September-October 2004 Volume 24, Issue 5 News tifd.org

Our Scandinavian Adventure Inside this Issue: by Chuck and Kaye Roth From the Editor & Board 2 We started our July Calendar of Events 3 Scandinavian adventure Graduates 4 by flying to Copenhagen. After taking a walking In Remembrance 5 tour of the old town area, we visited the famous Texas Camp Updates 5 Tivoli Gardens News from Member Groups 5-6 amusement park. The evening's entertainment there included ballet, a comic juggling act, and a concert of big band music. There were more bicycles than cars in At the hambo contest in Jarvso, Sweden downtown Copenhagen - wide bicycle paths and rows of bicycles parked everywhere along the main streets. TIFD Texas Camp We had previously tracked down some Danish folk dancing in Roskilde, so is Nov. 25-28! the next day we took a short train ride there. We bypassed the rock festival, Registration which was being held south of town, and visited the Viking Ship Museum brochures have down by the harbor. That evening we danced outdoors to live music with the local group. This group did some familiar Danish folk dances been mailed. including Little Man in a Fix and Familie Sekstur. They also did some turning The Camp brochure, dances including a Danish version of the hambo. The folks were very friendly registration form, and we were able to join in most of the dances. and scholarship Next, we drove to Jonkoping in southern Sweden to visit our friends, Pearl (Clark) and Jan Ohlsson. Pearl danced in Austin many years ago before application may also moving to Seattle. She married Jan (a Swedish doctor who is also a fiddler) be found in and moved to Sweden about ten years ago. Pearl comes to Texas to visit her printable format at family every year, and after numerous invitations for a visit to Sweden, we finally were able to accept. Jonkoping is at the southern end of Lake Vattern, www.TIFD.org. Sweden's second largest lake (about 100 miles long). We took a ferryboat ride to the island of Visingso to visit one of Jan's friends, who took us on a tour of P.S. - Don’t miss the island and then played the (key ) for us. His wife this year’s “Added demonstrated hand making of flax (linen) fiber from flax stems. The highlight of our trip was the weeklong music and dance festival at Attractions”! Lake Siljan in the folklore province of Dalarna. The lake is surrounded by Continued on Page 4 Page 2 September-October 2004 TIFD NEWS

TIFD Board of Directors

Franklin Houston, President 512/454-1535 [email protected] John Ramage, Vice President 512/837-7449 [email protected] Georgia Horn, Treasurer 281/242-0598 [email protected] Jane Lorenzen, Secretary 972/509-0094 [email protected] Shelley Allison 972/416-9199 [email protected] Jan Bloom 713/995-1835 [email protected] Bob Madrulli 512/323-2797 [email protected] Elaine Moczygemba 830/780-4005 [email protected] Chuck Roth 512/453-8936 [email protected]

From the TIFD Board Deadline for next newsletter October 15 The Board met Saturday, Sept. 11, at the Madrullis’ house in Austin. The agenda included continued Texas Camp planning including fundraising, survey, staff, floors and final budget TIFD News is published six times a year for confirmation. the members of Texas International Folk In addition, trustees were to consider awards Dancers, Inc., a non-profit organization. recognition, and several items addressing board Submissions for publication are welcome, yet bylaws and procedures. subject to editing. All opinions expressed are those of the author exclusively. Material From the Editor herein may be reproduced with the editor’s permission. Thanks to all of you who submitted news and photos! Deadlines, deadlines: This is your last newsletter CALENDAR LISTINGS: Submissions may reminder that the Bobbi Gillotti Scholarship application be e-mailed directly