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Happy New Year to all our members and friends. Our constitution restricts how many years a person can hold the position of president. Consequently, I cannot stand for election at the February AGM. As this is my last report as President, I want to take the opportunity to encourage all our members to consider taking an active role in the association. The rewards from serving on the committee may be intangible, however the satisfaction of being a part of a great team, maintaining an organisation which facilitates so much fun and pleasure for members and friends, is very real indeed. Even if you don't want to join the committee, please support the incoming team. Just attending the AGM gives encouragement to those who do stand for election. Think about how the association can develop to serve members better or attract new members, and let the committee know. Ideas are always welcome, as, without input from members, the committee doesn't know what you want. I have enjoyed my terms as president and thank everyone for her or his support. Chris Wild, FDA President
THE BURNING ISSUE To date, anyone we know connected with folk dancing has escaped the vengeance of the devastating fires in Canberra. It was suggested that FDA must have a special guardian, because our NSW members also escaped the fires of 2001 – 2002, too. A very heartfelt thank you has been sent from folk dancers in Canberra for all the calls of concern and help coming in from the wider folk dancing fraternity. |
GET WELL SOON Our best wishes to Jean Ellis, of the Mandala Folk Dancers, Nambour. May the dancing, fresh air and beautiful fruit of Queensland assist your recovery. MANDALA FOLK DANCERS 2002 UPDATE We began 2002 with a move to a new venue, because our home of 18 years (Lutheran Church hall)), was to be demolished. However, our new venue proved to have some insurmountable problems and, so, in September, once again we were faced with the problem of finding a new home. As the demolition of our old hall had been delayed, we were able to finish the year there. Our problem was not the lack of halls in the area, but in finding one with an affordable rent that was suitable for dancing. We have found ourselves a new home for 2003 in the old schoolhouse in the Nambour showgrounds - beautiful wooden floor, modest rental, accessible, plenty of parking! Sounds good – only catch is that we can't use it for two weeks in June while the local show is on. Maybe mid-year dancers' picnics might become a new thing for us! We worked hard to attract new members and have been pleased to have three new dancers join us. While that may not sound impressive to city FDA members, it's very good for our little backwater! Two of the new recruits also joined us in performances later in the year. As usual, numbers were up and down throughout the year, with interstate and overseas travelling, and illnesses thinning our ranks. We carried out a full performance programme in 2002. We prefer to concentrate on community service performances, so the majority have been at local nursing homes. We participated in the Sunshine Coast Community Dance Network's Dance Month Project, culminating in a dancers' parade through Nambour streets and performances in a local park. We also enjoyed our annual knees-up with Crossroads, where we dance for and with the intellectually disabled members - one of our favourite gigs! We finished our performances for the year at a Multicultural Council dinner; where we joined Filipino and Tokolau Island dancers, and Russian singers (and then rock-and-rolled the evening away!) continued next page... => |
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We attended several BEMAC World Music Café events in Brisbane (2003 programme at http://www.bemac.org.au), enjoying Macedonian dancing, Bulgarian singing, Linsey Pollak's music, Lebanese belly dance, Greek dance and music, and Turkish music. We also attended a performance by Ifju Szivek, the Hungarian dance group, during their Australian tour. A couple of us attended Latin-American workshops in dance and music, and Tibetan dance later in the year. We were also privileged to have the Little Egret Chinese dance troupe present a free performance locally as a sister city celebration arranged by our local council. The troupes presented a selection of folk dances from different provinces with beautiful costumes and very enthusiastic and precise footwork. Well worth seeing! Early in the year, we kicked up our heels at a dance party hosted by Noosa's folk dance group, and in September, hosted our own. These days are fun to catch up with other groups, dancers who can't make it to our usual classes, and the people who just like to come and try a free afternoon of dance. Late 2003 will mark the 20th anniversary of the Mandala Folkdancers, so we're planning a big party. More details later in the year! We finished our year with another wake for the hall (a sense of déjà vu – didn't we do this twelve months ago?) with lots of dancing and eating. Does it get any better than that? Classes will start again on Monday 3 February and Thursday 6 February in our new venue. If you're in the area, please come visit and dance with us. (For class details, please see What's on Where). ? Lorraine Moore (QLD) FROM OUR ROVING REPORTER - IN PARIS Imagine