5 Years and Going Strong!

It is hard to believe that we are going into our sixth year of the blog! It is even longer that I have been recording the weekly teaching of dances in our group!  Many have come and gone but the core group continues to spread the Joy!  Thank you!

I want to thank all of you that have shared your stories, music, dancing, and encouragement!

We are producing our third season of the program "Another Day, Another Dance!" for Charlottesville Public Access Television  http://cpatv.org/  and I can't wait to hear more stories of the impact of Folk Dancing on your life.

There are more groups publishing the dances that they do which is very informative.  It is always fun to see if other groups are doing the dances that we do and if they do them the same way that we do.

Thank you, All!
Keep dancing!
Share the Joy! Dance with as many children as you can!

Another Day, Another Dance!
Happy Dancing!

Bulgarika and TV Show

Just got home from dancing with the Bulgarian group named Bulgarika. The Bulgarian community of Richmond, VA sponsored the event.  It was a great event!

A few of you are interested in the TV program that we produce.  Another Day, Another Dance can be viewed on line at
http://cpatv.org/   1:00 PM Saturdays, 2:30 PM Tuesdays, 5:00 PM Wednesdays.

Click the little TV in the upper Right Corner of the computer screen at the above times and you can view the program.  The same program runs all month.

It was great seeing and dancing with everyone!

Another Day, Another Dance,
Happy Dancing!

Mary Baldwin College Students

Last week it was great to have Irene Sarnelle and her students from Mary Baldwin College visit.  We always look forward to them dancing with us.  The young ladies brought their enthusiasm, energy, and knowledge of dance to brighten the evening.  They easily picked up the dances we taught. Every student danced almost every dance.

Also a credit to Irene's teaching,  she was taking her students to visit a local second grade class to teach them some dances.  Just as I say, "Share the joy, dance with a child!!"

Tom Masterson from Boulder, CO visited and taught a few dances.
Levan Polkka - performed here by a Finish Group which reintroduced it
http://www.wimp.com/ievanpolkka/
but made a hit by Japanese Anime
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57mkfFdvRE
Some one demonstrating the whole dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-gfYKksOGw
For the "Rest of the Story" see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ievan_Poalkka

Tom also taught Ana Visa, for which I couldn't find information. I did video Tom teaching the dance.

He also introduced Goralski from Poland.  Below are some notes on the dance.
http://www.usc.edu/dept/polish_music/dance/goralski.html

Just Remember, "Another Day, Another Dance!"
Share the Joy, dance with a child!
Happy Dancing!

National Dance Week 2014

Just a reminder that we are in the midst of National Dance Week,  April 25- May 4, 2014!  Have you planned any special events?  It's not too late!

Also, check out the Blog Alien Diaries.  It is another great blog about folk dancing.  Below is a link to some information on the accordian player Boris Karlov, you'll find some great information here!

http://katleyplanetbg.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-legacy-of-boris-karlov-bulgarian.html

Share the Joy!
Dance with a child!
Another Day, Another Dance,
Happy Dancing

Valle Hajde Merre Furken, Chaj Zibade

Last Wednesday two Albanian dances were taught.
Lindy taught Valle Hajde Merre Furken.  Below are the dance notes and a video.

http://www.folkdancesac.org/dances/Valle%20Hajde%20Merre%20Furken.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx3l8DtEb0U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGmXZc1XzI4

Vallja Haide Merre Furken is an alternate spelling for the dance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTH6lM7_87Y

Bill taught Chaj Zibade. Some abreviated notes are below along with a short bio of Steve Kotansky.
http://www.folkdancecamp.org/old_syllabus/FDC1999.pdf
If anyone finds a link to a video of the dance, please let me know.

National Dance Week 2014 is April 25 - May 4! Start to plan your activities now!

Another Day, Another Dance,
Share the Fun, dance with a child!

Dance into Spring

I probably shouldn't say it too loudly but if today is any indication - Spring is here to stay!

