October - November 2012

Contents

Events and Tours

Prez Sez

It’s time to be thinking about our FFDC Presidents’ Weekend Camp 2013, which isn’t that far away – February 15 - 18! In case you haven't heard, the teachers will be Ercument Kilic, coming all the way from Turkey, and Miroslav “Bata” Marcetic, coming all the way from Toronto (and originally from Serbia) to teach Serbian dances. Though we call it dance “camp”, it takes place in a hotel with all the trimmings, so no need for sleeping stuff, bathing stuff , etc.  There are a pool and hot tub, there is food, there is dancing – what more could we ask?

Registrar John Daly reports that the deal we offered (free DVD or t-shirt) for registration by November 4 was a big success. Over 30 people registered. So, we are well on our way to a successful Camp 2013. If you haven’t registered yet, camp is still a great deal. We are keeping the price the same as 2012, even though the cost of the hotel is going up.

Are you coming to camp?  If so, please register. Registration forms have been mailed to our newsletter mailing list. You can register on the FFDC website – www.folkdance.org – or print paper copies of the registration form from the website. The deadline to register and get the group rate is January 10. After that, you will still be able to register for the teaching, review sessions and parties, but you may be on your own for sleeping accommodations and meals. (However, if you miss the deadline and want to come to camp, check with John Daly or Pat Henderson about possibilities, anyway, in case there are cancellations.)

Please…

1) Make sure that when you register you use the

name you want on your button (what you want people to call you)

2) Look at the camp 2013 T-shirt design on page 2,

so you know whether you want one. I seldom make extras, so think ahead.

3) Think of costumes to bring if you are into

costumes. (A longer list of what to bring will be in the next issue, plus directions to camp, etc.)

4) If you have something to sell at camp, let me know

so we can make a space for you.

We need volunteers to help at camp. Please contact me if you can do any of the following tasks:

1) Set up a space for non-dancers (or resting

dancers) with games, cards, puzzles.

2) Provide snacks for one of the evenings.  Food can

be ethnic – Serbian/Balkan or Turkish/Middle Eastern – if  you’d like, or not. Get together with friends to coordinate the snack for one evening.

3) Consider offering something terrific for the

auction. There will be a live auction similar to the one in 2012, but shorter. Send your ideas to Judith Baizan or me.  Smaller items will go to the silent auction.

4) Help with the auction, any part:

- Setting up

- Recording purchases and collecting money

- Being the auctioneer

5) Help with check-in at camp.

- Help set up

- Help register people as they arrive

6) Help to set up the sound system.



7) Help with the music for a short time – during either

the workshops or the evenings. There will be a regular programmer, but additional help will be needed.

One of the important things we do at camp is to hold our annual FFDC business meeting.  Next year is an election year. We need to elect or re-elect all of our officers and we will have two vacancies. Caroline Lanker is resigning as newsletter editor at the end of camp and Judy Merkt is resigning as vice president.  Judy is starting a business, which requires a huge amount of time and energy, and Caroline will have been the newsletter editor for seven years by camp time and needs a break.

Besides those positions, all the officers have been in their jobs for two years. They must be either re-elected or replaced in 2013. Their names, positions, and contact information are at the end of this newsletter. In order to avoid burnout and stagnation, we need new people to take on positions of leadership in FFDC. If you might be willing to serve as an FFDC officer, or to help in any way, please contact any of the officers to discuss the jobs. See From the Editor for more information about the editor position.

– TA

Camp 2013 T-shirt Design

Here is the design for the FFDC Presidents' Weekend camp 2013 t-shirt. For those of you seeing this in black and white, the colors are black and white on turquoise.

From the Editor

OK, folks. It is time for me to move on from the editorship of the Florida FolkDancer. I signed up for this job at FFDC camp in 2006. I have found the job of newsletter editor to be satisfying in many ways. It is creative. It is a wonderful way to get to know people in our folkdance community and be warmly welcomed wherever you go to dance. I feel that the newsletter helps to bring together folk dancers in Florida and Georgia into a close community, despite the physical distances between us. I hope that the next editor will get as much out of the job as I have.

I did not start out knowing how to do everything. Gradually, I learned how to do the newsletter, tried out new things and made it my own. I hope that the next newsletter editor will do the same. I have gotten help over the years from FFDC. I could not easily do the printing and mailing of the paper copies; other people stepped up to do those tasks. For a time, I was keeping the online calendar along with doing the newsletter. I found it difficult to do both at the same time, so Pat Henderson took over the online calendar. In the past year, I have gotten help from different people on some of the regular tasks of doing the newsletter. Terry Abrahams even took over and did the July 2012 issue when I was out of the country. 

I can assure the next newsletter editor that I will help him or her to get started and not be critical of his/her efforts. Nor, should anyone else be. We are all volunteers and we do what we can.

If you have an interest in writing and like creative endeavors, please think about becoming the next newsletter editor. I will be happy to answer any questions you have about the requirements of the task. Please contact any of the officers if you are interested in any position in FFDC, including newsletter editor.

- CL

Auction Alert: 

The Olga Princi Memorial Scholarship Auction at FFDC Presidents' Weekend Camp is a participation event. We can all start participating right now by checking our closets and cupboards for some appealing items to donate. Call or email Terry a description of your item, including both a suggested value and a minimum bid price.


