ISSN  1037-2660
Issue No 67 - February 2002

Bi-monthly Magazine of Folk Dance Australia Inc      ABN: 78 530 632 531

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F D A

Folk Dance Australia   FDA OBJECTIVES : to promote an understanding and mutual respect for all ethnic groups living in Australia; to help promote folk dance in Australia; to encourage and develop the skills of folk dance teachers, by providing courses and workshops; to serve as a folk dance information network.

THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT I wish everyone a very Happy New Year. I hope it will be filled with lots of dancing and other fun activities. We are very pleased that this year we will organize another Canberra Kolo at the National Folk Festival over Easter. If you plan to be at the Festival it would be great to see you, and better still if your special request can be included in the programme. Dancing in a large group of like-minded friends is really a lot of fun. Last year we had dances to suit everyone from beginner to advanced, from the energetic to those liking beautiful slow dances. Let us know your requests so that the programme can be finalized as soon as possible. Don't forget the AGM in February. There is always a need for people with fresh ideas on the committee, so don't be shy about nominating. Even if you don't want to be on the committee came along to the AGM, support your hard working committee and have a say on where FDA goes in 2002. We are planning a special " revival" dance afternoon to follow the AGM. Various members will use their teaching skills to review dances learnt over the past few years. It should be fun, and definitely not too serious. I hope lots of our members are able to join us. Happy Dancing. Chris Wild, FDA President 2001 Fire Fire has traditionally been associated with celebrations, but this Christmas the fire was no joy. Some of our members were evacuated from their homes in the Helensburgh and Heathcote area (NSW), some were on standby (Blue Mountains) but, luckily, all still had homes to return to. The thick pall of smoke continued for weeks to redden the sun, cast a layer of ash over things and cause breathing problems.. FDA received calls from Holland (André), America, (Marianne Taylor) and New Zealand (Sharyn Grant and Rae Storey), concerning our safety during the fire season and wishing us well for the New Year. Hopefully, the 2002 year will provide us with events that we can celebrate in safety. "New Dance" Competition The Traditional Social Dance Association of Victoria (TSDAV) hold an annual dance composers' competition. Judging for the competition will be held at the 2002 National Folk Festival at Easter. The two dance categories are: General Social Dance (including children's dances). The winner of this category will be awarded the Beat Klippel Memorial Trophy. Dance for More Experienced Dancers. The winner of this category will be awarded the Victorian Folk Music Club Perpetual Trophy. Entries must be received by 8 March, 2002, and should be sent to TSDAV, c/- 2/16 Lindsay Ave, ELWOOD, VIC 3184. For more information and a copy of the Rules and Conditions, contact Carol Higman, (03) 9531 6916, email chigman@swin.edu.au .

Insurance Inquiry Last year, FDA approached several insurance companies with the intention of providing discounted Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurance to our members. However, the response from the companies was unsatisfactory. Subsequently, "DanceSurance Australia" has been recommended to us as being comprehensive and the most reasonably priced. This insurance company is backed by Lloyds of London, has been operating for 30 years and obviously specialises in dance insurance. The one policy covers any dance related activity that a dance group might hold (ie, any number of weekly classes, concerts, demonstrations, socials, performances, etc, with any number of teachers, and any folk dance group member or member of the public attending a group function) for public liability ($3m, $6m, or $10m). Premiums will vary slightly for each state, but are approximately $285, $360, and $465 respectively. The policy also includes professional indemnity for $1m. For more information regarding the insurance of your group, please phone Dennis Foley (a dancer himself) directly on toll free: 1300 552 205 or mobile: 0412 347 755. Sale of the (New) Century    one-day sale special for FDA AGM attendees ! Not exactly a "fire" sale, but a backlog of FDA resources will be on sale after the AGM from 12 noon to 1pm on Sunday, 10 February 2002 at "The Edge", cnr King & Bray Sts, Newtown, NSW, after the AGM. Those resources are: Glossary of Dance Terms – Jim Battisson $8 International Folkdances for Adults – André van de Plas 1989 to 2000 Booklet and Cassette $8 set 1989 to 2000 Video of dances $20 2001 Booklet and Cassette $20 set 2001 Booklet and CD $25 set 2001 Video of dances $30 Folk Dances for Children - André van de Plas 1986,89,91,94,97 Booklet and Cassette $10 set 2000 Booklet and Cassette $25 set 2000 Video of dances $30 Balkan & International folkdances - Yves Moreau 1993 Booklet and Cassette $10 Ajde Na Horo – Bulgarian dances - Yves Moreau 1993 Booklet and Cassette $10 Resources from FDA workshops Romanian dances – Ray Richardson Croatian Dances – Natalie Zabek Greek Dances – Andrew Rossides ;              Notes & cassette $6 set If you are interested in any sale item, please inform Kaye Laurendet , (02) 9528 4813, 127 Woronora Cres, COMO WEST 2226 ASAP (ie, before 10 February), to ensure your order will be available on the day. For interstate members not able to attend the sale, please let Kaye know before 10 February and your orders will be posted to you.