this! Arriving in Paris and staying four days with a French dancer who lived in Sofia mid 1990s, and danced with Zornitsa ... Walking miles each day, visiting famous and not-so-famous sights; and in the evenings, marvelling at the innovative decorations prepared for a Paris in pre-Christmas mode ... Travelling on the metro and on almost every train, encountering musicians playing accordion-violin-guitar. Busking with a difference! All this was the lead-up to visiting Dijon for the anniversary concert, on November 30, of Gaida, with whom my friend dances, & teaches and choreographs the Bulgarian dances. Suites performed by Gaida from other Balkan countries, Turkey and Israel are likewise taught by dancers who have specialised in these regions. Watching the rehearsal Friday night, I visualised an exciting performance the following evening and was not disappointed. The programme commenced with a Serbian suite, including Cigancica, Trojanac, Bugarka and Kolo - followed by some evocative Turkish dances - and finishing with Bulgarian, including the imitable male Thracian dance and female Zhenski Shopski, which seem to be included in all performances and are spectacular to watch. continued top of next column => |
...continued from left column => Now that I am dancing amongst Bulgarians, I cannot help but compare and it is nice to see just how well the people from other Nations perform these, and other, dances. I believe most of the Serbian costumes were made by the dancers but the Turkish and Bulgarian came from the relevant countries. If any Footnotes readers were in Koprivshtitsa in 2000 or have been to a Dijon festival, they will no doubt remember Gaida with it's truly talented dancers. Whilst the performances were danced to recorded music, three musicians played intermittently and also for the "after concert" party which consisted of a delicious dinner and horo dancing until 5 a.m. Sunday!! Numerous dancers from other French groups travelled many kilometres to see the concert and take part in celebrations and it was great that this enabled me to catch up with friends made at the 2001-2002 Balkanfolk seminars. Later on Sunday we returned to the hall to clean up and have lunch, and to party on, and for those with a high degree of energy there was more dancing - of course! Over the weekend, somehow we also found time to sightsee in nearby Beaune; visit the Dijon Xmas markets where, traditionally at this time of year, we drank mulled wine; partake of local tasty cuisine prepared by our two hosts, one of whom dances with Gaida and both of whom perform French dances with Les Enfants Du Morvan; and, last but not least, once again be overwhelmed by the kindness and friendship of old and newfound friends. The warmth was especially shown by the fact that my Dijon hosts had to get me to the railway station for departure 6.30 a.m. Monday morning (remember, it's winter here!). I wonder if there will be more 20th anniversary concerts in 2003! Warmest regards. CALLING ALL FDA TTC GRADUATES On the 15 March, 2003, a "Thinkfest" will be held to discuss the direction, content and other issues about future FDA Recreational Teacher Training Courses.
PS. Bring your dancing shoes. Who knows? We may have time for the odd dance or three! DANCE INSURANCE SUGGESTION There has been so much to-ing and fro-ing on the liability insurance front - with both the Folk Federation policies and DanceSurance having some upheaval. The NSW Government scheme is about to kick off, and we are taking a look at it. You might like to check out: |
PROPOSED FOLK DANCE CONCERT, JULY I am going to produce another show at the Glen Street Theatre (Sydney) in July. It will be a similar format and held on 6th July. ? Carol Maddocks (NSW) UPDATE FROM SOFIA Apart from the fabulous dancing, there is so much happening in Sofia I have had to extend my visa! ? Anna Travali (QLD)
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VALE DEIRDRE Unfortunately, Deirdre Kidd lost her battle with cancer on 5 November, 2002. She will be remembered as a gentle person with an appreciation of the beauty of life and a zest for dance, especially Bulgarian. The poem that follows was written by her in 1991: Jewel Trees Droplets of amethyst glint in the sun, From slender trunks misty vapours uncurl ? Deirdre Norma Kidd 1991
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Black Sea Pontian Dances HISTORIC OVERVIEW Euxeinos Pontos, "Welcoming Sea", was the name ancient Hellenic seafarers gave to the body of water we know as the Black Sea. "Pontos" eventually came to mean the north coast of Asia Minor, between Sinope and Georgia, a land of high mountains, deep valleys and natural harbours. Hellene merchants first established trading posts along this shore some 4,000 years ago, outposts that grew into villages, towns and cities. Like their better-known mother-cities along Asia Minor's Aegean shores, the Pontian cities produced great philosophers like Diogenes, geographers like Strabo and many other men of learning. Protected by the towering Pontic Alps, the region has a long tradition of independence. It was the last part of the Hellenic world to fall to the Romans and became the home to the exiled Komnenos Dynasty of Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Emperors and was the last Hellenic-ruled territory to fall to the Ottoman Turks. As