Andor Czompo Workshop

November 2-4, 2012 was a very special weekend.  Like many of you, I folk danced in college in the late 70’s.  Unlike the rest of you, I stopped dancing when I got married, until a few years ago.  As I watch the request lists at camp and the flings, there are just too many dances that most FFDC members have known for years, and great teachers whom I have never met.  So, I started the search for teachers whom I have never danced with to invite to a small workshop.  I am grateful to Julius Horvath and Andy Taylor-Blenis for supporting Andor in coming to teach.   

The best part of the entire weekend was watching the joy on Andor’s face when we put his favorite music on.  Watching Andor dance, his music captured us all.  It was wonderful to see all the dancers respect and honor one of the people who brought folk dance to this country.  Thank you everyone, for supporting this weekend as part of our own FFDC village.

Andor and Andy teaching.

There’s a song we Jews sing at Passover called “Dayenu.”  It means, “It would have been enough.”  It starts with, "if God had just taken us out of Egypt – Dayenu” – “It would have been enough," then goes on to all the other things God did for us.  Well, in this case:  Andor.

If he had been there only one day – Dayenu

If this hadn’t been his last workshop – Dayenu

If he hadn’t taught any dances, but just told his wonderful stories – Dayenu

If Andy (Taylor-Blenis) wasn’t there to help him – Dayenu

If we only had wonderful food – Dayenu

If we had just seen good friends and danced – Dayenu

Teachers Andy Taylor-Blenis and Andor Czompo with event organizers John Daly and Jean Murray.

Workshop photos by Caroline Lanker, except as noted.

Most of the dances I have learned in the last few years have been beautiful, but without context.  Andor gave us the slice of village life that accompanied each dance. “Lakodalmi Tanc” gave me goosebumps with its hauntingly beautiful melody.  I will always keep the image of a circle of young ladies changing the headdress of the young bride in her journey from a girl to a woman during that dance, and feel the emotional impact of the life changing event.   

Andor’s life is a slice of European/American history.  From fighting revolutions, to evading troops to rescue his child, listening to his culture corner was riveting.   His sorrow in watching the village lifestyle disappear was felt by all of us. 

But, all of this and more did happen – all in one weekend and it was more than enough – it was wonderful! Seeing Andor for his last workshop, having been drawn out of retirement by his good friend Julius Horvath, was such a privilege, let alone a piece of history – wow! Dancing Friday and Saturday evenings was our usual wonderful time, seeing dancers from other parts of the states (including Roo Lester) was special. Thanks to Jean and John for organizing this wonderful event. And thanks to the Melbourne “girls” for their terrific hospitality. Those of you who couldn’t make it missed a marvelous weekend! 


Workshop panorama.

We lived three days and two nights of the “what, where, when, why, and who” of the essence of Hungarian dancing.

Thank you Melbourne folk dancers!

Bringing us Andor Czompo and his incredible talent and understanding of the beginnings of folk dancing in America provided a special experience for all of us to enjoy. Those from all around the state: Tampa, Gainesville, High Springs, Orlando, Tallahassee, the Palm Beaches; out of state: Michigan, Virginia, Chicago, Atlanta gave Andor a fine celebration of his Hungarian dance experience this past half century or more.

Yes, this was an "all Andor" weekend in Melbourne. He gave us a fine interpretation to the Hungarian dance experience. We understand better what the individuality of dancing to the Hungarian music does to your body and thoughts. We appreciate better the whole village interactional experience between men and women (forgos), men only (verbunk) and women only (karikazo).

“Going bowling” will never be the same, by the way. Thank you very much Andor!

And Andy Taylor-Blenis was pretty phenomenal with her everything all the time. Her partnering with Andor all weekend was too perfect to believe. Thank you Andy!

Andor's Culture corner – Andy listened intently.

The under-60's and (most of ) the over-80's: top: Mary Beth Shaw, Kelly Fagan, Aurora Frew, Jan Murray, Laura Nonamaker, Andy Taylor-Blenis. Lower: Andor Czompo, Judith Baizan, Julius Horvath, Ernesto Baizan, Bernice Roth, Fannie Salerno, Willa Davidsohn

Photos by Marilyn Frew

As you can see by the above comments plus Pat’s in the Orlando article and Kelly’s song, the Andor workshop was a very special occasion for those of us who attended. Besides everything everyone else has said, another thing that was very special for me was re-learning Lakodalmi Tanc from Andor. When Gary and I got married in 1989, we had a folk dance reception and the women folk dancers put me in the center of their circle and did Lakodalmi Tanc in my honor. I told Andor about that after the teaching and he was quite touched.  He said it warmed his heart.

