we'll miss you!
Last year at the Nordic Fiddles and Feet Scandinavian dance week attendees were told that the annual event was facing an uncertain financial future. Then this summer came the shocking announcement that although the 2012 week would occur as usual, the NFF Board had decided that there would be no event at all in 2013!
This year was the fourth time that NFF has been at Camp Ogontz in New Hampshire. The locale is beautiful - think verdant hills and forest, and a serene lake where you can hear the loons calling in the morning mist. And at last we would dance on the brand new wood floor of the mind-blowingly exotic, still under construction, Ogontz Hall. How can we not have a camp week in 2013?
In a meeting for all attendees with the NFF Board of Directors we learned that our long time Managing Director, Meg Mabbs was retiring, as well as Music Director, Matt Fichtenbaum.
In order to continue operating NFF needed volunteers to take over those roles. And even though the threat of no camp next year brought in 7 or 8 more registrations, it would need at least 15 new full-fee campers to bring in enough money to break even on expenses. Ideas were tossed around and there was much discussion, mostly centering on how to interest young dancers and musicians.
The end result of all this was that Byron Wiley is the new NFF Managing Director, Marilyn Butler has stepped up from band leader to Music Director, numerous attendees made $200 registration deposits for a 2013 camp, and many others promised various kinds of support, from donating frequent flier miles to funding scholarships to nagging dance friends to sign up. This is the challenge. Now, can we meet it?