GREEK FOLK DANCING An Overview of the Music, Instruments, Costumes, Geography and Dances from Greece. "A man who cannot dance is uneducated and unrefined" – Plato What is a Greek Dance? Greek folk culture is blessed with a range of both music and dance styles.  The reason for this great variety is rooted in Greece's geography.  Greece is the crossroads of the East and the West, between western Europe and the Arab world.  Greek culture has contributed to and absorbed elements from neighbouring countries. There are hundreds of folk dances in Greece; many more have been lost during the last decades before anyone had the chance to record them.  Very often, the same dance is executed in different ways from one village to the next or from one island to the other.  Some dances have no name; they are simply the established way to move while singing a particular song.  In other instances, we find that a dance was given the same name as a different dance from another region. Until the beginning of this century, most dances had no need for a name at all, since everyone in the village knew how to execute each particular song.  Even today, when one wants to dance, he orders the musicians to play the song of his choice.  Only when he has no preference does he order by the name of the dance.  When professional musicians started travelling to play in distant villages, the need arose for a name to call one dance by which many different songs were danced (A.Raftis, 1995). Dance Formations Most dances are group dances in open or broken circles moving from the left to the right or line formation with the leader at the right end.  The first dancer of the line, he who "pulls the dance", has the leading role.  He orders the song, he pays the musicians and he has the right to improvise variations on the basic step. Traditionally, women rarely led the dance, unless of course it was a women's dance. In the line dances the leader usually shows his virtuosity by particular, often personalised, steps, jumps, etc. while the rest act as a chorus and do the basic step, each waiting his turn to become leader.  Almost all Greek dances move to the right, counter-clockwise.  Those that do not are usually denoted by the word ' zervos '  which means to the left.  A few dances are danced "face to face" by a couple and still fewer followed other formations (A.Raftis, 1995). Authenticity and Choreography An essential of almost all Greek dances is the variations which may be used at will, always at the discretion of the leader on the right end of the line.  It's pretty hard to select one 'pure' form of most Greek folk dance because often the same dance varies from village to village, or the improvisation varies. For some dances, Greek folk dance teachers have leaned heavily on special routines using certain variations in a special order.

... continued from previous column A number of these routines have been developed by physical education teachers in Greece for school performances which require somearranging and changing from the pure village form of dance.  Special routines have also been developed by several Troupes which perform Greek folkloric dances for tourists in the summer (C.Kyriakou, 2000). Aesthetics Involved in Greek Dance The Greek Folk song - whether diatonic or chromatic, with syllabic or melismatic melodies when sung - is modal and monophonic in its construction.  Its melodies are based on different interval continuity from that of the major - minor of the Western music, sung and performed monophonically (without harmonic accompaniment).  An exception to this rule is provided by certain songs performed in Northern Epirus.  These songs are performed polyphonically, without instrumental accompaniment. The Greek Folk dances are divided rhythmically into: periodical rhythmic type melodies, and melodies of the free rhythmic type.  The first are characterised by the periodical repetition of the certain rhythmic pattern, for instance, all dance melodies, whereas the second are characterised by the free flow of diverse rhythmic patterns.  Greek Folk melodies are sung and performed on the natural and not the equal tempered scale of the West, wherever singer and instrumentalists have remained pure from the destructive influence of the Western polyphonic technique (F. Anogianakis 1970). Musical instruments traditionally used by the Greek people. Idiophones: Zilia (cymbals), triangles, massa (tongs), spoons, wine glasses, bells, hand-clapping, finger snapping, etc. Membranophones: Daouli, toubi, toumbeleki (kind of drum), large and small tambourines. Aerophones: Flogera, souravli, madoura (shepherd's pipes), zourna, pipiza, karamouza (oboe types), tsabouna, gaida (bagpipes), and recently the clarinet. Chordophones: Tamboura (bouzouki), baglamas, laghouto, outi (lute), pear shaped lira (Cretan), bottle shaped lira (Pontian), canonaki, santouri (dulcimer) and the violin. The Greek dances, which are accompanied by either singing or by the diverse folk instruments, are divided into two large groups.  The pidiktos (high dance) and the syrtos (low dance). The first are characterised by their severe and proud character, and are danced mainly by men, whereas the second - the syrtos type dance - more lyrical and calm in movement, are performed a great deal by both men and women.  A third category is composed by composite type dances, of both the pidiktos and syrtos type.  According to the number of dancers and the manner in which they are danced, we have: large group dances which are usually circular, eg, the Kalamatianos, couple dances danced by couples facing each other, eg, the Island Ballos and individual (solo) dances, eg, Zembekiko dance (F. Anoyanakis 1977). The short-necked outi is a bass lute with four pairs of strings.  Many are unfretted.  The more popular long-necked bouzouki is a fretted instrument with strings arranged in double courses.