Photo by Jack Seltzer


Andor Czompo Workshop Attendees

Front: Bobby Quibodeaux, Marilyn Frew, John Daly, David Davia, Aurora Frew, Lou Davia, Laura Nonamaker

Seated in chairs: Bernice Roth, Pat Henderson, Pat Pieratte, Andy Taylor-Blenis, Andor Czompo, Jean Murray, Caroline Lanker, Judith Baizan, Ernesto Baizan, Doris Wolman

Standing: Roo Lester, Mary Beth Shaw, Jack Seltzer, Linda Nicoli, Rich Nicoli, Linda Seltzer, Sharon Dockter, Gary Dockter, Julian Horvath, Melanie Goldberg, John Parrish, Liz Nunan, Kelly Fagan, Deane Jordan, Ann Robinson, Gary Lanker, Juanita Schockey, Doris Gonzales, Dorothy Archer, David Digby, Robin Brigaerts, Terry Abrahams, Willa Davidsohn, Ursula Tison

Photo by Cate Mamber

Hungary, the Country of Our Pleasure

Hungary, the country of our pleasure,

Andor is our mentor beyond measure

Andy Taylor-Blenis is just glowing

And if you don’t like it, please go bowling.

Csárdás, czárdás,

Then a little hoppy step

Csárdás, czárdás,

Some day we will be adept.

Ladies use your petticoats and bustles

Gentlemen, those leg hits require muscles

Careful, now just don’t create a sandstorm

Shuffling feet for Andy sound the A-larm.

Csárdás, czárdás,

Bend your knees, Go easy now.

Csárdás, czárdás,

Twirl as partners, Graceful, how!

Andor, you’re a gem to us, a treasure

Stories to delight and style so clever

Thank you for your gifts, your art, your knowing!

If it’s all the same to you – we’ll not go bowling!

[Inspired by the parody “Hungarian Goulash No. 5” by Allan Sherman and sung to part of the melody of Hungarian Dance No. 5 by Johannes Brahms. Commissioned by a high bidder in the Olga Princi Scholarship Auction at Presidents' Weekend Camp, 2012. Performed November 4, 2012 at the Andor Czompo Hungarian Dance Workshop.

Laureate Kelly has been commissioned to write another song, to be performed at Presidents' Weekend 2013. Another reason to register for camp!]

The tune, adapted from Brahms:


Croatia Homeland

I was part of the group that recently toured Croatia and Slovenia with Jim Gold. You’ve probably already read the summary of that trip in the last issue of the newsletter. I went to Croatia a couple of days early, though, to fulfill a lifelong dream of visiting the homeland of my father’s parents.   

A little background on the grandparents –

Grandpa (a Kambic) and Grandma (a Riberich) didn’t meet until they both had immigrated to the US around 1905. While in Rankin, Pennsylvania (just outside of Pittsburgh), the local Croatian community convinced them to marry one another as they came from the same region back in Croatia. I can’t say the marriage was a happy one, but they had seven children including Matthew, my father, born in 1915.

Seeing the hard life from which these ancestors came (in rolling rocky hills best suited for goats and olive trees) certainly makes me appreciate what we gained by them making the grand journey across the Atlantic. And walking the places where my grandparents started from was emotionally satisfying – and gave me a sense of why they looked for something greater in the USA. 

And how does this all relate to dancing?  Many from that part of Croatia settled in Rankin, where they formed an expat Croatian community, including the building of Hrvatska Dom (Croatian Home).  The community also started the Rankin Kolo Group, of which I became a member when I was five years old.  My first performance as a dancer started like this in Hrvatska Dom, in the upper concert hall: 

It was a large, darkened auditorium.  The raised stage was lit in the distance.  The wide wooden floor was flat, with rows of folding chairs extending off to the left and right, forming the long center aisle.  The chairs were full of people, mostly parents, grandparents, and siblings.  Nervous, excited, and young, I was in the middle of all of it. This was big. This was a performance night.

I was at the end of the line of dancers, moving up the center aisle in step to the music. I remember people smiling at me. As we got closer to the stage in our dance, something happened.  The girl in front of me let go of my hand and she headed left.  All the sudden, there I was, at the apex of the chairs and stage and no one was holding my hand. I turned around and faced the audience, not knowing what to do. The faces of the audience flashed across my vision. Luckily, the girl who had just let go of my hand came back and retrieved me and led me off, to a smattering of applause and laughter.  It turned out that as the line of dancers came up the middle aisle, we were to alternate, one left, one right, etc. Somehow I had forgotten that from rehearsal.

Kambic house, Brlog, Croatia

Photo by Vicki Kulifay

For this adventure in Croatia, I hired an English-speaking driver to take me to Kamanje and Brlog, small villages located about 70 kilometers west of Zagreb.  Kamanje is the larger village where the local church is located.  Brlog is the tiny (14 houses) spot where the families supposedly lived.  Unfortunately, while I was able to meet with the parish priest, the records were off in Zagreb getting rebound and refurbished.  We then drove to Brlog, about one kilometer away.  While no one I spoke with that day in the villages was either a Kambic or Riberich, I was able to have identified a home in the village of Brlog owned by a Kambic.  Unfortunately, the owner now lives in Slovenia (about 5 kilometers away) and only comes to Croatia every once in a while to do maintenance.

Fortunately for me, that traumatic experience at age five did not mark me for life, and I continued to participate in folk dance and music. 

Auction Item Ideas: Build something!  Sew something!  Brew something!


Stockton Folk Dance Camp 2012

FFDC members Jan Lathi and Diane Baker (remember her from Florida Presidents' Weekend 2011 and 2012?) attended Stockton Folk Dance Camp week 1 (July 22 – 29); Gary and I attended week 2 (July 29 – August 5) on the campus of the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA.

