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2. Olga Princi scholarship -  Yes, there will be an Olga Princi scholarship awarded – if you have sent me your suggestion, please do it again, I can’t find my notes.  What is the Olga Princi scholarship you ask?  This is a non-working scholarship for a dancer who is excited about dancing, will make contributions to their group, can be a new dancer, can be a broke dancer – just send me info so I can make a decision – fast.

3. We need volunteers to do evening snacks – please!  Your board is doing everything else – you can at least bring snacks – c’mon you guys! (Please contact any FFDC officer to volunteer. )

I’m not going to talk about anything else here – I don’t want you to be confused about anything that is superfluous to “camp”.  So – may your New Year be full of dance! 

– TA

From the west via I-4, there is another way that avoids miles of traffic on US 192:  before you reach Orlando, exit on Hwy 417 (toll road, heading east), then exit on Osceola Parkway (another toll road, still heading east).  At either Bermuda Ave. or Orange Blossom Trail (U.S. 441), turn right and travel south to US 192.  Turn left and travel on US 192/441 until you see the Clarion Resort on the left, just before the turnpike entrance.   U turn at the turnpike entrance to reach the hotel.

Tampa Triumphs 

by Terry Abrahams           

Well, we are almost in our new place.  We are going to be back at Kate Jackson Recreation Center next Friday, with hopes of it working out.  We think we’ve worked through all the rules they’ve set up for us and are ready for action!  Not that there’s that many of us, but a couple of bodies and music is better than nothing.

Not to say it wasn’t great fun when Andy P and I went to Orlando for their final dance of the year.  Dinner with P and B and friends, great dancing with at least 20 people (like a small Fling!),  wine and food and a slumber party with 8 of us afterwards was all one could ask for.  Until Julie (P and B’s daughter) made eggs benedict and B made waffles the next morning.  One quick game of 10 Days in Europe and we were outa there, sated in every way!

Judith’s Scandi class was able to keep meeting at Tampa’s Kate Jackson rec center through December.  Then Judith looked high and low and found a new place to meet - at Parish Center B, behind Christ the King Catholic Church on Dale Mabry just south of Swann.  She started meeting there on January 6 and reports that the floor is fine.

Judith and Ernesto had lots of family gatherings over the holidays – what a great gang they’ve got, including two more grandchildren who are ready to add to the fray with little ones.  Andi K was up in Jacksonville with her family for a visit, I had a minimal holiday this year, skipping the Mechol Miami for lack of funds. But, I’m on my way to Singapore with a fencing friend, who’s using airline miles to pay my way and I’ll report on that next month.

In the meantime, hope you all had great holidays and are ready for a wonderful new year – including camp!    Here’s one I like – not just for dancing – “My Attitude is Gratitude”.  Good advice for living.   

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Santa Fe College Demonstration and Participation

by Jack Seltzer

What an exciting few hours for some of us on November 19!  A few weeks earlier, we had received an invitation from Santa Fe College faculty member Robert Brill, to give a group of students a demonstration of international folk dances for Humanities Week.  Mireille, Linda, June, Marilyn, John, Jualene, and I turned out for some fun in the afternoon.

We all showed up a little early at Mr. Brill’s classroom in building R (what a name for a building).  But the lecturer we were to follow hadn’t finished yet.  When he finally finished, 98% of the kids disappeared, even after being told they’d receive 20 points on their next test if they stuck around for this folk dance thing – us.  After a few minutes of consultations, Mr. Brill recruited some of the 3:30 classes that were just beginning.   In a few minutes, the chairs were filled with two classes of puzzled but curious students. Instead of sitting in their humanities classes, they were sitting with us in R building.

Off we went with Rustemul and Valle Pogonishte.  The sounds intrigued them. Then, whoa – it was time for them to get out their chairs to form a circle, holding hands.  Wow – what was going on?

When we took them through the increasingly frantic speed of Raca, the laughs were just beginning.  Stella de Maggio gave them a slower pattern they could control and thought they could relax to.  Batreneasca got them counting to seven in Latin while hopping, stamping and leaping.  Above the Rainbow made them feel like Michael Flatley – a little.  D’Hammerschmid’s G’sellen gave them a chance to finally talk to that person of the other sex in a partner dance, and being a little macho with smashing hands was exhilarating.  A rush job with Baztan Dantza and we were finished.