Regional Folk Dance & Costume There are various regions throughout Greece. These regions are Thrace, Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaly, Central Greece, the Peloponnese, Crete, the Aegean and Ionian Islands. Outside of Greece are Pontus (Black Sea Greeks – Pontians), Vorio Epirus (Southern Albania) and Anatoliki Rumelia (Eastern Thrace & Southern Bulgaria), Asia Minor (Greeks from Cappadocia, Ikonio, Kato Panayia, Smyrna) and Cyprus. Each region has its own dances and styles. The costumes also vary from region to region. The Traditional Greek costumes we see today do not date beyond the beginnings of the 1800's. The Greek costumes are very impressive and their designs have their roots in the Ancient and Byzantine tradition. The costumes are heavily influenced and inspired by these traditions. Many of the costumes are also linked to historical and social events. Each costume can also depict or represent persons' social status, economic status, age and marital status. Woman of Mantoudi. This illustration shows clearly the basic elements of Greek folk dress in a simple form c 1890. All kinds of popular handicrafts can be admired in one single costume. The Greek costumes are generally divided into three categories: those worn in the mountainous areas, the plains and the Islands. Each one of these is divided into two types: the peasant dress and the town dress. Dancers also have to learn how to put them on, how to tie kerchiefs in various characteristic headdresses of each region and how to fold them properly. The Greek costumes are multi-coloured and the colours are very bright. Some costumes are extremely heavy, while others are embroidered with gold thread (D.Stratou 1995). The female costumes are the most interesting and can be divided into two categories. The first group is the one that has a clean or direct connection to Byzantine influences. The other group is one that has Byzantine roots but is heavily influenced by Western Culture. In every city, town or village you will find three or four variations of the same costume. The regional costumes especially the female ones took on a different look after the foreign queens (Amalia, Sofia and Olga) changed and introduced a more western influence into the female costume. continued top of next column =>

... continued from previous column The costume of Amalia was popular with the women in the major towns and cities, while the costumes of Sofia and Olga were worn in the Royal courts. The man, an Evzone, wears the foustanella of the Greek guards.  The woman wears the Amalia costume. The female costume is made up of the following items: The Poukamiso, a chemise found in almost all types of regional costumes, basic undershirt/dress. The Anteri or Sayias, an in-between garment, usually the dress or a kind of coat - dress made of expensive brocade. If the dress is sleeveless, it is called a Tzakos or Tsiponi. The Sigouni or Yiourdi, an outer garment that is as type of coat made of woollen hand-woven material. The Zounari, the belt or sash The Podyia, the apron. There were two types worn by women a simple and plain one for work and an embroidered one for joyful events. The Kaltses or Tsourapyia these are knitted stockings, depending on the region they could be colourful. The foot ware – depending on the region can be slippers with the upper part embroidered, wooden clogs, leather shoes or boots or knitted shoes. The Kefalothesimo or Kapelo, a headdress, in the form of a scarf or hat, usually decorated with flowers, particularly in brides' dresses. Many of these hats are symbols of fertility. The male costume is made up of the following items: The Poukamisso – the shirt The Pandeloni or Foustanella – pants or kilt, or a Vraka usually worn on the islands. The Yileko – the vest embroidered with local designs. The Zounari – the belt/sash. The foot ware – varies from shoes and boots to Tsarouhia, shoes with an up-turned tip and have a pompom on the end of it. The head piece is usually a 'fez' or a black cap or a black scarf known as a sariki. Today, the traditional dresses are simplified and worn only in certain places during festivities and events (D.Stratou 1995). continued next page ...

... continued Regional variations in dance & music styles. Central Greece and the Peloponnese The music of continental Greece and especially that of Roumeli (Central Greece) and Peloponnissos is so far the most widely disseminated type of Greek folk music. The dances mainly danced in these regions are the Tsamikos, a male dance and the Kalamatianos. These dances are usually the most popular; there are also dances such as the Tsakonikos and the Loulovikos. These two later dances are local dances danced in the town of Megara and the small village of Tsakonia found in the Peloponnissos. Costume from Tsakonia Many of the regional dances were lost. From Mani in the Peloponesse also come the famous laments, moiroloyia , that are sung at times of death. Macedonia and Thrace The dances from Macedonia originate from the time of Alexander the Great. These Greek dances are strict in form such as Marina , a female dance, which has a strict tempo. Other dances include the Levendikos, Ormalis, Patrounino, Arap Avasi, Kori Eleni, Stankino, Puscheno, Kira Maria, Raikos, Pousnitsa, Nizamikos, Partalos, Dimitroula and the popular Gaida , accompanied by the Bagpipes. Every town and village has its own dance and songs. There are hundreds of these songs that can be found throughout Macedonia. The refugees also bought in dances from the Black Sea region into Macedonia. These refugees were the Pontian Greeks, from Asia Minor. The Pontians came to Greece during the early 1920s due to the exchange of populations as a result of the Turkish Genocide. The dances are fast and masculine, women are usually segregated in the dances. The Pontians have their own style and form in dance. Their dances include the Kotsari, Tik, Omal, Serra, Trygona and Seranitsa . The popular instrument of the Pontian is the Lyra . The refugees from Anatoliki Rumelia (southern Bulgarian region) also settled into Macedonia bringing with them their dances. These Greeks not only shared the Thracian dances like the Baidouska and Zonaradikos , but also had their own dances such as Tsestos and Kalinihtikos . Thrace is a colourful region where most of the dances are fast, and happy. There are no warrior or Kleftika dances to be found in this region. The main dances from Thrace include the Zonaradikos, Singathistos, Baidouska, Tapeinos, Kikna and Sfarlis . continued top of next column =>