I've been busy teaching a couple of Basque dances to some 4th and 5th grade school children.  They performed them in a Spanish program this past week. The 4th grade did Baztan Dantza
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DykKYDBHyuE

The 5th grade performed Eskudantza de Imotz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjpxVszf7pM

In our regular Wednesday meeting Lindy taught Isu byala nedo from Bulgaria.  It has a beautiful  and soothing melody.  The video clip below shows a group doing it the same way that Lindy taught the dance followed by dance notes from Folk Dance Federation of California.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBz_QU9hf4c
http://www.folkdance.com/LDNotations/IsuByalaNedo2010LD.pdf

On a peppier note, Sue has been teaching Les Corps des Metiers.  There are no links available at this time.

Episode 8 of Another Day, Another Dance starts tomorrow. This month's show features Susan teaching Orijent and interviews of a Mother and her daughter.  Tune in tomorrow at 2:30 on the web:
http://www.cpatv.org/

Share the fun, dance with a child!

Happy Dancing

CPATV 13 New Show

March is Here!

It came in like a lamb but has quickly turned into a lion with another snow storm!

With the new month comes a  new episode of "Another Day, Another Dance".
In March, you will see Bill teaching "Moj Maro, Moj Marine".  This month features an interview with Steve Kotansky.  Tune into CPATV-13.
http://www.cpatv.org/
 The program airs:
 Tuesdays at 2:30 PM
Wednesdays 5:00 PM
Saturdays     1:00 PM

Hope you enjoy the program!
Share the Fun! Dance with as many children as you can!
Happy dancing!

Al Sedenu, Jocul Soacrei, Zensko Oro ze Raka

In January, Bill taught Jocul Soacrei that he leaarned from Christian and Sonia.
http://www.folkdancecamp.org/10syllabus/Jocul%20soacrei%20(2010SFDC).pdf

Susan O. taught Al Sedenu from Israel
I couldn't find a video of it.  Anyone out there find one?

There is an interesting little story that someone made up incorporating the names of some of the dances,
mydlc.com/ffdc/ffd-2003-07.doc
mydlc.com/ffdc/ffd-2003-08.doc

Zensko Oro ze Raka
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6QHGQ1XkVU
 the way Sue taught it.
but according to

Risto Todoroski

3 years ago

This is made up, not real. To see how it is really danced at weddings - the men all dance, with towel-gifts (tenki darove) from the bride's family placed on their shoulders. Type after the youtube part watch?v=KxX6-h20CFQ or search "bir baskadir makedon" or "mareseska"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33zsRETvut4 This is the link to the above mentioned video.

@vasili33 sorry, search with Turkish characters: "bir baskadır makedon düğünü"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihT_31mmV4E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQnQ6GxyX04

Another Day, Another Dance!

How many Children have you danced with recently?  Pass on the Fun!
Happy Dancing

Happy New Year

The new dancing year has started for our group.  We all felt a little "rusty"  after our three week break.

The new dances this week were taught by Bill.

Arcanul de la Fundul Moldovei was the intermediate dance that Bill taught. He learned it from Mihi David.
The video below is almost like the way Mihai taught it.  There is an extra step in the dance in the version that Mihai taught in Tennessee in 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7TxY5-idvk

Here is a group from Copenhagen doing the dance the same music but different steps.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7jOIUVqObM

Dunav's version is below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9BRVcyxQ7o&list=PL0F8AC057DFE1A68D

A PDF description of the dance as taught at the 2003 Door Count Folk Festival by Alexandru and Mihai David.  The dance that Mihai taught Tennessee has one more figure.
http://printfu.org/preview/?pdfurl=1qeXpurpn6Wih-SUpOGumaynh56j6s2UqdPe58ralKrk3NeMsuXa4tzekLjY2t-Gu9LY4NjsxuCKoOOsmqiWzJeo2KalqZ-W0Nnk4qOdo93s5JPQ0tzLotbK5KHN3evU4dzG0OKlydfOy8_l4trgx9fi2MuhppWnx9jl4tna2dPa29ma39rLlqPi


The other dance that Bill taught was Shareni Chorapki, a dance of Bulgarian origin that can be found in Greek Macedonia in the region of Drama. It is basically a Devetorka.  Below are some videos of the dance and some commentary.  The name can be translated into 'Patterned Socks" or Multi-colored Socks.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jid38ux85Wg
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hOVJfqQdKs

Will you be dancing with any children soon?
Have a great time dancing, playing or listening to the music.

Another Day, Another Dance,
Happy Dancing