in Cyprus, Pontos' isolation assisted in the retention of many linguistic elements of Hellenic long lost by the rest of Hellenism. Pontian Hellenic is arguably one of the most archaic forms of our language that is still spoken. Interestingly, the majority of Pontian speakers today lives in Turkey and are Muslims. Pontian folklore is also archaic. The Lyra, the ancestor of the violin and other string instruments played with a bow, and dances like the Pyrrihios, were part of Hellenic culture at least 2,500 years ago as evidenced by friezes from the 5th century BCE. Pontians Hellenes have always been the guardians of the eastern frontier of the Hellenic World, a fact reflected in the martial spirit of Pontian music and dance. It was their reputation as fierce fighters with an independent spirit that brought about their genocide at the hands of the Turks in the early 20th century. Over a seven-year period 353,000 Christian Pontian Hellenes, half the pre-World War 1 population, perished. The survivors were then forcibly expelled to Greece from where they scattered around the globe. Muslim Pontian Hellenes were permitted to remain in their homeland and to go on with their lives. They continue to speak "Romeika" (Roman) as they call their language, go on pilgrimages to the Monastery of Panayia Soumela to celebrate the Feast Day of the Prophet Elias in mid-summer with massive open-air festivals that attract thousands and to dance the same dances and sing the same songs as Christian Pontians around the world. PONTIAN DANCES & MUSIC The Pontian dances were first danced in Greece after 1922, when the refuges settled in the North of Greece in Macedonia and Thrace. continued top of next column => |
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The refugees brought with them their way of life, traditions and customs including music and dress. Dance was a vital part of the Pontian way of life; the most important dance events were during Christian feast days including Christmas, Easter, New Years, Epiphany, etc. Most of the Pontian dances are danced in a closed circle, just like many of the Ancient Greek dances. The Pontians believed, as did the ancients, that this would keep out evil spirits from the dance. There is no leader in Pontian dances and no improvisation in the leader occurs. There are also no solo dances, the bulk of the dances are done in groups of two or more. Before the 1900s, many young girls of marital age and newly wed girls did not dance with the males in public gatherings as it was seen as dishonourable. Those girls that were young or engaged would hide and watch the dancing from afar. In the towns and cities this did not happen as they were not as strict. Those that did not dance were usually the elderly and very young. They sat around the circle and observed. The officials like the priest, mayor, teacher and the elders of a town or village sat in the centre of the circle to observe with ease. The instruments also were played from the centre of the circle. The PONTIAN INSTRUMENTS In open spaces, when dancing at festivals the instruments, they preferred the Zournas (a shawm, oboe-type instrument with a double reed), the Touloum (bagpipe) and a Daouli (drum), because of the loud output of these instruments. The Lyra or Kementzes was by far the most loved instrument but you needed more than one playing at the same time to give a high output of volume in open spaces. In the west of Pontus the Violin and Outi were also used. In some areas of Pontus the clarinet also was used.
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Some Characteristics of Pontian Dances
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Some of the Pontian Dances Apo Pa Kai Ka – A tik dance from the Trapezoid area of the Black Sea. Yiobaralantoum – A dance from Ak Ntag Maten (Turkish for tumbling). It is danced by both males and females in a rhythm of 4/4. The dance is also known as Kavazitas – named after a family in the area of Mesohaldiou. This family lost all their possessions and danced this dance on their trip of exile. Fona – This dance from Aryiropoli, is named after the song. It is danced in a mixed closed circle and moves both left and right. The Lyra is popularly used in this 7/8 rhythm dance. Dipat – a similar dance to Tik, means "two steps". It is a slow mixed dance that is, again, done in a closed circle. There are some regional variations. Kotsari – a mixed Pan-Pontian dance from the area of Kars. Kots in the Pontian dialect means "ankle". The dancers have hands on shoulders and dance around in a closed circle. Since the 1950s, many dance groups have added variations in this dance. It is played at a 2/4 or 4/8 rhythm. Empr Opis – the dance moves forward and back, hence the name of the dance. The body of the dancer is side on with hands held bend up at the elbows. Serra - A dance named after the river Serra, near Trapezoid. The dance has regional variations and has a basic step from the dance Tromahton Tik. It is also given the name Pyrihios, as it is linked to the ancient war-type dance. |
THE FEMALE COSTUME
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THE MALE COSTUME
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"New Wave" Folkdancing Resources a variety of dances for various ages. Order through Kaye Laurendet, okaye@optusnet.com.au or 02 9528 4813.