The Zonaradikos is a fast dance, danced by males, holding each other from their waistbands, the zoni . Another dance, which is popular, is a dance from Constantinople called the Hassapiko or Hassaposerviko . To many this dance is known as the Zorba dance, from the popular movie "Zorba the Greek". The dance was first danced by the city's butchers. The steps were based on cutting or chopping movements. The dance was accompanied by the ever popular Bouzouki or Baglama. The music of Thrace is also vibrant and full of life. Epirus and Thessaly In Epirus, we are confronted by slower dances, as the costumes are heavy and restrict the flow of the dancer. Dances include the Syrtos sta tria, Syrtos sta dio, Kleftes, Yiatros, Palamakia, Fissouni and Koftos . There are also variations of dances similar to the Tsamikos and Kalamatiano. The Vlahs in the mountains of this region also have their own dances including the Metsovitiko Singathisto. In Thessaly we find a similar music style to Epirus. The most popular dances in Thessaly are the Syrto-kangeli, Karagouna, Tai Tai (Easter dance), Kleistos horos, Koftos and Tsamikos . The costume of the region is called the Karagouna , which also is the name given to people of Thessaly, Karagounithes . The dances in Thessaly retain a strong tradition of song-dances where the dancers sing the music, often without instrumental accompaniment. There are also a large number of nomadic Vlahs and Sarakatsans in Thessaly – they also have their own style of dance. Crete and the Islands of Aegean and Ionian Seas Crete and the Islands have a different style of dance from mainland Greece. Crete has four main dances, the Syrtos, Maleviziotikos, Pentozali and Sousta . Mikro Mikraki is also a Cretan dance but not as popular. The Pentozali and Sousta are the most popular. The Pentozali is a dance only performed by males, if a female danced the Pentozali , she was killed (but nowadays things are different). The Sousta is a female dance or a couples dance. Most Cretan dances are accompanied by the Lyra. A chief characteristic of the folk music of the Greek islands is its lively and joyful tones; with respect to its form, as well as to its musical scales, we can observe a certain predilection for regularity. Dances include the couple dance Ballos, Sousta, Tsirigotikos, Vlaha Naxou, Ai Georgis, Pidihtos Rodou, Syrtos, Ikariotikos, Rouga and other dances found on particular Islands. The woman on the right is from Cyprus.  The couple are from the Greek island of Crete.   Continued next page ...

... continued Cyprus The island of Cyprus despite its independence, dances many Greek dances, as its population is mainly Greek. The Cypriot folk dances are mainly danced in couples facing each other. The most popular dances are the Kartsilamades and Syrtos . The island is heavily influenced by the island music of Greece. Asia Minor Asia Minor music and dances have an eastern influence in them. These dances were performed by the Greeks in Asia Minor before the Turkish / Ottoman Empire. Dances from the religious centre of Cappadocia have religious overtones. The Ai-Vasiliatikos and Lelaloum were two dances danced outside the churches either at New Years or Easter. The music of Asia Minor also is linked to the Blues of Greece or as popularly known Rembetika . One of the most popular rembetika singers to come from Smyrna was Roza. Dances from Asia Minor include the Hasapiko, Zebekiko, Koutalyia (dance of spoons), Antikristos , and Ballos in the coastal towns. Social Aspects of Greek Folk Dancing Many Greek dances have a social or religious overtone. For example, males in honour to the glorious Greek Revolution of 1821 dance the Tsamikos a male warrior dance. The dance previously to 1821 was danced by mountain Vlahs and shepherds. But just before the revolution many took to the mountains, thus the dance was spread to towns and became popular (A. Raftis 1995). An example of a religious folk dance is the Anastenarisa, Ai Vasilis and Epiklisis . The first dance is found in the region of Macedonia, and is danced on the feast day of St. Constantine and St. Helen. People holding religious icons of the saints, dance on coals, the dance is accompanied by the zourna (pipe) and bagpipe. The next dance is danced by refugees from Asia Minor (Cappodocia ) in honour of St. Basili. The last dance, Epiklisis , is a female dance dedicated to the 'woman' and St. Paraskevi. Women holding handkerchiefs dance around in a circle then stop and incite prayers to the saint. The dance also has healing spiritual aspects (D.Stratou 1995). Music and dance is part of the national heirloom treasured by the people of Greece since the earliest times when the ancient Greeks entrusted the divine gift of music into the hands of Apollo and when the patron Muse Terpsichore presided over their dances. Today music is inseparable from Greek life. In dance and song, the Greek gives dramatic expressions to his joys and sorrows, records his hopes and history and stores his legends. Despite regional differences, in costume, music and dance styles the Greek folk music and dance has remained unchanged throughout history. Article compiled by Vasilios Aligianos. Greek musician playing bouzouki