We had a blast!  We had brought the humanities of international folk dancing to the campus for a few hours.  If not for the building closing at 5 PM, we’d have danced for hours.  If this occasion turns into a regular invitation to us in the future, we’ll be ready.

Dancers Marilyn, Jualene, John, June, Linda and Jack at Santa Fe College

Students dancing

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Book, Music and Videos from Jim Gold

Jim Gold has released some instructional dance material on the Internet.  Last year he published 50 Folk Dances Choreographed by Jim Gold: A Step-by-Step Guide.  There are three companion CDs of the music.  All can be purchased at Jim’s  website: www.jimgold.com.  (Click on “Marketplace”)

He has also produced a number of videos of dances and made them available on the Jim Gold YouTube channel:  www.youtube.com/user/jimgold1.  Some of dances shown there are: Siriul, Donke Lesnoto, U Šest Number 7, Maica, Floricica Olteneasca and  Bučimis.

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Orlando International Folk Dance Club

by Pat Henderson

Our group had a busy November and December.  We had two performances for senior groups: on November 20 at the Downtown YMCA and on December 8 at the Maitland Senior Center.  It had been a few years since our last performance but they both worked out very well.  We also had audience participation after we danced at the Y.

Travelers over the holidays were Joan and Wally Washington with a Panama Canal and Caribbean cruise over Thanksgiving and Fred and Juanita Schockey on a Caribbean cruise over Christmas.  Jan Lathi first visited her son and family in Destin, Florida for Christmas and then flew to Tuscon for a visit with her daughter and family.  Yes, security was a lot different coming back than going there, she said.

Orlando dancers performing at the Downtown YMCA. L to R: Bobby Quibodeaux, Pat Henderson, Juanita Schockey, Joe Birkemeier, Lucy Birkemeier, Laura Nonamaker, Larry Wartell, and Ann Robinson

Mary Jean Linn and Nicky Wise

On December 16, we had our annual holiday party with a pot luck dinner before dancing.  Bobby and I, along with Manuel and Palmira, (the officers of our group) were presented with gift certificates to Paris Bistro (a French restaurant in Winter Park) along with a bottle of French wine.  We are so fortunate to have such a thoughtful group!  We had 33 people for the dinner and the dance hall was so full that we made two circles for some of the dances!   It was good to see Annette Brand of Ottawa again that night. 

Then, on December 30, for sort of a Pre-New Year's Eve gathering, several out-of-towners joined us to make a very big night for us.  Jack and Linda Seltzer, Terry Abrahams, and Andy Pollock visited.  Gary and Caroline Lanker were also there along with Ellen Spielvogel from Honolulu.  We actually had five married couples dancing that night – quite a record!

Bobby and I thank everyone who danced with us last year and we look forward to another great year dancing.  We also look forward to seeing everyone at "camp".  Since the location is so close to Orlando, we almost feel like we are hosting the event.  "Come one, come all, and have a great time in O' town tonight!"

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Gainesville dancers celebrated with a New Years Eve party at Jualene's House.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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On our trip to the west coast in the summer of 2009 (See “From the Editor” in the September/October issue of the Florida Folk Dancer), we went to see a Scandinavian festival in Junction City, Oregon.  Scandinavian dance groups and dance bands from several cities in Oregon and California performed on two stages and did both set dances and couple turning dances.  In August and September, Gary and I danced with Scandinavian dance clubs in Seattle and San Diego.  In Seattle we danced at a party attended by about 40 people, where they had two bands – one local and one from Vancouver.

OH, HOW WE DANCE

Scandinavian Dance in North America

Scandinavian dancers belong to a unique community in North America.  My husband, Gary, and I have gotten to know some of the people and places involved.  It is a far-flung community, with pockets all over the US and in Canada.  One of the larger pockets is in Seattle, where Gary grew up. 