The teachers and dances taught are the same for both weeks, but you can’t learn all of them unless you go both weeks. For my money, the camp was fantastic, as usual.

Lee Otterholt leads the line in the above picture. The long line snaking around the floor is typical at Stockton Folk Dance Camp, where the attendance is about 150 each week. Next to Lee is Brazilian teacher Lucia Cordeiro. And behind Lee, in dark clothes, with his back to the camera, is Polish teacher Richard Schmidt.

Jan was surprised that Lee attended as a camper. Lee is on the board of directors of the camp and attends every year, whether or not he teaches.

A number of young dancers attend Stockton every year, most on work scholarships. The group at right are performing in the talent show.

Miroslav "Bata" Marcetic and a drummer were a big hit at the opening night's dance, shown above. 2012 was Bata's first time at Stockton. He was a ball of energy, attending the other teachers' classes as well as teaching his own.

Gary and I tried the Japanese dances, taught by Iwao Tamaoki and his wife Machiko, shown at left. We found their dances lovely but hard because the movements are so unfamiliar. All of the large contingent of Japanese campers attended their classes.

In the background (left to right) are Joyce and Gordon Holcomb, me, Gary, and dance teacher Irina Arabagi. The Holcombs live in Oregon, a few miles north of where we stay there. We have danced with them in Oregon on several occasions, including at their house.

We enjoyed Irina and George Arabagi's classes in Ukranian and Moldovan dance. One of their dances was a version of Hopak, happily not as strenuous as we did years ago.

Photos this page are by official camp photographers. Wen-Li Chiang, Mike Giusto, and Eileen Kopec. Many more photos of camp are available on line at www.folkdancecamp.smugmug.com/FDC-2012


Mountain Playshop 2012

The Great Adventure of Bobboo and the Sultry Seven (counting Peg, the GPS)

September 21-23, 2012

YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly, Black Mountain, NC

About 80 dancers gathered from NC, SC, FL, TN, TX, GA, VA, and WI to see Lee Otterholt teach dances from Greece, Bulgaria, Hungary, Brazil and Quebec. Balkan Bazaar with Suze and Richie added shopping pleasure to the weekend. Quote of the weekend:  Suze said, “Life is too short to wear boring socks.”

Pat Henderson, Bobby Quibodeaux, Kelly Fagan, Ann Robinson, Arleen Kaufmann, Jan Lathi and Julieta Brambila drove up on Thursday, September 20. Vicki Kulifay, who flew in for the weekend, completed the Florida contingent. Those of us who drove thoroughly enjoyed staying with Kay Demos at her mountain retreat with her gracious hospitality. More on that, below. Kay joined Bobboo and the Sultry Six for a luncheon at The Grove Park Inn, a historic stone hotel built in 1913, with a terrace overlooking the skyline of Asheville.

We were treated to a homemade Slovenian roll (nicknamed “pizza”, even though one type had nuts and the other an apricot paste) and locally made ice cream, flavored with Madagascar vanilla bean, ginger, dark Belgian chocolate, and, of course, peaches. Kelly, as chief chocolate server, conducted a scientific analysis of ice cream flavor body language. Synopsis available on request. 

Lee Otterholt teaching

Photo by Pat Henderson

Lodging was austere, but comfy. Our lodge contained our sleeping area and dining room. The catered food was generous and wholesome. The uphill walk was a good alternative to the pre-dance warmup exercises. 

All the new dances were taught by 1:30 pm Saturday, after which a late lunch was served. The entire afternoon was at our fancy. Some of the gang went to Asheville to admire local fine crafts and walked out with bags full. Lee reviewed all the dances at the Saturday night party as well as in the formal Sunday morning final review. We found this approach especially reinforcing, allowing us extra time to internalize the movement patterns.

The Florida connection at Mountain Playshop: Front: Bobby Quibodeaus, Kathy Dudek; standing: Ruthy Slann, Ann Robinson, Pat Henderson, Kelly Fagan, Kay Demos, Julieta Brambila, Jan Lathy, Vicki Kulifay, Arleen Kaufmann

Details of the sleepover:  Seven of us converged on (were kindly invited by) Kay Demos for a sleepover at her "cottage" (mansion) on Thursday night. She was a gracious hostess in an awesome setting.  After a wonderful breakfast of Bobby's scrambled eggs, tea, toast and coffee, he, with caulking gun in hand, sealed some roof leaks around several skylights, while some of the ladies helped decorate Kay's walls by hanging paintings and a mirror. Meanwhile, Kelly and Julieta set off upon a nature walk, which turned into a bug walk, in the woods behind the house. They photographed mushrooms, wildflowers, spider webs, and various insects waking up in the cool, dew-filled vines and bushes. Kelly wrote a poem for the occasion - see p. 15.

We enjoyed Lee's vocalizations—from styling instructions, to deep loud male singing, to surprise additions that kept us either alert or laughing.  Some of the dances were fun, carefree and light while others possessed earthy solidity and power. The weather was perfect, ranging from the mid 50s to the upper 70s. 


Digby-Archer Doings

In June, we enjoyed a few days’ vacation at Hard Labor Creek State Park and back-to-back Writers’ Club and contra dance picnics. Later that month, we drove south to visit the Okefenokee Swamp and Jekyll Island, with Dorothy’s grandson, Timothy.