The internet -  Greek Folk Dancing & Costumes Greek Folk dance group in NSW, Australia; Greek Folk dance Manual, (U.S.A); Dora Stratou Dance Theatre (Greece). Beautiful costumes made to order – resources on Greek dance including music and publications; Greek music online purchasing; Greek Folk dance group (Greece); Greek Folk dance group (England); List of links to Greek dance sites; Greek Folkloric Society in USA; Pontian Greek Music page; Costume copies online purchasing; Greek American Folklore site. Letter to the Editor Dear Editor I know that Footnotes is not strictly for this sort of letter, but I would love to use these pages to thank the many dancers who rang or wrote to Bernie and me during the bushfires. It has been such a fraught and hectic time that I haven't had the time or energy to return calls and thank everybody for their concern and their offers of assistance. Fortunately the fire spared our homes at Glenbrook, but came close enough to blacken part of Patricia's (Barrett) garden. But there's extensive damage at my workplace, National Parks and Wildlife Service, where the workshop, all its contents, park vehicles, and a private vehicle were destroyed. My lovely boss at Kurrajong lost her home. From Christmas Eve onwards, we had calls from Glenbrook, Lawson, Lithgow, Seaforth, Canberra, Engadine, Sydney and a letter from Taree. There may have been more – I'm very sorry if I've forgotten to mention your call – but thank you all very much. I hope to see you dancing soon, ? Jo Barrett (NSW) ADVERTISING IN FOOTNOTES Advertising; For non-members : Full page $40; cost for other sizes are available on a pro-rata basis. For members : This service is available free for members in the interest of promoting folk dancing. Inserts : Brochures / Flyers (maximum size: 1 x A4 page) to be included in Footnotes mailout: For non-members $40 per 100; For members' events: $20 per 100; For FDA-sponsored events: free. Anyone wishing to advertise in Footnotes or have inserts included in the mailout, please contact the Editor on 02 4724 0837 or email: liz@pnc.com.au.

Member Moments In the first of our series on FDA members, we highlight Maria Jenkins, of Canberra, ACT. Maria on her way to the dance seminar in Agios Germanos, Aug 2001. Q: How and when did you get into folk dancing? Well, I consider myself a fairly recent starter, but actually my first brush with folk dancing happened over 20 years ago, when I began going to Canberra International Folk Dance Association (CIFDA) sessions at Hughes in Canberra. But shortly after that I fell pregnant, and it was another 10 years before I came back to it, driven by a New Year's resolution to get fit - it was either folk dancing or aerobics! Q: What have been the benefits of folk dancing for you? There have been very many benefits, going well beyond the physical fitness I initially looked for. Folk dancing has sparked an interest in the cultures of other countries, especially those to the East of Europe. My musical horizons, especially, have been very much expanded, and I love to hear and collect the music of many countries. Living in Canberra, I have been able to watch national folk groups who visit here from different countries, for example as part of the National Multicultural Festival, or Australian-based groups at events such as the National Folk Festival. It is marvellous to watch the unique character of each country's dances being shown, and especially the style of the dancers themselves. Of course, the national costumes are beautiful and fascinating, and many are family heirlooms and 'living' museum pieces. I consider myself very lucky to be able to see them. continued next column =>

