PREZ SEZ
by Terry Abrahams <terry.abrahams@verizon.net>
OK!!!
Huge news about this year’s camp!
Here it is in order of importance:
1.
The date has been changed back to
President’s weekend – Feb 17-20.
2.
Because we have changed camps, and this one gives us
Monday only on that weekend (it is a school camp and needs Monday)
3.
The camp has a WOOD floor!
4.
Name: Camp Crystal Lake
5.
Location: It is North East of Gainesville. Off 301 in the area of Melrose, Keystone Heights, Stark – if this helps.
6.
Go to www.campcrystal.com for pictures,
directions etc. – of course we will give
you further information as time goes by.
Other
information:
First, credit goes to Pat Henderson for finding this camp. She hit the Internet hard and researched over
60 camps in Florida. As it turns
out, this camp has been used by the Vernals contra group, and we think that
this could work for us. She and I took a
day to drive north of Orlando,
and visited 3 sites before we chose this one.
We were ecstatic.
This camp is an outdoor education center
run by the School Board of Alachua County.
It is situated on Crystal Lake (duh!) and is quite lovely. There are enough cabins for all of us, but if
you don’t want to stay at the camp we have located a Bed and Breakfast nearby and we will try to reserve the entire place in the name of FFDC
and you can request a room through us –
it will cost you though – more on that later. There is also a motel about 20 minutes away.
The rooms are not carpeted, but much airier than the other camp and quite
nice. However, no hanging spaces. I’m going to try and provide you with something by that time that will help with costumes, but – hey – there’s always a drawback. Hopefully we will be sleeping on the lower
levels only and you can put your “stuff” on the upper bunks.
They have a cook – we plan our menu, pay for the food ourselves, separate from her labor – so food should be much improved this year. If there’s someone that wants responsibility for this, let me know. I have cooked at camps before, so know the
drill, but would gladly delegate.
The dining hall has a/c; the rest of the camp does not. However,
this is further north than before, and heat in February seems to be no problem
there according to the Director. The
dance hall (which is great – look at the pictures on line) has big fans if we
need them. You must bring your own bedding etc. as before, and I need someone to be responsible for bringing bedding for teachers and possibly
people flying in. (or seeing that it is done).
We’ll do the usual snacks at night thing,
but I’d like to go back to the old days when a specific group prepared something really nice that was ethnically similar to the dances being
taught. Any takers on this? And you ask – who are the teachers? I’ll tell you in the next issue.
Well,
I’m excited, so going on and on. But I
just want to repeat WOOD FLOOR, WOOD FLOOR, WOOD
FLOOR!!!!
REFLECTIONS ON DANCE
by
Dan Lampert
When
people leave our circle, goodbyes are hard. We think about all the good times,
and we know we’ll miss them. But I suggest that we remember those things we learned from them. Knowledge is fulfillment.
Here’s
an email from Raluca from Gainesville. It’s her “thank you” email, which was sent after
she left UF…. you can still send her messages to <rarosca@ufl.edu>…
After seeing the emails that Julieta sent
from her Colorado trip and Gary&Peggy Kirkpatrick sent from Montreal (which, judging by their website, should have a
great folkdance group), I felt the need to email you as well.
First at all, let me thank everyone who wrote me to
express good wishes for my travel and/or participated in the good bye Friday.
Those were very moving moments,
and going home to read the appreciation notes that different
people wrote me made it even more moving. Great thanks for those notes, as well
as the tote and the picture frames, that will be gladly used in the future.
Thank you, my dance family of 8 1/2 years -- while with you I've learnt a lot
about dance as well as about UF administration and group(s) dynamics. I'll be sure to come dancing while back in town.
I've also got news from Yang Mu (still accessible on email at yangmu@ufl.edu). Yang was a student officer of the International Folkdance club, a
regular on Fridays and a dancer in the performance group for 3 out of her 5
years at UF. We've last seen
her in March, for the Women's
Dances workshop, but in the meantime she defended her dissertation and moved
out of town. Unfortunately, we never had a chance to celebrate her contribution
to the group and the 'Phinally Done' sticker.
Yang
wrote:
"I
was busy preparing for a week-long interview at EGC (Environmental Growth
Chamber). It was a stressful week. But finally everything worked out fine.
I got the job. The company
is located in Chagrin
Falls, Ohio. But since we have several projects going on in
southeast region, I'll still stay in FL for a while."
Well,
see you all dancing, ASAP, Raluca
------------------------------
UPCOMING DANCE EVENTS
September
24-25,
Saturday, Sunday: Fall Fling, Melbourne Village Historic House
October
1,
Saturday: Oktoberfest and Street Party, Coca Village
2,
Sunday: Polish-American Festival, Fox Lake Park, Titusville. $10
8,
Saturday: Oktoberfest, German-American Club in Casselberry (Orlando
area)
8, 9,
Saturday, Sunday: Greek Festival, St.