We mostly stayed home in July and August, except for our regular weekly Monday and monthly Saturday international dances, weekly Friday contra dances and third Saturday Writers’ Club meetings. September 14-16, we attended the Fandango English Country Dance Weekend in Atlanta.

Sapelo Island "Shouters" performing

Photos by David Digby

In October, Dorothy organized a workshop to learn Dutch Crossing, an English dance that requires a set of 16 dancers. Seth Tepfer taught it to a group of contra dancers a few years ago, and was more than eager to do it again. Two weeks later, Colin Hume held a one-night English dance workshop in Atlanta, on his way to several events in Florida. The next week, Dorothy and I helped demonstrate English Country Dancing at a Tuesday Senior Citizen party in Johns Creek, GA. We attended the contra Hallowe’en dance on Friday, October 26 and David Cooper’s fabulous annual Halloween Party the next night.

Sapelo Island performers, doing a dance representing rounding up turkeys – a fine entertainment for the kids.

Dancer Kathy Dudek joined us in going to the October 20th annual Cultural Day Festival on Sapelo Island, GA.  It is a really laid back country festival put on by the Gullah/Geechee community, some of whom still live on the island. We stayed in Darien, GA the nights before and after, took the ferry over to the island and back, and visited Fort King George while there. Kathy drove here directly from work on Friday and left for home barely in time to get a night’s rest before going to work Monday morning.

Announcement:

Mel Mann to Retire from Dance on the Water

2013 will be the 29th year that I have organized and escorted the cruises of  Dance on the Water. At the end of 2013 there will have been 55 Dance on the Water trips to many countries and continents and many glorious memories. But to everything there is a season. The 2013 trips to the Three Rivers and to India will be my final ones as the owner of Dance on the Water.

For the past twenty-nine years I have been grateful for the opportunity and the ability to bring the joy to friends, new and old ones, of dancing on the upper deck of a ship at night, with the moon shining overhead in some beautiful exotic place in the world.  We have, together, learned about other people and cultures and in so doing enriched our lives.  It was our hope to bring some understanding among different people and advance the hope for peace in this world.

I am grateful for the loyal support of the people that traveled with me and stood by me when unexpected occurrences made it necessary to change itineraries.  I have made life-long friends through this work.  My training as a social worker and psychologist often came in handy, as did my patience and creativity.

I hope that many of you will join me on these two last trips, so I can give you a hug, and you can help me celebrate this passage in  life. If you cannot make the trips, please send me a hug by email.

If you cannot join us on one of these trips, then please plan to come out to sunny California and be my guest. We dance on a large sprung wooden floor with our cherished Berkeley Folk Dancers that have dancing all five week nights year round.

Mel

Auction Item Ideas:  Forget quantity; donate quality (curious/exquisite/funny!)


Orlando International Folk Dance Club

Since our group does not dance in July and August, we had very little news to report over the summer outside of the many trips by our members. The first big party this fall was Bobby's birthday celebration on October 3. The club furnished Greek food from a nearby Mediterranean deli along with retsina wine.  We started an hour early and ate in the dance studio. Since the food was already there, dancers ate as they arrived and we were dancing before 7:30.

Bata Marcetic's children's group performing at the Serbian Festival

Photo by Pat Henderson

On October 13, several of our dancers attended the local Serbian Festival. Miroslav "Bata" Marcetic was there with one of his youth groups. Terry and Andi came from Tampa, so it became a big event. There were several additional performing groups – Orlando Greek, Orlando Serbian, St. Pete Serbian, and Orlando Bulgarian (a new group!). The new Serbian Orthodox Church is about half complete – it looks like a cathedral out of Europe.

Halloween was on a Wednesday, so we had a great party with almost everyone coming in costume.  Bobby dressed as a Bulgarian and beamed as we did a new Bulgarian dance from Mountain Playshop.

Performers at the Czech-Slovak festival: Pat Henderson, Joe Birkemeier, Linda Seltzer, Jack Seltzer, Terry Abrahams, Larry Wartell, Phyllis Dammer, Mary Jean Linn, Ann Robinson

The next event was a performance at the Albin Polasek Museum and Garden in Winter Park for the Czech-Slovak Independence Day on October 28.  Jack and Linda Seltzer and Terry Abrahams joined seven members of the Orlando group for the occasion.  We did three Czech and Slovak dances and then a few people from the audience joined us for Doudlebska Polka.

The format of Fall Fling in Melbourne changed to the Andor Czompo workshop and six from our group attended.  It was nice to see a legend of international folk dance and a lot of our dancing friends.  There were several people who came from out of state, which was impressive. On Sunday, November 4, many of us attended the Orlando Greek Festival, including David Digby, Dorothy Archer and Liz Nunan from Atlanta, who were in Florida for the Andor workshop.