...continued from left column Socially, I have not only made many friends here, but feel I am part of a network of dancers across Australia - I have met dancers from most States, and see many of them, of course, at the many workshops that are held, particularly in Sydney, but also in Melbourne from time to time. As we all know, dancing is also intellectually challenging and satisfying. Many of the dances are quite complex, both in their rhythm and in their steps, so learning them keeps the mind agile, as well as the body - especially when the two have to cooperate! Q: What are your favourite dances or dance countries? Now that's a hard one! I've actually asked myself that question from time to time, but the longer I am involved in folk dance, the more impossible it is to answer. As to favourite dances, it depends on my mood at any given time. Individual favourites include Eleno Mome, Gaida, Bavno Oro, Rustemul, Pentozalis, Ciuleandra, Iste Hendek, Tsamikos, Ud Biraz, Branle de Connay, Paiduska, Eshebo, Neda Voda Nalivala, Hora Libertata…. I could go on and on…. My favourite dance country is even harder. The test for me is – which country's dances would I take with me if I could only take one to a desert island? The answer is that I would very soon become bored if I was limited to the dances of only one country. But I am especially drawn to the dances of Greece – not so much because I like Greek dances more than those of other countries, but because they have been my 'in' to learning about the Greek people and their history. So I find myself (a) learning Greek, (b) travelling to Greece to attend Greek dance workshops in both the city and the country; (c) reading about Greek history and Greek fiction; and (d) teaching Greek dance! Q: What have been some of the highlights of your dance experiences? I have particularly enjoyed the many dance workshops I have attended, especially those given by visiting choreographers and teachers from various countries. Once again there is a huge variety: Gadi Bitton and Schmulik gov Ari from Israel, Belco Stanev from Bulgaria, Koce Stojcevski from Macedonia, Yves Moreau's Balkan and Canadian dances, and Tineke van Geel's Armenian dances, not to mention André van de Plas' wonderful collections – and these are literally just a few, without mentioning the many talented teachers we've had from within Australia itself. The FDA Dance Teacher Training Course was a special highlight – it allowed me to indulge my craving for serious dancing for a whole week at a stretch (quite a high, that one), forced me to attend over 20 hours of specialist dance workshops over a year (what a pain!), and gave me some tools to be able to show others how to dance. More recently, I spent a wonderful month in Greece, where I joined dancers from around the world in a workshop held by the Dora Stratou Theatre, in Athens, followed by another workshop in the mountains of Greek Macedonia. It was very much 'learning by immersion' (I wish I could say I learnt Greek that way, but that's going to be another long story, if I survive it!), and was a cultural experience, and a holiday, as well a dance learning experience. Since coming back, I've started buying lottery tickets!

... continued from previous page Q: What are you doing currently in folk dancing? I currently teach a class with Folk Dance Canberra (FDC) called 'Dances from Greece and its Neighbours' which also includes dances from the Balkan countries surrounding Greece, as well as Turkey and Armenia (I have a very loose interpretation of 'neighbours!) Until recently, I also attended Greek dancing sessions held here by the local Hellenic Club, as a way of expanding my repertoire and continuing to 'dance with the Greeks'. The Club's teachers have now moved back to Melbourne, but Spiros and Marianthi will be returning to Canberra to conduct a Greek style workshop on 16 February 2002. I have also been asked to offer a short program of dances for Year 5 to 8 students in one of the Queanbeyan schools, and will be teaching FDC's advanced class briefly during a break from my Greek language class, which recommences in March. If I can learn the basics of the language, it would be nice to return to Greece, not only to dance, but also to practice speaking Greek in a real setting. I guess I'm now at the point where I get most enjoyment from learning and practising new dances, especially those from Greece – I have become a collector of Greek dances. And having collected them, it's great to have an opportunity to pass them on to Canberra folk dancers. FDA CONTACTS President:   Chris Wild , (02) 9560 2910, 12 Burfitt St, LEICHHARDT 2040 Vice-President:  Helmut Aimann, (02) 6552 5142 23 Fotheringham St, TAREE NSW 2430 Secretary:   Jo Wall , (02) 9857 1382, 39 Searl St, PETERSHAM 2049 Treasurer:  Deborah Hotchkis, (02) 4294 1363 4 Old Station Rd, HELENSBURGH 2508 Workshop Co-ordinator:  Sandra Bassetti, (02) 6552 5142, 23 Fotheringham St, TAREE NSW 2430. Publicity Officer:  Fiona Clark, (02) 9548 0508, 18 Tecoma St, HEATHCOTE 2233 Website Administrator:   Ashley Resource Manager   Kaye Laurendet , (02) 9528 4813, 127 Woronora Cres, COMO WEST 2226 Footnotes Editor:   Maureen Petherick , (02) 4736 3529, 18 Bayley Rd, PENRITH 2750 Beauty Parlor : A place where women curl up and dye. Chickens: The only creatures you eat before they are born and after they are dead. Dust : Mud with the juice squeezed out.

RESOURCES for SALE by FDA By Jim Battisson: Book "Glossary of Dance Terms" $15 (with P & P) or $12 at workshops, etc. By André van de Plas: International Folk Dances for Adults. Book & cassette 1989 - 1998 tours - $12 set. 1999 - 2001 tours - $25 set. Book & CD 2000 - 2001 tours  - $30 set Videos. 1989 - 2001 tours. - $35 each. International Folk Dances for Children. Book & cassette. 1986, 89, 91, 94, 97, 99 & 2000 tours. - $30 set Book & CD 2000 tour  - $35 set Videos of Children's Dances: 2000 tour  - $35 each Easy Dances Cassette and booklet   - $12 set By Gary & Carol Crees 'Off the Wall Dances' (Vol One) (for 2-8 year olds) Book & CD   - $45 set 'Off The Wall Dances' (Vol Two) (for 2-8 year olds) Book & CD   - $45 set By Yves Moreau: Balkan & International Folk Dances. Book & cassette 1993 tour. - $25 set. 'Ajde Na Horo' 20 Bulgarian Folk Dance Favourites. Recorded in Bulgaria under the supervision of Jaap Leegwater and Yves. Book & cassette - $25 set. 'Folk Dances from Bulgaria and Elsewhere' - selection of 24 dances from Bulgaria, the Balkans, and other countries – from Yves' 2001 Australian tour. Book & CD    - $30 set. Video   - $35 By Nevofoon: 'Easy Dances for Adults & Beginners' CD & booklet    - $35 set Music Cassette & booklet    - $30 set Video of dances (taken at workshop)    - $20 Add $5 to above prices for postage. Other Nevofoon Resources - Nevofoon Folk Dance resources (CDs, tapes and books) available through FDA's discount service. Contact your Folk Dance group or Kaye for the Nevofoon catalogue. Please Note: Prices quoted above are for FDA members. Non-members please add $5 to cost of each item. All resources available through Kaye Laurendet, 127 Woronora Cres, COMO WEST 2226