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FDA Balkan Folk Dance Workshop, 16 March Gary Dawson will share some of his wealth of knowledge and experience of Balkan dancing at this one-day workshop.
Morning and afternoon teas are provided. For more information, contact Sandra Bassetti 02 6552 5142, Kaye Laurendet 02 9528 4813 or email. Mt Tamborine Folk Dancing Weekend, 28 March The South Queensland Folk Exchange is a 2 day workshop from 28 March in the showground at Mount Tamborine, west of the Gold Coast. The aim is to gather dancers and musicians together to exchange knowledge at a site with two good halls, lots of shade for outdoor dancing, playing and camping. Costs, (which includes meals, tea, coffee and planned activities), are $25 per day > 12 yrs, ($12.50 for 6-12 yrs, no charge < 6 yrs), with 20% discount if booked by March 1 (NB. Day 1 = 6pm Friday – 6pm Saturday; Day 2 = 6pm Saturday – 4pm Sunday). There are no paid teachers but people with great experience and skill will contribute. The camp is fully catered, but bring speciality food or luxuries to share. The programme will have 7 sessions of 1 ½ hours, with content depending on who offers to give their knowledge. There will be a chalk board on site for people to add workshops and for offers to call a dance at the Saturday dance. The hall is surrounded by shaded ground with powered sites for tents or caravans and parking. One hall will be open during the night for a crash pad after the dancing and singing finishes. There are shower facilities and toilets, but please bring your own crockery & cutlery. For registration, etc, please contact Chris and Sheree at csgreenhill@optusnet.com.au or write to Sellenger's Round, 12 Ronald Street, Shailer Park, QLD 4128. FDC Romanian Dance Workshop, 29 March Come and learn some of the interesting and exciting dances from our trip to Romania last year. Dances include both beginner and intermediate levels.
Contact: Theresa 02 6287 1512, Maria 02 6231 4472 or email. André's Bowral Weekend, July 2003 The Bowral residential weekend for 2003 has been booked for 18 – 20 July 2003 ... put the dates in your diary. Brochures available soon! continued top of next column => |
Prague Festival Dance Prize 2003 & Dance Grand Prix "Italia" 2003 Prague Festival Dance Prize 2003: Dance Grand Prix "ITALIA" 2003: Italian Address. Via Ugo La Malfa n.2 / 47020 Montiano FC Italy or e-mail dancefestival@dancefestival.it Please visit their new Web Site with all the details of the festival programs, and where you can select your favourite language www.dancegrandprix.com Doina Foundation Romanian Tours, 2003 You have a choice of two – one from April 26 – May 3 to Piatra Neammt in central Moldavia, at a cost of Euro$568, or July 26 – August 7 to Poiana Stampei in Bucovina, costing Euro$892. The cost includes transfers from Bucharest, full board, dancing lessons from Romanian dance teachers, live music, excursions, meeting and dancing with dance ensembles, visiting museums, etc and accompanied by the fun-loving and talented Silviu Ciuciumis and an English interpreter. For registration and more information, email Silviu at: FDNZ 3rd Annual National Dance Camp, 2003 This 4-day Dance Camp will be held at Tauranga, in the North Island of NZ, from Friday May 30 – Monday June 2. Greek dance (with Vasilios Aligiannis) will be one of the styles featured with French, Basque, Israeli, and Contra dance, and live music. More details will be included in Footnotes as they come to hand, but if you can't wait, email Kate Goodwin at: Belco Stanev, Bulgarian Seminars, 2003 Belco's International Folkloric Dance Centre is situated in Gorna Traka, 4 km north of Varna, 100m above the coast of the Black Sea (5 mins by car to the beach). The Centre has a wooden-floored 120sqm dancing hall, a dining room, big verandah, bar with open fire place, a traditional bread oven, swimming pool, and is surrounded by a two hectare vegetable and fruit tree garden. In this beautiful environment, you have a choice of five 14-day seminars: beginning 7 June, 12 July, 2 August, 23 August or 3 October, 2003 for a cost of Euro$710. The price includes the dance seminar (5 hours daily tuition with live music), optional lessons in Bulgarian singing and language, accommodation and full board with traditional Bulgarian cuisine and visiting a local festival and historic towns. For an extra fee, tuition in the playing of the gajda, gadulka, kaval, tambura and/or tapan is provided. For information about registration and other queries, email: Fde_varna@hotmail.com early in February (first Seminar) or early March (other seminars). continued next page ... |