Performing at the Czech-Slovak festival

Photo by Bill Byars

Greek Festival-Orlando Pontic dance suite

Photo by Pat Henderson


Orlando Halloween party. Kneeling in front: Fred Schockey, Minnie Berkowitz, Bobby Quibodeaux, Mary Jean Linn, Pat Henderson; standing: Ruth Ann Fay, Palmira Mora-Valls, Juanita Schockey, Joe Birkemeier, Kelly Fagan, Manuel Mora-Valls, Lucy Birkemeier, Caroline Lanker, Betty Nehemias, Jan Lathi, Laura Nonamaker, Gary Lanker, Larry Wartell, Jan Arcari, Nicki Wise

Most members of our group traveled over the summer; here is a brief listing of their journeys. Nicki Wise attended a grandson's graduation in Ohio.  M.J. Linn and her husband Bill Byars attended a niece's wedding in Massachusetts. Kelly Fagan and Deane Jordan enjoyed a visit to Grandfather Mountain, NC. Kelly's mother, Tina, hiked 40 miles, which is amazing. Jan Lathi visited her daughter and family in the San Francisco area. She attended Stockton Camp, but not the same week as Gary and Caroline Lanker. She also danced with Loui Tucker's group; Daniela Ivanova was there dancing that night. Juanita Schockey attended her grandson's graduation in West Virginia in June and then she and Fred visited a daughter in Alaska in July. 

Betty Nehemias went to Maryland twice to see a grandson who is still recovering from an automobile accident and defying all odds in his progress.  She also went to West Palm Beach to see a new great grandchild and enjoyed the warm springs in Sarasota.  Ann Robinson attended Penland, a craft school in North Carolina.  She specialized in making jewelry out of glass with enamel.  Eva Gaber's daughters spent some time during the summer with relatives in California, which gave Eva a rest.  Lucy and Joe Birkemeier visited the Chicago area for a grandchild's birthday.  Phyllis and Ed Dammer enjoyed a week in the mountains at a North Carolina resort. 

Bobby and I reported on our trip to Croatia and Slovenia in July in a previous newsletter. Then we attended Karmiel USA, Israeli dance camp, in Highlands, NC over Labor Day weekend.  Three weeks later, we drove with five other dancers up to Asheville, NC for the Mountain Playshop workshop, with Le Otterholt teaching.  See Mountain Playshop 2012.  At the same time, MJ Linn and her husband Bill Byars danced at the Step into Autumn Dance Weekend in Jacksonville, hosted by Veronica and Ted Lane.  So, it is easy to see why we do not dance in July and August! 

In other news, Kelly Fagan performed in the rock opera Bare in July and is now working on Scrooge, which runs in Deland in December. We do not dance the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, which is November 21.  Our holiday party will be December 12, starting with a pot luck dinner at 6:30 pm.  Happy holidays to everyone!

Ann Robinson and Palmira Mora-Valls dancing at the Serbian Festival.

Photo by Larry Wartell


If people would dance from their birth

With love and with joy and with mirth

We would all agree, it’s easy to see—

There'd be much better peace on earth.

by Eva Stunkel

Goodbye Dance for Eva Stunkel

On Sunday, August 19, 2:30 pm, a small and colorful host of over 20 costumed Grapeviners, past and present, gathered at ManorCare Nursing Home to hold a farewell dance for Eva Stunkel. A long-time folk dancer and teacher, Eva had been a dementia patient there from late June. She would be moving to Oberlin, OH, just in time to celebrate her 89th birthday with her daughter, Sally, newly appointed faculty member to the world-renowned music school there.

Festive balloons circled the room. The central dance space was surrounded by residents in wheelchairs and attending staff members who enthusiastically welcomed the dancing guests and enjoyed the wide variety of music played. A few ‘laid low’ dancers cheered from the sidelines: Shirley Babiak, Marion Hoercher and Judy Koral. Eva wore the costume adopted by the performing group we co-directed about 2002-3. Several members of the group also wore theirs. The skirts were converted from flounced, full circle tablecloths, with folksy trim added.

As all were gathering around for a picture, Cate Mamber presented Eva with a little cloth bracelet and a lovely small quilt she had made. The colorful quilt included printed panels of dance pictures and the poem about dance by Eva that introduces this article. Eva was delighted, though not quite comprehending what was happening.

Eva's Last Dance

The grateful residents crowded around to thank members of the group and asked them to come again because, “It was so beautiful!” Staff members, who had seen the dance photos on the wall of Eva’s room, were impressed when they saw what it was all about. On the way back to her room, they applauded her participation, which pleased her very much.

Dancing for Eva

Attendees, with gift quilt. Front row:  Judy Merkt, Thekla Kahn, Eva Stunkel, Sergio Zigras, Faye Babker; second row: D.A. Tyler, Kay Zabetakis, Marion Hoercher; third row: Cate Mamber, Ann Paige, Lou Paige; fourth row: Circe Davenport, Edna Schneider, Marie Millett, Faith Kibler (partially hidden), Kay Hislop

The informal dance lasted an hour, during which time Eva, now very frail and whose hearing and vision are severely impaired, absorbed the gist of the event from the sidelines. Judy Merkt did a great job keeping the music going. After attempting one dance that was too difficult for her condition, Eva joined the final dance, Macadonia. It was simple and slow enough for her to join the circle with support, and she acquitted herself with honors considering her handicaps.


Two days later, on Tuesday, I flew with Eva out of Fort Myers for her final move from Sarasota. Cate’s quilt kept us both comfortable on the 2 1/2 hour flight to Cleveland and is now Eva’s "nap cover". When Sally met her at the airport curb, Eva’s face lit up like the sun. “How did you get here?” she asked.

