BURNABY INTERNATIONAL FOLK DANCERS

PERFORMANCES and PARTIES

Performances, whether at Discovery Day, Canada Day, or at a care facility, challenge us to polish a few dances and to share our enjoyment with others.  Seven to twelve members dance at a typical event.  It is up to each member whether to participate in an upcoming performance.  We usually use the same eight to ten dances totaling fifteen to twenty-five minutes for several performances before compiling a new performance suite.  When we are asked by a school, the Girl Guides, or other groups to teach a few dances, we are keen to do so, knowing the event will be fun for the students and for us.  Practice sessions precede every performance.

Learning all these dances and never using them as the cultures of origin do wouldn’t be right, would it?  At least three times a year we have parties where we dance the members’ requests with a brief review when needed.  All parties include snacks and the wearing of any costumes or near-costumes we may have.

LEARNING TIPS and ETIQUETTE             

Sometimes the quickest way to learn a dance is by imitating, with no verbal instruction.  Request periods and parties are good opportunities to pick up dances this way.  We hope the dances you have learned from formal teaching will give you confidence and skill to learn other dances by following.  Chose someone who knows the dance well and dance behind that person.  If you stand beside, in the line, it will be difficult to see the other person’s feet, and you may interfere with those beside you.  When you think you can do the dance, join the line.  Join the end of the line farthest from the leader, in the middle of a two-leader line, or anywhere in a circle.  Wait for a slow part to join the middle of a line or a circle.  If you don’t have a belt for a belt-hold dance, join a line of others using a basket hold.  Watch the leader of your own line during dances with variations called by the leader, alert to “opa”, a kerchief wave, or other step change signal.  One last tip - feel free to ask for help from anyone.

RESOURCES

On the Internet, inserting a dance name into a general search engine often turns up dance notes, recordings of the music, and videos of performances.  Ask us to recommend websites with dance descriptions.  In addition to a collection of folk dance recordings, audio and visual, this organization has dance descriptions in notebooks and in published form.  We also have books about international costumes and the teaching of dance, and several (mostly) authentic folk costumes. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Public libraries have books of dance descriptions and costumes, and sometimes have recordings of dance music to borrow.  You may request copies from our collection of dance descriptions at five cents a sheet. 

Three other folk dance groups in the Lower Mainland, two in Vancouver and one in Surrey, have programs similar to ours.  Vancouver International Folk Dancers meet Monday evenings except in the summer when they lead folk dancing in Stanley Park on Tuesdays.  Most years VIFD sponsors workshops featuring dances from one ethnic group taught by an internationally known teacher.  VIFD’s seasonal parties always include a wonderful potluck dinner and the dancing of new and old favourites, often to live music.  Visit VIFD website at www.vcn.bc.ca/vifd/  for more information.  For information about the Aberthau folk dance group, Denis and Teresa at phone  604-437-4453.  Surrey International Folk Dancing meets Thursdays.  For more information visit SIFD website at  www.surreyfolkdance.org.  Phone Linda, 604-298-2983, about classes for children.

The Northwest Folkdancer, published in Seattle, (http://www.scn.org/nfdi/) lists upcoming events in the region, includes classified ads, and features other information for the folk dance enthusiast.  Many ethnic groups support dancers specializing in their traditional dances.  Ethnic associations and churches often have contact with these groups.

We look forward to dancing with you and getting to know you.  See you next Tuesday                      jk/2010