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... continued from previous page Balkan Festival 2003, Zetten, Netherlands This Balkan seminar, running from July 3 – 6, features Greek, Turkish, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Yugoslavian and Romanian dances and Balkan singing classes. Accommodation (cost is extra, but cheap) is in sleeping halls (bring your own mattress or rent a bed and linen), or tents or caravans (bring your own); simple meals can be bought from the on-site restaurant. The cost, excluding accommodation, is Euro67.50. It will be held in the Social Cultural Centre, "de Wanmolen", Zetten, Schweitzerpark 2. Email Ersin Seyhan at ersin@ozan.nl for registration and other details. Balkanfolk 2003, Pamporovo, Bulgaria Spend 18th – 31st July, 2003, in the sunny Bulgarian resort of Pamporovo, situated 200km from Sophia, hidden in the heart of the Rhodopes mountains. The experience will include learning Bulgarian, Greek, Serbian, and Turkish folk dances, with an opportunity to learn to play the gaida, kaval, voyanka, duduk, gadoulka, tamboura, tapan, tarambouka, or accordion and to try Bulgarian folk singing and learn a little of the Bulgarian language – accompanied by traditional Bulgarian cuisine. For more details, check "Footnotes", October, 2002 and http://www.balkanfolk.com Greek Dance Seminar, Thessaloniki, August This 4th Greek Dance Seminar, to be held at the hotel "Rihios", in Stavros, Thessaloniki, will run from August 17 - 27, 2003 and will be hosted by Kyriakos Moisidis and assisted by Petros Selkos, Katerina Douka and Yiannis Amarantidis. Dances and songs will be taught from Thrace (Evros), Pontos (Garasari, Ak Dag Maten, Kars), Macedonia (Chalkidiki, Almopia) and Chios. Traditional costumes will also be shown from each of the above-mentioned regions. During the seminar there will be glendia at night in nearby villages to dance with the local dance groups and local people of the village. This way, participants will have the opportunity to dance with the local people of Neas Apollonias, Thessaloniki and in the beautiful village of Loutro, Langada. We will also travel to Eptamilon, Serres for a Pontic glendi! There will also be a glendi in Stavros. Finally, we will have the opportunity to enjoy exhibitions by the local dance groups. We also plan to tour the area by visiting the archaeological site at Philippi, the caves at Alistratis, and the mud baths at Lidias. There will be 4-5 hours of dance lessons each day, part in the morning and part in the afternoon. The lessons will be next to the sea and close to the hotel. Many of the lessons will be taught to live music! Every seminar participant will receive informational material such as a CD with all the dances and songs taught at the seminar, the words of the songs, pictures and descriptions of the costumes, and maps of the regions. Also included is the program of the seminar and other valuable information. All the above-mentioned are included in the price of the seminar (the seminar costs 680 Euro). Hospitality will be provided at the beautiful, seaside hotel "Rihios" which is located at the edge of the village, five minutes walking from the centre. Continued next column => |
...continued from previous column Every room has air conditioning, refrigerator, TV, balcony, bath, etc. Breakfast and dinner will be served at the hotel restaurant. Stavros' seaside location and charm has made it a popular vacation destination for Greeks. It can be found in eastern part of the Thessaloniki region, close to Chalkidiki and not far from Mt. Athos. The village has all the conveniences such as bank, post office, many tavernas, cafeterias, and businesses. Kyriakos has been studying traditional dances for 20 years and teaching for the past 15 years. Currently he is teaching five dance groups all over the region of Thessaloniki. Kyriakos teaches at many seminars both in Greece and abroad. For more information, please email Kyriakos at krksm@hotmail.com
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MEMBER MOMENTS with Jenny Lester, of the Lazarka International Folk Dance Group, Taree. My first introduction to folk dancing was at East Orange Primary School, where my teacher for 5th and 6th class was very enthusiastic about all forms of art and culture, and my fellow pupils came from mixed ethnic backgrounds – Yugoslav, Dutch, Estonians, Scots and Irish. We had regular weekly folk dance classes, broadcast into the playground for the whole school. I remember on concert days performing barefooted on the lawn in 3s, dressed in peasant blouses and skirts. We were drilled to point out toes as we step-hopped in circles with our arms up in arches, probably doing dances of Scandinavian or Russian