Eva didn’t remember the party, or the flight, but she did remember her birthday was August 22!

Sally showed me around Oberlin, a charming walk-about town infiltrated with college buildings, and I introduced Vlach Tsamikos to a budding folk dance group being started by the professor of Balkan Studies.

Eva is in good hands, and near her beloved daughter. We will remember her fondly. 

We folk dancers and folk dancing were her lifeline from the daunting task of caring for a handicapped son, an endeavor that finally overwhelmed her.

*Dancers who attended, in addition to those named above, were: Dimitri Babiak, Bill Hopkins, and Al Koral (and Peter).

We took her directly to her new accommodations: a nursing home about 1/2 hour drive from Oberlin, where Sally will be able to visit Eva several times a week, instead of only seeing her once or twice a year, as before. Eva settled right in, dismissing us after supper to take a nap. She sleeps a great deal now. We celebrated her birthday next day.


Sarasota Grapeviners

Fall is here and the light crispness to the air is most welcome.  It is very unfortunate, to say the least, that our friends on the coasts north of us have to deal with the devastation of Sandy instead of enjoying this lovely change of seasons.

At the Bayfront Community Center, we have begun our Winter Season sessions – Andi Kapplin is back teaching and Susan Barach is back helping coordinate things (yeah!), so things are definitely easier for me.  Our attendance numbers are creeping up gradually as our snowbird dancers return. This is always a fun time for us, welcoming back dance friends that we haven’t seen in months – ‘tis good for the soul.

D.A. Tyler arranged for a “farewell and birthday” dance party for Eva in August.  See Goodbye Dance for Eva Stunkel

At our last session of the summer, before our September hiatus, the group surprised me with a little “thank you” for coordinating the summer activities. It was very, very nice of them to recognize me that way and I am most grateful — and the chocolate cake was out of this world!  See the picture above and try to keep from drooling, I dare you.

We had a rather exciting little happening at our dance on October 17. A reporter from the Sarasota Observer visited our

Thank you to Judy, with cake. At table:  Kay Zabetakis, Delores Lustig; Seated:  Marie Millett, Faye Babker, Edna Schneider, Faith Kibler

session and created an article with pictures and a video about our group, with several interviews. We were thrilled with the publicity. As an extra bonus, the young reporter, Yaryna Klimchak, and her mother, who was visiting from the Chicago area, danced with us once Yaryna’s work was done.  You can view the article and video by going to the Observer website,

www.yourobserver.com,

and entering “Grapeviners” in the Search area located in the top right portion of the screen.

We had to cancel our October 31 session because a rally where Joe Biden was speaking that day would be using some of the facilities in the Bayfront Community Center.  We thought perhaps we should ask Joe to join us in some dancing, but the Secret Service would not allow anyone in the building. So, we pretended it was Halloween at our November 7 session. Never a dull moment here in Sarasota!


Treasurer's Report

Florida Folk Dance Council, Inc.

March 15, 2011 - March 14, 2012

John Daly, Treasurer

Opening Balance Sheet

March 15, 2011

Assets:

Bank of America Checking

Bank of America CD

PayPal

Total Assets:

Net Assets:

General Funds

Olga Princi Scholarship Fund

Liabilities:

Total Liabilities and Net Assets:

$3,119.60

5,082.71

42.97

$8,245.28

Income and Expenses -

Olga Princi Scholarship Fund

Income:

Contributions

Auction

Expenses:

Scholarship Paid

$485.00

1,392.00

Closing Balance Sheet

March 14, 2012

Assets:

Bank of America Checking

Bank of America CD

PayPal

Total Assets

Net Assets

General Funds

Olga Princi Scholarship

Liabilities

Total Liabilities and Net Assets:

$3,388.87

5,087.80

1,705.38

$10,182.05

Income and Expenses

Income:

Registrations Total

Membership

Scholarship fund income

FloridaFolkDancer

CD Interest

Total Income:

Expenses:

Andy

Yuli

Floor

DVD

Meals

Rooms

Florida FolkDancer Mailing

Service Charge Bank

Service Charge Paypal

Snacks

Floor Rental (2013)

Fees: Corporation, Website

Office Supplies

Total Expenses:

$21,659.00

595.00

1,877.00

70.00

5.09

$24,206.09

Note: This report is based on an accounting period from 3/15/2011 to 3/14/2012. Using that period helps in planning for the next year's activities. However, the Corporation tax accounting is done on a calendar year basis.

Melbourne Oktoberfest

The Brevard County International Folk Dancers held a German party at their regular dance on October 19. David Davia and John Daly taught the group some German dances, including Der Hammerschmieds Gesellin (the journeyman hammer smith), ahead of time. 

On the appointed evening, the dancers dressed up a bit in costumes. We sampled some different beers, including a German beer made with wheat and sweetened with a touch of raspberry syrup, and brought German food. Jean Murray contributed an enormous casserole of sauerkraut with sausage that was complemented by Marilyn Frew’s fantastic potatoes.  And, of course, we did all the German dances we had learned. It was a very special occasion.