Augustine
14-16,
Friday-Sunday: Greek Festival, Maitland (Orlando
area)
29,
Saturday: Greek Festival, Lecanto
November
11-13,
Friday-Sunday: Greek Festival, Daytona
Beach
February 2006
3, 4,
Friday, Saturday: Greek Festival, Ocala
17-20,
Friday-Monday: FFDC Florida Camp, Camp Crystal Lake, Keystone Heights
------------------------------
FALL FLING ANNOUNCEMENT
by jdaly@palmnet.net
Fall Fling is September 24th and 25th. Will start Saturday at 11:00 am and continue until people are ready to quit in the evening (or 10:30 pm whichever comes sooner). Please bring a potluck lunch to share on Saturday. We will have enough left over to share for supper as well, and will supplement with a roast from the kitchen.
As we did last year, we will have a planned program from 1 to 4 (with spaces for occasional requests). If you have some favorites which you would like to see on the program, please send your suggestions as soon as possible to jdaly@palmnet.net.
Sunday will feature a light breakfast followed by predominantly couple dances for those who didn't get enough on Saturday.
Driving directions: From I-95 and US 192 (Exit 180 -- Melbourne New Haven Ave), go east to the traffic signal with the Home Depot on the right, turn left at this light onto Dayton Ave. Go almost to the end (just before the bridge) and turn onto the dirt road at the sign which says, Historic Site Community House. Go to the white building at the end of the road and you're there.
See you at the Fling.
------------------------------
HAROLD JUNG
from Edwina Scinta
Hello,
Everyone, 08/12/05
Harold Jung died Wednesday at the age of
68. He had contracted pneumonia last week, and after 5 days in the hospital,
succumbed to a pulmonary embolism. Hal was the joy of my life. I will miss him
sorely!
Here is a synopsis of his life and career:
Hal was on the faculty of TWC as an associate professor of education and
director of student teaching. Before that he worked with
the Peoples College of Independent Studies, where he developed new programs and
designed instructional material. He was also local
coordinator for the International Education Forum in Bay Shore, NY. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, transferred to Wisconsin State University, where he completed his B.Ed. in Elementary Education. He
went on to the University of Wisconsin, to complete his Ph.D. in Curriculum, and did
additional graduate work at Florida State University, in Tallahassee, in Reading. He taught at all levels, from a Head Start program in a one-room school to critiquing and editing doctoral
dissertations. He was certified to teach
in a wide range of areas, including math, chemistry, science, biology, and reading. He taught
a variety of subjects, some in
the formality of the classroom, some informally in community educational projects. In these
projects he taught computer
use and programming, dance, soccer, volleyball, consumer economics, mushroom identification, and speed reading.
In addition to his diverse academic interests, Hal was involved in diverse physical
activities. He loved to dance, play and coach soccer, canoe, and watch birds.
He was not a natural athlete. Jung claims, "I was the second clutziest kid in high school." His interest in volleyball and soccer started in college, and his enthusiasm for
dancing started quite by accident one day when he
"dropped into a Folk Dance club meeting, out of curiosity. They asked me
back, and I just kept coming back," Jung explains.
He was very active in dance performance
and education, and was interested
in a wide range of dance styles,
from ballroom dancing, to clogging, from ballet to folk, from Arthur Murray and Fred Astaire instructor training programs to being a guest performer at the Arizona Dance Theater and
a member of several international folk dancing clubs.
Hal was a quiet man who acknowledged he
was a "perpetual student."
His interests were so diverse he could talk to almost anyone, almost about anything and contribute something to the conversation. Hal was a man of all seasons. Even his name
was strangely appropriate - "young" in
German, and Hal was certainly very young at heart.
Upon returning from 3 years teaching and writing at Northern
Marianas College in the US Commonwealth
of the Northern Mariana Islands on the island of Saipan, meeting exciting
people and cultures, and enjoying wonderful travel vacations in Korea,
Thailand, the Philippines, and Hong Kong, Hal and I settled in San Antonio, TX.
Here we enjoyed being members of the International Folk Culture Center and performing in the South Texas Polish
Folkdancers. In 2002 Hal started
his "volunteer career", an extension of his lifelong
mission-education. He spent many hours
teaching tutors and writing curriculum for an adult literacy program here in S.A..
If anyone cares to, one can make a
memorial donation to Project Learn to Read
and send it to 211 N. Park Blvd. San Antonio, TX 78204. He would appreciate that.
I will continue to live and work here in
SA. My sister Dorothy, my friends, and relatives have
been very supportive during this sad time.
Love and hugs to all of you. I hope you are all safe and well. Edwina
------------------------------
FFDC CAMP VIDEOS TO DVD PROJECT
By: Pat
Henderson
When I retired about a year and half ago,
I thought that I would have plenty of time to embark on a project of converting
all of our workshop videos to DVDs. Between all the travel we did last year and the hurricanes, I finally started on the project this year.