origin. Maybe this rang a bell for me, having French, Swedish, Scottish and Irish ancestors! Although my first ballet teacher was Russian and represented everything exotic in the world to me (aged 6), compared to the ballet class I was attending at the time, folk dance was more enjoyable and social and everybody could join in! When I reached high school, we moved to Grafton; ballet continued, but the folk dance seed had been planted, so my admiration for any ethnic dance style continued and national character dances performed in traditional ballets always attracted me. At that time, I had a close relationship with a Hungarian family who'd fled the 1956 rebellion in Budapest and eventually settled in Australia and was able to share a little of their culture and lifestyle. Ronnie Arnold introduced primitive, jazz and African dance to me at a one-week seminar in Sydney; Beth Dean (then co-ordinating the Shell Folkloric displays in Sydney) demonstrated other ethnic dance forms at a ballet workshop in Armidale. Both were inspiring and vibrant teachers. After 7 years of nursing training between Newcastle and Sydney, I returned to Sydney to work at Inala Steiner School for intellectually handicapped children, where a visiting German educator gave a small folkdance workshop to us workers and our charges. One of the resident teachers noticed our enthusiasm and told us he attended "Sedenka" folk dance classes at Sydney uni gym each week – so that clinched it! My partner and I spent the following year commuting on my motorbike to classes (we danced to Linsey Pollak's gaida on his return from Macedonia), to workshops (a residential at Bundanoon with Wal teaching) and any dance parties happening during that time (including Annabelle and Branko's wedding at Dural). What a year, meeting so many wonderful people and participating in so much dance and music. At the beginning of 1979, my partner, brother and I embarked on the "big OS trip", starting in New Guinea (where I discovered I was expecting my son!). We continued quickly through S.E. Asia (limited by visas and my expanding waistline) and flew from Bangkok to London on Romanian Airlines with one stop in Romania at the very barren and bleak airport – if only there had been more time. We were armed with contact names and addresses of dance people in Yugoslavia from Gary Dawson, but didn't get to use them until on the way home 2 years later! Continued next column => |
... continued from previous column In England, we worked as house parents at a Camphill (Steiner) Village for intellectually handicapped adults in Gloucestershire. It was a working farm, producing organic fruit and juice, had its own dairy herd and craft workshops for residents (weaving, pottery, basketry) and it also had folk-dancing! One of the other careers, a mild epileptic, took us for weekly classes and we did many of the international dances we'd learnt with Sedenka in Sydney. The residents really enjoyed dancing and it was obviously helping them with co-ordination skills and social interaction. Meanwhile, my brother was "focalising" the vege gardens on Erraid (a small 2km square island off the tip of Mull in Scotland). This island was leased from a Dutch family by the Findhorn Foundation and used for visitors as a residential week in island skills. We were visiting my brother there after my son was born, when my partner broke his leg, so ended up staying on the beautiful "Isle of Erraid" for 5 months. During this time, we met many visitors, locals and travellers and had many Ceilidhs (Scottish dance and music parties) which, of course, incorporated lots of Scottish Country dance and some of Findhorn's Sacred dances (circle international folk dances). As the weather cooled off and homesickness set in, we were told we had to do the Findhorn Experience Week in N.E. Scotland before we left, so were able to continue with Sacred dance, meet the teachers and collect music and dances from them. We headed for home at the beginning of Winter, via France, Portugal, Spain, Yugoslavia and Greece – interesting with a 14 month-old toddler in snowy conditions and no disposable nappies! Yugoslavia was a highlight here – only one week passing through, but such friendly helpful people. In Zagreb, I bought my trusty Croatian dancing shoes in the market square, and we tracked down a folkdance class at the local uni. During breaks in the teaching, the students sang wonderful passionate national songs. We also visited the Ethnographical Museum there (the only visitors – with the guide running from room to room switching on lights for us). It was packed with beautiful handcrafted costumes and implements for daily living from all over Yugoslavia.