In college, Gary joined an international folk dance club.  On occasion, they visited the Scandia club in Seattle.  Gary knew the hambo, but it soon became obvious that there was far more to Scandinavian dancing than the hambo. Similarly, as an international folk dancer, I learned a few dances like the hambo, Sonderhoning and Snurrbocken.  Gary and I both attended a few Scandinavian dance workshops over the years, including Roo Lester’s workshop at Florida Camp in the early 90’s.  We became more involved in Scandinavian dance when we moved to the Tampa area and started attending Judith Baizan’s Scandi dance classes in 2000.

Some Scandinavian dancers come from Swedish or Norwegian families; many others came to Scandinavian dance through international folk dancing.    Some do international and other types of dance; others are strictly Scandinavian dancers.  Most of the Scandi dancers in recreational clubs in North America concentrate on the couple turning dances of Sweden and Norway, primarily hambos and polskas, waltzes, schottishes, mazurkas, and springars.  There are also many Scandinavian set dances, which are more often done by performing groups. 

Scandia dance party in Seattle

Scandi dancers in North America tend to be particular about keeping their dances authentic.  Teachers are brought over from Sweden and Norway to several Scandinavian dance camps each year.   Some Scandi dancers attend dance camps in Scandinavia and even go through the medal testing in Sweden and Norway.  In the testing, the dancers are not competing with each other.  If they perform the dances correctly, they receive a medal.  The judges are authorities on the folk dances of the various regions of the countries.

Over the past two summers, Gary and I have attended three of the major Scandinavian dance camps: at Mendocino, California in June 2008, at Julian, California at Thanksgiving 2008 and Nordic Fiddles and Feet in New Hampshire in June-July 2009.  One of the delightful aspects of the camps is that all the dancing is to live music, which is usually very good.  There are music and singing classes with professional teachers, as well as dance classes.  The main instruments used are the fiddle, the Hardanger Fiddle (Norwegian) and the nickelharpa (Swedish).  Other instruments often used for dance music are the button accordion, the Jew’s harp and voice – sometimes a solo singer supplies the only music.

Loretta Kelly teaching a fiddle class at Nordic Fiddles and Feet

Photos by Caroline Lanker

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The camps incorporate other aspects of Scandinavian culture, as well.  There is usually a special Scandinavian dinner, with a traditional procession into the dining hall led by all the musicians. 

At Nordic Fiddles and Feet, the festive dinner included a Viking ship smorgasbord with dishes including salmon, smoked herring and lingonberries, plus singing and toasting in Swedish and Norwegian.

Musicians leading the procession into the dining room at Nordic Fiddles and Feet

Smorgasbord table decorated as a Viking ship at Nordic Fiddles and Feet

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Sarasota Grapeviners

by Judy Merkt

First and foremost, a resounding Happy New Year to all of our fellow Florida folk dancers, whether you be full or part-time Floridians.  None of us can believe that a decade has passed since all of the Y2K hullabaloo, but here we are in year 2010.  And although 2010 may not be looking like a great year for the economy (time will tell), it is looking like a wonderfully fun dance year for us.

Here in Sarasota, we start the year off with our Third Annual Snow Party on Wednesday, January 20th.  You are all invited.  We have this little dance party to ring in the new year and to welcome back our many snowbirds.  Actually we need absolutely no excuse to have a party, but it just sounds better if we give a reason.  It will be an all-request dance night with Andi Kapplin putting together a program of pre-requested dances. We also extend our break-time to 30 minutes so we have more time to socialize and enjoy the light snacks that everyone brings.  So, think about visiting us in Sarasota.  If you are coming a distance, many of us have a guest room that can be had – at cheap rates too!

Additional January excitement is that Israeli Folk Dancing will be offered on Monday nights, starting January 4, at the Sarasota Bayfront Community Center.  That is the same venue where we meet for international dancing each Wednesday. 

The instructor is Mary Finegold, well-known here in Sarasota. She can provide more information, at 941-727-5109 or maryfinegold@yahoo.com. The cost is $5 per session or five sessions for $20, and the time is 7:00 to 9:30 PM.  I hope I can fit another dance night in my schedule, because I really love the Israeli music and dances.