LOCAL EVENTS FDA "Revival" Dance Workshop, 10 Feb, 2002 Come and re-acquaint yourself with dances you may have lost contact with – eg, "Indijski Cocek", "Krivatvoreno Kolo", "Vidinsko Oro", or try a simple Irish Reel. The first FDA workshop for 2002 will feature a variety of teachers from NSW and the ACT and will follow the AGM and the "Fire" Resource Sale. Time: Sunday, 10 February, 2002 1pm – 3.30pm Venue: "The Edge", cnr King & Bray Sts, Newtown, Sydney (near St Peters Station) Cost: $12 per session ($10 for FDA members) For more information, please contact Kaye Laurendet, 02 9528 4813. Greek Dance & Style Workshop 16 Feb, 2002 Folk Dance Canberra is presenting a Greek folk dance workshop, highlighting Greek regional dances and styles, with Spiros Drossos and Marianthi Makarios. Time: Saturday, 16 February, 2002 Morning session: 10am – 12 noon (beginner – intermediate level) Afternoon session: 1pm – 3pm (intermediate level) Venue: Folk Dance Canberra Hall, 114 Maitland St, Hackett, ACT. Cost: $12 per session ($10 for FDC & FDA members) For further information, please contact: Lesley : 02 6286 6401, Maria : 02 6231 4472 Note: A video and dance music can be ordered on the day. FDA Greek Dance Workshop 3 March, 2002 Vasilios Aligiannos will present Greek "Dances of Celebration and Participation" at this workshop (ie, dances from Easter and various regions in Greece) in Sydney. The background of each dance will be given and there will also be costume displays from the relevant areas of Greece and some food sampling and recipes. Note that the workshop has one venue for the morning, and 5 minutes walk away, the Newtown Greek Church Hall for the afternoon. Time: Sunday, 3 March, 2002 Morning session : 10am – 12 noon (with food sampling!) Afternoon session: 1pm – 3pm (with costume displays, etc) Venues: . Morning Session :- Newtown Neighbourhood Centre, cnr Australia St and King St (ie, old Newtown Town Hall), opp. Newtown Station. Afternoon Session :- Newtown Greek Church Hall, 378 King St, Newtown. Cost: $20 day ($18 for FDA members, $10 students) $12 half day ($10 FDA member, $6 students) Tapes can be bought and videos can be ordered on the day. For further information, please contact Maureen, 02 4724 0837 or Kaye, 02 9528 4813. continued top of next column =>

Szatmári Tabor 2002, 11 – 15 April This seminar, organised by the Transylvaniacs and Kengugro, will feature the band, Tükrös, and two dance teachers, Attila Olah and Kata Horkai, from Hungary. The seminar will concentrate on the music, dance and customs of the Szatmár region of Hungary and provide classes for both beginners and advanced students running simultaneously, all to live music. Each night will have a Táncház (a Hungarian Bush Dance) where you can use the steps learnt during the day in a more informal setting. There will also be daily workshops offered in leatherwork, woodcarving, embroidery and painting, concentrating on the traditions of the Szatmár region. Your choice of accommodation (4 nights), either in segregated dormitories (book early) or camping, the 4 days tuition and all meals in the Hungarian cuisine, are included in the price of the seminar. Venue: Heathcote Scout Camp 2 Freeman Rd, Heathcote, Sydney (train: 1 hr or car: 50 mins south from Central). Cost: Full: $275, Student Concession: $220. FDA Member Concession: $250 Family (2 adults, 2 or more chn): $770. Day ticket $60, Concession: $50 (includes all meals, tuition and táncház) For the registration form and more information, please call: 02 9399 3492 or email or check the website: www,members.optusnet.com.au/~castopic FDA Folk Dance Camping Weekend, 20 April On the weekend of 20-21 April, introduce your family and friends to folk dancing in a friendly atmosphere where they can wonder off to bush walk, admire the scenery or explore a beautiful village. The showground at Mount Tamborine, QLD, has been booked for this weekend so that experienced folk dancers and musicians can exchange skills and people can try folk dancing. The weekend will feature Sellenger's Round and combined talents of participants. Contact Chris or Sheree, (07) 3806 1343,or email csgreenhill@optusnet.com.au National Celtic Folk Festival, June 2 - 10 The National Celtic Folk Festival will take place in Geelong from June 2 to 10, 2002. It is Australia's largest and most diverse celebration of Celtic (Asturian, Breton, Cornish, Galician, Irish, Scots, Welsh and Manx) culture and features music, dance, drama, art, literature, poetry, arts and crafts, pipe bands and much more. Great family event, with special children's activities. Contact (03) 5222 6844; e-mail: celtic@pipeline.com.au  INTERNATIONAL EVENTS  Prague Festival Dance Prize 2002 & Dance Grand Prix "Italia" 2002. Access praguefestival.com for information on the Prague Festival 2002 which will be held in Prague from 25th April to 1st May 2002 Access www.dancefestival.it for information on the Grand Prix "Italy" Event which will be held in Italy from 20th to 25th June 2002.