to [email protected], or via deadline for Texas Camp 2004 is Oct. 1. For “family the TIFD home page at www.tifd.org. priority” private housing requests, Camp registration must be turned in by Oct. 11. Be sure to postmark your Camp ADDRESS CHANGES: For newsletter registration forms by Nov. 1 to avoid the $25 late fee. mailing list or TIFD Member Directory, No registrations postmarked after Nov. 8 will be contact TIFD, P.O. Box 4516, Austin, TX accepted. And finally, newsletter submissions for the 78765, Attention: Chuck Roth, 512/453-8936, next issue are due Fri., Oct. 15. Get the forms and check out the updated Camp web [email protected]. page information, all at www.tifd.org. Don’t miss your chance to participate in Camp’s latest attractions: a SOUTHWEST FOLK DANCE DIRECTORY: Macedonian wedding re-enactment with ritual singing; Send additions and corrections to Leslie instrumental lessons; the return of our Silent Auction & Gompf, [email protected]. Book/Recording Sale -- truly something for everyone! I hate to sound like a broken record (or show my age GENERAL CONTRIBUTIONS: E-mail by using that expression), but once again, please use the [email protected] or mail to TIFD News, P.O. Sponsorship Form to show your tax-deductible support Box 4516, Austin, TX 78765. for TIFD. See you dancing! Shelley Allison, [email protected] VOLUME 24, ISSUE 5 Page 3 Calendar of Events 2004 Sept. 16 & 18 Diez y Seis program featuring the Oct. 16-17 4th annual International Multi-Ethnic Cultural and Arts Association (MECA) Festival, in historic La Villita near the river walk in Ballet Folklorico de Colores. 12:30 pm Thurs., Sept. San Antonio. Outdoor dancing to global music on 16, on the Central Texas College plaza in Killeen, two stages, including Albanian singer Merita Halili and 7 pm Sat., Sept. 18, Pan American Club in and Ensemble -- accordionist Raif Hyseni and four Harker Heights. Also, Temple LULAC Fiestas other musicians. Also featuring Austin’s 1001 Patrias at 4 pm, Sept. 18, downtown Temple Visitors Nights Orchestra. Raif and Merita taught/performed Center. Info: Dr. Daniel Kott, 254-526-9464, at recent EEFC Balkan Camps. Info: http://www. [email protected], www.ifccsa.org. internationalaccordionfestival.org/schedule.htm Sept. 18 Austin 3rd Saturday (formerly Friday) Oct. 29-Nov. 7 Wurstfest in New Braunfels, Contra Dancers’ 10th Anniversary Double Dance. featuring German food, entertainment and Featuring Seth Tepfer of Atlanta calling to the music bands. Info: www.wurstfest.com of Mockingbird. Info: www.austincontradance.org. Oct. 30 Houston IFD led by Bud Bearce in full Sept. 19-29 Austin folk dancer Jane Parsons’ photo evening live music dance performance, St. Maximil- exhibit at First Unitarian Universalist Church of lian Kolbe Catholic Church's annual International Austin, 4700 Grover Ave., in the Alternative Space Night, in Houston. Info: [email protected] Gallery. Reception is from 3-5 pm Sun., Sept. 19. Nov. 1-2Austin Celtic Festival. Nearly 200 artists; Sept. 25 Austin IFD Open House/Janet Cook Party, dancers, actors, musicians and storytellers on four featuring Russian and Gypsy dancing. Costumes are stages. Headliners include John Williams and John encouraged. Everyone should bring a snack to share. Doyle, formerly of Solas, and Chicago fiddle Sept. 26 & 27 Esma Redzhepova, “The Queen of phenom Liz Carroll (Sunday only). This year marks Romani (Gypsy) Music,” in concert with Ansambl the return to Fiesta Gardens and of the Highland Teodosievski at the Cactus Café, in the Texas Union Games. Purchase $7 advance tickets in person at Building, 23rd and Guadalupe, Sun., Sept. 26, at 1806 W. 35th St., Austin, TX 78703, 512-472-2358. 