Auction Item Ideas: 

Remember, it's Entertainment (crazy stuff will be considered!)

$1,120.60

1,017.40

1,915.00

122.48

6,970.70

8,500.00

299.65

180.00

177.59

128.95

900.00

849.21

72.74

$22,269.32

7910.28

335.00

None

$8,245.28

8,285.05

1,897.00

None

$10,182.05

315.00


December 21-24 Machol Miami

Teachers: Avi Levy and Eran Bitton

Place: The Sheraton Ft. Lauderdale

Contact: 305-690-4343, dancemiami@hotmail.com

Events

Gladys Wiedorn

A long-time folkdancer, Gladys Wiedorn, passed away August 29. She had been very ill for quite some time. Original members of the Sarasota Grapeviners and of the Scottish groups knew her and her husband Fred. Gladys and Fred continued their interest and support of Folk and Scottish dancing long after they were able to dance with comfort. A funeral service was held September 4 at Toale Brothers, Sarasota.

Published

Dancer John L. Ward’s essay “Shrinking Arctic sea ice will have global implications” was published in the Gainesville Sun on September 3. In it, he warns of the impending consequences of global warming and proposes steps that should be taken to alleviate the problem. The essay can be found on the Gainesville Sun website at www.gainesville.com/article/20120903/OPINION03/120839926.

In another essay “Facts about funding clean energy”, published October 24 in the Gainesville Sun, John discusses claims made during the election campaign about supposed ineffectiveness of the stimulus program to support clean energy companies. That essay is also online, at

www.gainesville.com/article/20121024/OPINION/121029835.

Poem to a Kudzu Bug

Tiny Green Iridescent

Kudzu munch happy friend

Bean hungry bug

Soy sayonara

Konichiwa

[Composed on a bug walk in North Carolina. See Mountain Playshop 2012.]

Andor Quotes

“Long story short”

“If you don’t like it, go bowling!”

“‘Til the cows come home”

“It’s not how you dance, it’s how you feel.”

He also loved quoting Dick Crum, “Dance inside your shoes,” pointing out that we old folks could do that. 


December 26 – January 1

Winter Dance Week

Place: John C. Campbell Folk School,

Brasstown, NC

Contact: 828-837-2775

Website: www.folkschool.org

December 12 Orlando Holiday Party

Place: home of Bobby Quibodeaux and Pat Henderson, Orlando, Florida

Time: 6:30 PM - 10:00 PM

Starts with a pot luck dinner

Contact: 407-275-6247, henderp@bellsouth.net

December 13 Flagler Beach Folk Dancers Holiday Party

Place: Ocean Marina Clubhouse, Beverly Beach, FL

Time: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Bring food or drink to share

Contact: 386-447-8396 or 386-439-1424

December 26 – January 1 Christmas Country Dance School

Place: Berea College, Berea, Kentucky

Contact: 859-985-3431

Website: www.berea.edu/ccds

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.

2012 FFDC OFFICERS:

President: Terry Abrahams

813-234-1231,

president@folkdance.org

VP: Judy Merkt

 941-379-6302 
jamerkt@comcast.net 

Secretary/Treasurer: John Daly

P.O. Box 500856, Malabar, FL 32950

321-482-6818

treasurer@folkdance.org

Corresponding Secretary: Pat Henderson

407-275-6247, henderp@bellsouth.net

Historian: Dan Lampert

dan300@dlc2.com

Newsletter Editor: Caroline Lanker

1963 S. Lake Reedy Blvd.

Frostproof, FL 33843

863-635-9366

editor@folkdance.org

Submissions: Send event notices for the calendar or the newsletter to Pat Henderson. Send all other 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

Please note: The Florida FolkDancer 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!)

Folk Dance Tours and Cruises

June 15 – 26 Croatia and Italy Cruise

with Yves and France Moreau

Guest teacher: Zeljko Jergan

Contact: Yves Moreau, 450-659-9271, info@bourque-moreau.com

Website: www.folkdancecruise.com

June 15 - 25 Jim Gold Norway Tour

Led by Le Otterholt

Contact for Jim Gold tours: 201- 836-0362, jimgold@jimgold.com

Website: jimgold.com

June 26 – July 10 Prague/Three Rivers Dance on the Water Cruise with Mel Mann

City tour of Prague, Czech Republic and canal/river cruise through Germany to Strasbourg, France.

Daily dancing.

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

Website: www.folkdanceonthewater.org

September 3 -19 Folkdance on the Water Cruise and Tour of India with Mel Mann

India's Golden Triangle and Hooghly River

October 6 - 18 Jim Gold trip to Albania and Corfu, Greece

Led by Jim Gold and Lee Otterholt

Look for more event, tour and cruise notices on the calendar of the FFDC website.

January 3 – 6 Greek Island Dance Conference

Dance instructors include Joe Graziosi and John Peppes

Place: St. Nicholas Community Center, 348 N Pinellas Ave., Tarpon Springs, FL

Contact: John Lulias, lulias@aol.com

Website: www.epiphanycity.org

January 18 – 20 Orange Blossom Ball

Contra weekend  with George Marshall and Wild Asparagus

Place: Freedom Middle School, Orlando, FL

Contact: orangeblossomball@yahoo.com

Website: orangeblossomcontraball.com