In February, the Duquesne University Tamburitzans are coming to Sarasota.  Yes!  They will be performing at the Glenridge Theatre in Palmer Ranch.  At this writing, we just know that they will be performing on Sunday, February 28^th. See Events.   Many of us "newbie dancers" have not seen this marvelous group perform and we are very excited that a performance is being offered right here.  We don't intend to miss it.

One last thing – we will have our Third Annual World Dance Day Celebration on Wednesday, April 28th.  Details will be in a future newsletter, but pencil it in on your calendar – just in case you can join us. 

Well, that pretty much takes us through the first part of this year.  As always, we would love to see you on a Wednesday night if and when you are in the Sarasota/Bradenton/Venice area.  Some dance evenings, our brains don't seem to be transmitting very well to our feet, but we always have a good time.   Remember – Wednesdays, 7 PM, Bayfront Community Center, 803 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota.

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Greek Pride in Gainesville

by Jack Seltzer

[The November Florida Folk Dancer included pictures and a short blurb about this event, but the rest of the article didn’t make it into that issue.  Here it is.]

We do a lot of Greek dances – syrtos, Miserlou, hora, etc. – in our international mix on Friday nights.  But doing them in our group isn’t same as the experience we had when we took one Friday night off from our regular dance and joined the Gainesville Greek community  in the “Greek Dance and Celebration” on October 9 at the Gainesville Woman’s Club. It was a fund-raiser for the St. Elizabeth Greek Orthodox Church – and a celebration of Greek pride – attended by about 200-250 folks of mostly Greek heritage or Eastern Orthodox persuasion.

First in the door, Linda and I ran into Charles and Arlene and before we could sit down, Charles was off to find where they were serving a fine Greek white wine.  A sample of some retsina reminded us of its uniqueness.  Shortly thereafter, Julieta, John, Becky, Mireille, and Jualene arrived to round out our table of nine.

A local Greek group, the Embros Orchestra, (www.embrosorchestra.com/bios.html) was up and running. Eleni, the lead female singer, began belting out songs with her distinctive raspy Greek timbre. What an unusual voice she has – high and extremely strong. I’ve heard the style somewhere before. It’s extremely Greek. Her father, Leo, blends with her in an easy harmony on most of the tunes.

Pretty soon, we all got going, with Linda leading a Miserlou. A few of the Greeks joined in with us. Most sat and watched politely.  Then John led our first syrto.  To dance in such a roomy space to a loud, distinctive live band was really neat.

Time for a quick salute at the table with our second bottle of wine.  Nothing like a real Greek party! Mireille began to wonder where they were hiding the Greek hors’ d’oeuvres. Nothing yet, so I got into a hora rhythm and more folks got involved as we wove all around the dance floor.

Then the call came to “Come and get it.”  Spinach and cheese wraps, meat balls, Greek salad with potato; nice spicy, but not too hot, chicken wings and legs, and more.  What a great Greek feast! We had some fine food and wine to wash it down. But digestion was interesting, with jumping up between bites to join in a dance every two to three minutes. It felt as if I ate for over an hour, at least.

Then it was time for the presentations by the church and the Center for Greek Studies at the University of Florida (UF).  A shot-putter from Georgia, a Greek UF baseball player and a politician of Greek heritage were honored.  It felt as if we were in a Greek movie.

Next up was a Greek American troupe of about 30 students to give us a lively dance performance with some hasapikos rhythms – informal and spirited.  

After that, the night was a free for all. Pretty much everyone joined in the dancing.  Aren’t they all dances where you can just jump in?  Follow the leader and you’re O.K.  Just join in and you can easily feel the Greek spirit.

Raffle drawings gave us a minor break in the action.  Around 10:30, after 3½ hours, the Baklava and white cookies with coffee rounded out the evening and calmed us down a little.  Embros didn’t stop playing until most people had left.

We had seen Greek pride and spirit. We had joined the Greek family for a night.  This night was special. To be with our fine friends and dropped into such a scene was truly a memorable time. Now at our regular Friday night dance party, we can remember the experience of Greek pride.