Bobby helped me upgrade my computer and choose the AV software, Pinnacle. I decided to start with the recent years and I have completed 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004. The first video that I have is from the 1989
workshop so there is a lot more to do. John Daly is receiving a second copy and
is also interested in working on the project. We were wondering if
anyone else is interested in helping. You would need a fairly new or
upgraded computer and AV software that could provide menus so
that each dance can be accessed quickly. For the ones that I have done, you can
see the teaching of the dance separate from dancing the dance. For those of us that are group leaders and/or
teachers, this is so much easier and faster than using the videos. The other obvious reason for the project is
that the dances will be preserved more efficiently over time. If you have any
questions or want to volunteer, contact John or me:
John
: jdaly@palmnet.net or
321-951-9623
Pat: henderp@bellsouth.net or 407-275-6247
FALL WORKSHOP
in Williams Bay, Wisconsin (just west of Lake
Geneva.. featuring local
dance teachers from Wisconsin
and Illinois. as well as programmed dancing, request sessions and reviews.
Dates: Oct.7-9,2005.All
level of dancers are welcome, including beginners. Cost:$185/person. This includes lodging and 3 meals on
Sat. plus 2 meals on Sunday. Beautiful surroundings, nice cabins with
air-conditioning and/or heat, very good food. One of your own FFDC members will
attend (Nancy Wilusz). Come join us.
Contact : Chris
Malcher, 7821 N. Kedvale, Skokie,Il.60076, Ph: 1-847-675-3165
Or: Phyllis Spiegel Pspiegel2@aol.com
8029 Lowell, Skokie,Il.60076, Ph:
1-847-676-3655
------------------------------
FOLKLORE
VILLAGE,
CENTER OF THE WORLD
Judith Baizan
Quotes from FLV Calendar of Events
Folklore Village, where heritage comes alive.
Folklore Village, a celebration of cultures. Folklore Village, making every day magical.
Or making magic every day through its mission of providing for "the
need of people of all ages to have places for joy, camaraderie and
celebration."
If you haven't experienced this
extraordinary institution as yet, you need to go there. On almost any day of the year you will find something special going on in the barn-like
Farwell Hall, the gem of the Folklore Village buildings, where most activities take place. The choices are many. There are Saturday night socials, barn
dances, concerts, craft shows, ethnic celebrations, art shows, and traditional
weekend events.
At one recent weekend event the Hardangar
Fiddle Association of America convened its annual meeting and workshops,
bringing together in one room an amazing number of these unique Norwegian folk instruments, along with their owner-musicians
from all across the country and dancers from everywhere coming to dance to their music. Other such weekends include English Country
Dance, Cajun Dance and Music, Contra Dance, and Swedish Dance and Music.
Coming up soon is the 58th Festival of Christmas & Midwinter Traditions, December
28 to January 1, (with Florida favorite Lee Otterholt on the teaching staff.)
"Jane Farwell founded this enchanting festival in 1947 as an antidote to the commercial packaging of holiday
celebrations. The essential spirit of
Jane's Folklore Village philosophy and the legacy of Jane's magic
shine here. This annual event is the
fabric upon which Folklore Village is embroidered, featuring seasonal
celebrations from around the world, ethnic dancing, crafts, music, storytelling, culture sessions, fantastic food and an outstanding children's program."
To get there just veer a little left as you head due
north, and eventually you will find your self on county road BB at the Folklore
Village entrance, about an hour west of Madison, Wisconsin. To find out more, and to let them know you
are coming try phone: 608 924-4000, email: staff@folklorevillage.org or online
at
www.folklorevillage.org.
------------------------------
GEORGIA
-- ON MY MIND
by JSosb2@aol.com
Here is what some of us Georgians have been up to lately:
In June, Jim and Sara
Osborn went to Romania with the Vasilescus, their third
trip with Theo and Lia. This year the tour went to the Banat and the Oltenia regions, quite
different from Transylvania and Bucovina where we went last year. As before, there were
numerous opportunities to learn dances from experts and to visit villages
where we met and danced with the locals. This year, a group
of younger (in their twenties) folks from Canada, joined us. They
are members of a Romanian dance group and were given money to go on the tour
by their city of Edmonton. Three of them still had family in Romania and stayed after the tour to connect with
them. Theodore is considering another tour next summer.
If you are interested, I will pass on e-mail addresses to you.
David and Dorothy Digby
danced with the FD group in Honolulu, Hawaii, Linda and Sid Gordon went on Mel Mann’s
summer cruise and Liz Nunan assisted with Scandi Camp. Marquette, Michigan, hosted Finn Fest in August and Jim and Sara Osborn attended
and watched several Scandinavian dance groups and listened to much Finnish music. Several
folks will take in the Israeli camp in September and the English
Country Dance workshop.
------------------------------
GRAPEVINE INT’L FOLK DANCERS OF SARASOTA
by Marie Millett <gvduurn@earthlink.net>
I have just arrived home from an evening
of folk dancing. Not just any old
evening of folk dancing but the end of an era. Ann Kessler's last night as our official teacher; however we're not losing her. She
will still be back to dance with us and maybe occasionally
teach as needed.
Ann has been our teacher since 1992.
Sydelle Singer, our former teacher had moved to the Ea
