New Year, New Dances

Happy new year!

Monday night dancing in Petaluma starts up again on January 6. Our winter session will run through May 5 (no class on April 14); cost for the 17-week session is $65, or you can come as a drop-in anytime for $7. Class runs from 7-9:15 p.m. at Herman Sons Hall, 860 Western Avenue, Petaluma. Newcomers, beginners through advanced dancers, all ages are always welcome; no partner is necessary. I'll start each evening with a beginner lesson at 7 p.m.; intermediate lesson around 8 p.m.; lots of time for dancing to old and new favorites and requests throughout the evening.

I've got a big list of great dances to teach this session including

• Sej Sej Bob, Zensko Kapansko Horo, Glavisniski Cetvorno, Tervelska Reka, Koga Me Mama Rodila - all Yves Moreau favorites from Bulgaria
• Hora Femeilor, Alunelul de la Urzica - two very different dances from Rumania, one a slow lyrical women's dance and the other a lively dance with quick steps and stamps
• Plataniatikos Nero, Ikariatikos - two dances from the Greek islands, the first from Samos and the second from Ikaria
• Plus a selection from other countries including Gaida Hor (Macedonia), Baros Oj Barica (Croatia), Kost Ar Choad (France), and Darkeinu (Israel).

Hope to see you all on the dance floor.

"Music & dancing make me at peace with the world" - Nelson Mandela

"It is music and dancing that make me at peace with the world and at peace with myself." Nelson Mandela

Big fun dancing with all of you at the Annual Petaluma Folk Dance Party! Hope to see you all on the dance floor when Monday night dancing resumes on January 6.

Hot off the camera: Dzangurica

Hot off the camera - check out this video of the Monday night Petaluma folk dance group doing Yves Moreau's version of Dzangurica:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqgBSypX-MY&feature=youtu.be

Hope you'll all join us on Monday, December 9, 7-9:30 p.m., for our Annual Petaluma Holiday Folk Dance Party at Herman Sons Hall, 860 Western Avenue, Petaluma. We'll dance to old and new recorded favorites for the first hour, and then to the wonderful live Balkan music by Santa Rosa Vecherinka.

Serbian Cacaks and more in November

I had a great time teaching Yves Moreau's Dzangurica (a favorite dance in Petaluma) at the California Folk Dance Federation Officers' Ball in October!

In November, I'll be focusing on Serbian Cacaks. The word "cacak" means "dirty mud." There are many variations from different towns, but all Cacak-style dances are in 2/4 rhythm.  I'll be teaching a basic 10-count Cacak from Vranje that I learned from Alex Markovic at Balkan Camp,  the 12-count Zaplanjski Cacak, and Sandy's Cacak which has an unusual 17-count phrase. And I'll also be teaching Bregovsko Horo - this is a Bulgarian dance from the town of Bregovo which is right near the Serbian border, and it's essentially a Cacak with a classic 10-count  phrase but some uniquely Bulgarian styling.

Coming up in December:

All-review night on December 2

Annual Holiday Folk Dance Party with live music on December 9

Israel, Russia & Albania: Four Fun Dances for October

Monday night dancing in Petaluma continues, and we're learning some great dances! 

Coming up this month:

• Zuz Mitzad Letzad - a lively and fun contemporary Israeli dance choreographed by Yaron Carmel in 2007; I particularly love the translated lyrics - "Whoever is dancing will get respect, and if you don't know how then it's time to learn, move from side to side, whoa whoa."
• Shir Al Etz - an older Israeli favorite in waltz tempo danced to a beautiful traditional Yiddish melody
• Ya Da Kalinushku Lomala - a Russian women's circle dance
• Valle e Rrajces - Nadav Nur will be coming on October 17 to teach this Albanian dance introduced by Steve Kotansky at Mendocino Folklore Camp

And note that Santa Rosa Vecherinka will be providing live Bulgarian and Macedonian music for our annual Holiday Folk Dance Party on Monday, December 9, 7-9:30 p.m.

Looking Like the Balkan Rockettes

We've learned two new Balkan dances with interesting and different spatial patterns, and when everyone's steps are synchronized they look quite wonderful! 

Milisso is a dance from the region of Thrace in Northern Greece danced in a circle but with a 10-measure pattern that describes a flat figure eight.

Kamay Verdum Yere is a Greek dance that comes from the Greek population that lived in Cappadocia (now in Turkey) until they were forced to leave during the 1923 population exchange. The dance is done facing counter-clockwise with the left hand on the right shoulder, which the person behind clasps with his/her right hand, thus making the dancers very close together. In the first pattern, everyone moves forward and leans out to the right on the third count; in the second pattern, everyone moves backwards. 

I learned both of these dances from Joe Graziosi at Balkan Music and Dance Camp this past summer. You can check out great videos of both dances in the "dance videos" section of this blog.

Our fall session continues on Mondays 7-9:15 p.m. through the first week in December. Beginners, newcomers, experienced dancers, all ages, drop-ins always welcome. And note that we will be hosting our annual Holiday Folk Dance Party with live music by Santa Rosa Vecherinka on Monday, December 9.

Monday night dancing in Petaluma returns on September 9! Classes are Mondays 7-9:15 p.m. from September 9 to December 9. Every evening starts with a beginner lesson at 7 p.m., followed by an intermediate lesson around 8 p.m., plus lots of time for requests and dancing to old/new favorites.

We'll learning some great new dances this fall including dances I learned at Balkan Folk Dance Camp, a few we danced this summer that folks have asked me to review, and some other dances I've just picked up at various dance venues: 

• Selka, Cacak, and Nishki Cocek (Serbian dances from Vranje taught by Alex Markovic) 
• Gaida Hor (a lovely Macedonian dance taught by Steve Kotansky)
• Milisso, Vay Kalenin, and Kamay Vurdum Yere (Greek dances taught by Joe Graziosi)
• Hora Veche, Alunelul de La Urzica, and Trei Pazeste Batrinesc (Rumania)
• Ya Da Kalinushku Lomala (Russia)
• Tervelska Raka (Bulgaria)
• Shir al Etz, Zuz Mitzad Letzhad, and Achot K'tana Lanu (Israel).

Plus Gary Anderson will be teaching Triti Pati from Silven and Kapetain Vojvodo, two Bulgarian dances taught by Yves Moreau at this summer's Stock Dance Camp and Nadav Nur will be coming on October 14 to teach Valle e Rrajces, a great Albanian dance he learned from Steve Kotansky at Mendocino Folklore Camp.

Looking forward to a great fall season of dancing with you all.