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Fall Fling Photos

Here are some Fall Fling photos that didn't make it into the last issue. Top: Donna Young and Claudia Terrence; left: Felissa Gaber. See the full report of Fall Fling in the November 2009 issue.

Our next Fling is Spring Fling, April 3, see the FFDC website calendar.

Photos by Caroline Lanker

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Events

Place: Bayfront Community Center, 801 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota

Time: 7 to 9:30 PM

Bring a snack to share and wear costumes or festive clothing.

Contact: Judy Merkt, jamerkt@comcast.net, 941-379-6302

February 5 - 6 Greek Festival, Ocala

Place: Blessed Trinity Catholic Church,

5 SE 17th St., Ocala, FL 34471

Time: Friday 3 PM - 9 PM; Saturday 11 AM - 8 PM

Information: www.greekfestivalocala.com

February 6-7 Israeli Dance Workshop

with Dany Benshalom and Ruthy Slann

Place: Gainesville Garden Club (tentative)

1350 NW 75th St

Gainesville, FL 32605

(352) 331-0426

Times: Saturday 6:30 PM – 10:30 PM;

Sunday 9 AM – 6 PM

Price: full time $55 or $45 for students;

Contact Tony Arroyo 352-485-1210 or Joseph Simpkins 352-283-0649 – or Pat Henderson and Bobby Quibodeaux from Orlando, who are planning to go.

Information and registration form on the FFDC website calendar

February 11-14 Greek Festival, Sarasota

Place: St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church, 7671 North Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota (Intersection of Lockwood Ridge and Tallevast Roads)

Times: Thursday – Saturday: 11 AM – 9 PM;

Sunday: Noon – 8 PM

Contact: the church at 941-355-2616; toll free (outside Florida) 877-355-2272

February 12-15, 2010 Florida Folk Dance "Camp"

Place: Clarion Resort, 2261 E. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway (U.S. 192), Kissimmee, FL

See Prez Sez and look for more information on the FFDC website and in past newsletters.

Information for all of the following Greek festivals is at www.yasas.com/greek-festivals.asp

February 12 – 14 Greek Festival, Clearwater

Place: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 409 Old Coachman Road, S., Clearwater, FL 34625

Times: Friday: Noon – Midnight; Saturday: 11 AM – Midnight; Sunday: Noon - 9 PM

Contact: Church at 813-799-4605

February 12 - 14 Greek Festival, Ft. Lauderdale

Place: St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 815 NE 15th Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33304

Times: Friday and Saturday: Noon - 11 PM; Sunday: Noon - 7 PM

Contact: The church, 954-467-1515

February 18 - 20 Greek Festival, Port Charlotte

Place: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 24411 Rampart Blvd., Port Charlotte, FL 33980

Times: Thursday 11 AM - 9 PM Friday:

11 AM -  9 PM; Saturday: Noon - 8 PM

Contact: the church, 941-629-3888

February 26 - 28 Greek Festival, Melbourne

Place: St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church, 5965 Wickham Road, Melbourne, FL 32940

Times: 11 AM - 11 PM each day

Contact: the church, 321-254-1045

February 26 - 28 Greek Festival, Ft. Myers

Place: Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 8210 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers, FL 33919

Times: Friday: 11 AM - 11 PM; Saturday: 11 AM - 11 PM; Sunday: Noon - 7 PM

Contact: the church, 239-481-2099

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Please note: The Florida Folk Dancer prints information on folk dance tours, camps and other events that may be of interest to our readers. This does not imply an endorsement or recommendation of any tour or camp (except our own FFDC events!).

International Folk Dance Tours

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Selected tours, are listed in each newsletter. A more extensive list of tours can be found in the calendar on the FFDC website.

