Virtual Dancing: Our New Normal

Virtual folk dance classes, virtual folk dance parties, watching videos and dancing along -- this continues to be our new normal right now - and it looks likes it may last much longer than we every expected.

This means all of folk dance devotees need to keep dancing alive in our own homes and living rooms as best as possible. I continue to stay in contact with all of my students, checking in to see how they are holding up, and sending three videos a week (Israeli dances for my Israeli class, international/Balkan for my other classes) out each week for folks to dance by themselves, in whatever room is available.

Here are a few recent links that I have been sharing:

Sweet Girl (Armenia/U.S.): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piSysDxXHPU&t=15s
Zonradikos (Greece): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVxvLPuVCFw
Sadi Moma (Bulgaria): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tw9_PL5Y7g

Some resources to check out: the Peninsula Folk Dance Council (you can find them on Facebook) is doing virtual folk dance parties - the next one is scheduled for May 9, 3-6 p.m. And the Folk Arts Center of New England is offering Saturday morning classes - check this out at http://www.facone.org.

This too shall pass. It's going to be a long haul - but hopefully we'll all get through it with grace, a sense of humor, and hope for a better new world with lots and lots of dancing.

the New Normal: Dancing in Our Living Rooms

Virtual folk dance classes, virtual folk dance parties, watching videos and dancing along -- this is our new new normal right now.

I am staying in contact with all of my students, checking in to see how they are holding up, and sending three videos a week (Israeli dances for my Israeli class, international/Balkan for my other classes) out each week for folks to dance by themselves, in whatever room is available.

Here are a few links that I have been sharing:
Setnja (Serbia): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxC1e1Q8_Cg
Bavno Oro (Macedonia): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvNMluxewLk
Joc de Leagane (Romania): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNlFSrJqLoM

I have a houseful - my son, daughter-in-law and two grandkids (ages 5 and 2) are living with me right now - so I am usually dancing in a small space in my bedroom. But I'm also having fun learning new dances whenever I can.

Some resources to check out: the Peninsula Folk Dance Council (you can find them on Facebook) is doing virtual folk dance parties - the next one is scheduled for April 11, 3-6 p.m. And the Folk Arts Center of New England is offering Saturday morning classes for the next month (and perhaps more, if the shelter-in-place orders are extended - check this out at http://www.facone.org.

I miss my classes; I miss my students; I miss holding hands in a circle and dancing to all my favorite dances. But I'm dancing as best as I can, by myself, with my grandkids, and with my family. I'm grateful for all the folk dance connections I do have -- and so looking forward to being able to dance with all my folk dance friends again.