FOLK ON THE WEB Name : Dusan Ristic, mailinglista@galbeno.co.yu From : Yugoslavia Date : 23 Nov 2001 Subject : Romani (Gypsy) Artists Data Base Comment : Dear friends, Amala Summer School is happy to announce the creation of adatabase of Romani artists. We are currently collecting information about Romani artists of all kinds, located anywhere in the world. If you are a Romani artist, or if you know any Romani artists (visual artists, musicians, actors, dancers, etc.) please send us information to include in our database. We need : - name(s) of artists - type of art - contact information (address, e-mail address, telephone number) - brief biography of personal and artistic achievements - photos of art works, music recordings, videos of performances if possible - information for booking concerts or performances You can send this information by e-mail to Dusan Ristic, database@galbeno.co.yu or by mail to: Dusan Ristic, Stevana Filipovica 28/20, Belgrade, Yugoslavia Thanks for your assistance. We hope to promote Romani art and artists, and make it easier for others to find and learn more about Romani artists. Name : O FIADEIRO ofiadeiro@ofiadeiro.com From : Spain Date : 8 Jan 2002 Subject : O FIADEIRO Comment : Dear friend, O FIADEIRO is a non-profit-making association that seeks to preserve, transmit and revive Galician traditional music and dance. To pursue that aim, we first travel round Galicia collecting the tunes, songs and dances that we will later use both as teaching material in our school and as a source for our performances. If you would like to support O FIADEIRO, there is a range of possibilities, including: become a member of our association (and benefit from several advantages), become a sponsor, make us a donation, or simply visit our website. For further information regarding our association, our show or ways of supporting us, please visit our web site www.ofiadeiro.com . We would like to wish you a happy New Year. Kind regards, O FIADEIRO Name : Dusan Ristic, www.galbeno.co.yu From : Yugoslavia Date : 8 Jan 2002 Subject : Lyrics and Music of song of the week Comment : Dear friends, Amala Summer School would like to present you song of the week: "Kad sam bio mladjan lovac ja" This is song from Vojvodina (Serbia) by Mr. Zvonko Bogdan. At our homepage www.galbeno.co.yu/musicschool you continued top of next column =>

... continued from previous column can find lyrics and listen to example of this and many other songs from Vojvodina, Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Roma (Gypsy) songs in Real Audio format. Hope you will enjoy. Happy New Year to all. Dusan Ristic Check out these websites! greekdancer2000 Yahoo! Discussion group This group is aimed at generating discussion between teachers of dance and people who are interested in Traditional Greek Folk dance. By joining "greekdancer2000" (it's free!), you will be able to exchange messages with other group members. It is also easy to store photos and files, coordinate events and more. MIT Folk Dance Club Songbook   This site has translations of dance-songs – collected by MIT Folk Dance Club in America: it is recommended by Katy Sinton, NZ folk dancer, who says that she cannot vouch for all the texts and translations, but the ones she has checked are good, and to "throw away your old texts and use MIT ones instead". Folkdancer.net, where you can "join hands with folk dancers around the world"; (moderator, Kimberly Frankel). In a series of emails regarding 11 Sept, Israeli dancers commented that "we seem to have bonded together on the dance floor much more than we realise" when talking about the caring of each other in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks." http://www.cafepress.com/folkdancer : for Folkdancer.Net souvenir items. Arts Calendar - definitive guide to what's on in NZ re the arts. Folk Dance New Zealand - definitive guide to folk dancing in NZ ADVERTISING ON FDA WEBSITE Links are currently provided free of charge to websites of non-profit clubs and organisations related to dance and folk and this will continue. We have now set up a page specifically for displaying links to the websites of businesses and other "for-profit" organisations. The annual (ie, Jan – Dec) cost of FDA providing a link to your website will be $40. Businesses or organisations who have at least one FDA member will be entitled to a discount of $20 pa. People wishing their business website to be linked from FDA's website, please email your details to Ashley: kitka@start.com.au. Payment is by cheque to "Folk Dance Australia Inc", The Treasurer, FDA, 4 Old Station Rd, HELENSBURGH 2508. Serious Question 2. Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery?

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