June 10-26, 2010 Folkdance On The Water,

China and Yangtze River

Led by Mel Mann, with dance teacher Sandy Starkman

Two days in Shanghai plus eight-day Yangtze River Cruise

Information: www.folkdanceonthewater.org/indexb.php

Contact: Mel Mann, 510-526-4033, meldancing@aol.com

October 10-23 Greece and Crete Tour

Optional Greek Island Cruise Extension October 23-27, and Santorini extension, October 26-29

A Jim Gold Tour, led by Jim Gold and Lee Otterholt

Information on all Jim Gold tours: www.jimgold.com

Contact: Jim Gold International, 497 Cumberland Avenue, Teaneck, NJ 07666; 201-836-0362, jimgold@jimgold.com

March 6 World Culture Folk Dance Competition

(part of the Azalea International Folk Fair)

Time: 10:30 AM – 6 PM

Place: James Rainwater Conference Center, 1 Meeting Place, Valdosta, GA 31601 (near the intersection of Hwy 401 and US 84/221)

Information: www.gainternationalfolkfair.org

March 2 Duquesne Tamburitzans

90 minute performance

Place: South Florida Community College Auditorium, 600 West College Drive (off of U.S. 27), Avon Park, FL

Time: 1:30 PM

Contact: Box Office, 863-784-7178

March 2 Duquesne Tamburitzans

Place: Huntington Pointe Theater, Delray Beach, FL.  Huntington Pointe is a community located on Jog Road between Atlantic Avenue and Lake Ida Road.

Time: 8 PM

Contact: Mel Fishcoff, 561-495-7722

March 3 Duquesne Tamburitzans

Place: Eissey Campus Theatre, 11051 Campus Drive, in Palm Beach Community College at 3160 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410

Time: 8 PM

Contact: Box Office, 561-207-5900

February 27 Duquesne Tamburitzans

Place: Daytona State College Theatre, 1200 West International Speedway Boulevard, Daytona Beach, FL 32120, 386-254-3000 (Note that the place has changed from what was initially posted on the FFDC website calendar.)

Time: 4 PM

Julius Horvath will have tickets on sale at "Camp" for $15; price at the door - $25

Contact: Stacy Codd, 386-760-9623

Information for all Tamburitzans performances: www.duq.edu/tamburitzans

February 28 Duquesne Tamburitzans

Place: Glenridge Performing Arts Center in Palmer Ranch, Sarasota, at the corner of Honore and Palmer Ranch Pkwy.  For directions, go to theglenridge.com and click on INFO at the bottom of the page.

Time: 3 PM

Price: $25 regular; $23 seniors (age 60 & up)

Contact: box office 941-552-5325

March 14 Jewish Heritage Festival

Place: News-Journal Center, 221 N. Beach St. Daytona Beach, FL

Time: 11 AM -5 PM

Contact: Festival office, 386-316-3626

Information: www.jewishheritagefestival.com

Return Address:

Florida Folk Dancer

1963 S. Lake Reedy Blvd.

Frostproof, FL 33843

USA

FIRST CLASS

FLORIDA FOLK DANCER

Florida Folk Dancer is published six to eight times a year by the Florida Folk Dance Council, Inc., a non-profit corporation whose purpose is to further knowledge, performance, and recreational enjoyment of International Folk Dance.

2009 FFDC OFFICERS:

President: Terry Abrahams

813-234-1231

president@folkdance.org

VP: Pat Henderson

407-275-6247 
henderp@bellsouth.net 

Secretary/Treasurer: John Daly

321-482-6818

treasurer@folkdance.org

Historian: Dan Lampert

PO Box 151719

Altamonte Springs, FL 32715

dan300@dlc2.com

Newsletter Editor: Caroline Lanker

1963 S. Lake Reedy Blvd.

Frostproof, FL 33843

863-635-9366

editor@folkdance.org

Submissions: Send all newsletter submissions to the Editor.

Copyright: Articles in the Florida Folk Dancer are copyright by the Florida Folk Dance Council, Inc., or by their individual authors.

Subscriptions for printed and mailed copies are $15 per year per person ($20 per family) and include membership in the Florida Folk Dance Council. Membership without printed newsletters is $10 per person or $15 per family. The membership year runs from one annual Florida Folk Dance Camp (usually February) to the next. The newsletter is posted on the FFDC website and members with e-mail addresses are notified of its availability.

FFDC Website: www.folkdance.org