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| ... continued from previous page We trained on to Belgrade, where a shoemaker made a custom-fitted pair of Bulgarian/Macedonian styled dancing shoes and we also purchased a tiny pair of turned-up toed Serbian shoes for our son! We were adopted by an urban Gypsy family in Skopje who fed us, the granny bathed our son (much to his disgust), put us up for the night and showed us their traditional costumes (the women wore full trousers under their aprons!) Such hospitality. Unfortunately, being Winter, we couldn't follow up many other folk dance contacts or festivals and were only in Athens one week nursing travel tummy bugs before flying back to Sydney. (Even so, I've resolved to renew my passport this year and to "be prepared"). Since returning to Australia and having three daughters, I've been involved in teaching small stretches of folk dance to local pre-schoolers, primary school kids, home schoolers, girl-guides, adult education classes, intellectually handicapped people and a couple of workshops at Newcastle and Bellingen Folk Festivals. I wasn't aware that FDA existed until I met up with Sandra Bassetti in Taree five years ago, so my passion for folk dance has been well-fed attending weekly classes under Sandra's expert tutoring. Our local group, "Lazarka", holds small workshops and takes part in performing at fairs and multicultural events here.
Other highlights include one year of intensive TTC activities, visiting teacher workshops through FDA, Hungarian residential dance seminars at Heathcote and, of course, the National Folk Festival annual pilgrimage. The first year I went to this, I couldn't believe you could dance all day and night and forget to eat! Currently, my life revolves around part-time home nursing, fitting in with family needs, growing lots in the garden and enjoying dancing. I've met lots of lovely people through folk dancing and would like to pass on the joy it gives me to others, especially youngsters. Eventually, it would be great to travel to those Eastern European countries I missed in my youth and put in some footwork and hands-on experience sharing their lifestyles! One of the benefits of folk-dancing is that I've learnt heaps about other cultures and their customs and have a deep respect for their lifestyles, which I feel is preserved in their folkdance and music. I don't have any preference for one dance style – they're all beautiful and traditional – dances of the people for the people. We're very lucky in Australia to have access to so many talented and varied ethnic groups. What better way to promote world unity than through folk dance and music? ? Jenny Lester, Taree NSW |
FDA COMMITTEE COUP Our organisation is so lucky to have the services of a dedicated, creative and highly-trained website administrator. Name: Kim Dunphy: kimdunphy@hotmail.com Ashley has also added a search facility, so, you can type in a word, enter, and then you will be taken to where-ever that word is mentioned on the FDA website.
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Name: levent Yýlmayan, Name: Rusu Oana-Alina Name: Guenther: schogun7@gmx.de Name: Dan Baciu Name: layeananas@caramail.com CAN YOU HELP? We are interested in ethnic song, dance or music that has been bought to Australia some time ago and perhaps not advanced as in the 'home' country. The test for this we have found is when visitors from the native country comment "Oh! you're doing that the old way". We have found examples of this in Calabrian, Sicilian, Greek and Punjabi communities in Australia. So if you (ie. FDA members) have anyone that comes along to your groups to teach dance or play music and you think they fill the bill, we would love to talk with them. Also looking for interesting life stories, as my brief covers both folklore and social history. It was interesting when reading through your mag to come across a Serbian Kolo. My mentor, John Meredith, who died last year age 81, taught me this dance along with several others (a Dutch one comes to mind) many years ago. From what I can remember they were probably simplified versions - gave a workshop on them at a festival YEARS ago. Meredith and his "cohorts" were part of the group of people responsible for the Bush Dancing as we know it today. continued next column => |
... continued from previous column When they started, they were doing a mixture of these European dances and the Celtic - which evolved (as far as I can see) into the modern "Bush Dance" Before this they learnt these European dances at national fitness camps (talking about the 1950s here). Have also interviewed a couple of older women who were in folk dance groups in Aussie in the early days. Please have a look at the Simply Australia site and if you (ie. an FDA member) wish to submit an article (to "Simply Australia"), I'm sure that our editor would love it - just send it along to me. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you wish any more information on our projects or the National Library collection. Cheers, Rob Willis, 27 Oxford St, Forbes 2871. Phone: 02 68512687 or 0427 911 962 or rwillis@westserv.net.au
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