7:30 pm, and Mon., Sept. 27, at 8 pm. Doors open Tickets $10 at the gate; children under 12 free. about 30 minutes earlier; seating is not reserved. Nov. 5-7 Fire Ant Frolic, Austin’s 8th Annual Admission: $18 at the door, $16 in advance. Weekend, at the Texas Federation of Contact Bob Leibman at [email protected] or 512- Women’s Clubs, 2312 San Gabriel St. Music by 420-0218 for more information and advance tickets. Airdance with caller Merri Rudd and special guest Oct. 1 Austin 1st Friday Contra Dancing, 8-11 pm, caller Martha Kelly. Registration underway. Info: Ascension Lutheran Church, 6420 Hart Lane in www.fireantfrolic.com Austin. Cost: $8. This dance is fragrance-free. Nov. 12-14 Mt. Nebo State Park Dance Weekend Oct. 4 First UU Dancing, 7-9 pm, First Unitarian sponsored by the Arkansas Country Dancers. Info: Universalist Church of Austin, 4700 Grover Ave. in [email protected], www.arkansascountrydance.org Howson Hall (enter from back parking lot). Cost: Nov. 25-28 $2. Jo Soto and Bruce Bostwick lead the dances. 57th annual TIFD Texas Camp, All dances are taught, some by attendees. Thanksgiving weekend at Greene Family Camp in Bruceville, near Waco, Texas. Featuring Steve and Oct. 16 2004 Harvest Moon Ball, in Rice University's Grand Hall, inside the Ley Student Suzy Kotansky teaching Hungarian and Romanian dances, and Bob Leibman teaching Macedonian Center, Houston. Swing dance 8:30 pm-12:30 am. Singer: Charmin Michelle. Info: www.hsds.org dances. Info: www.tifd.org. See “From the Editor,” Page 2 this issue, for deadlines. Oct. 16-17 The South Texas Polish Dancers will perform at the State Fair, in front of the Hall of State March 17-20, 2005 The Great Southwest Lindyfest at 2:30 and 6 pm, Oct. 16, and 10:30 am and 1:30 hosted by the Houston Swing Dance Society. Top pm, Oct. 17. national instructors. Info: lindyfest.hsds.org Page 4 September-October 2004 TIFD NEWS Two dancers earn degrees TIFD congratulates two longtime Texas folk dancers on their recent graduations: Gary O’berg of Dallas returned to college last January and earned a Bachelor of Science degree magna cum laude on Aug. 13 from The University of Texas at Tyler. Gary majored in Journalism/Public Relations and minored in Speech. Joan Furstenberg of Houston received her Ph.D. in Audiology on March 13 in a formal graduation ceremony in Mesa, Ariz., after finishing her Arizona School of Health Sciences classes last December. She .works at St. Luke’s in Houston. Gettin’ down to Karagouna: Franklin Houston leads a dance during AIFD Greek Night, Aug. 28 in Austin. SCANDI ADVENTURE: Continued from Page 1 -- many small picturesque farming villages. We were endurance contest as a dance contest. We watched fortunate to be able to stay with Pearl and Jan in an the contest’s fourth stage, where each couple danced old farmhouse as guests of Margareta, an older down a paved street and across a long bridge. All Swedish lady who was also a fiddler and who knew dancers were in colorful costumes representing much about the folklore of the region. Every night different regions in Sweden. They had previously there was dancing at a different dance hall completed three stages of the contest, dancing on with different live bands. When we arrived Sunday different surfaces including a grassy field. For the evening, we immediately headed for the nearby semi-finals and finals, the dancers hamboed on a Tibble dance hall, where the band played mostly large wooden platform, first in groups of 10 and then polskas with a few schottisches and waltzes mixed one couple at a time. A beautiful sight to behold, of in. Monday night we danced in Vastberg. Before graceful dancers gliding effortlessly across the floor. the main event we participated in a dance class Next we took a quick trip to Norway. In Oslo, where they taught Bingjo polska and Rattvik polska we visited the large folk museum with displays of in Swedish. In addition to many polskas, the band folk art and folk costumes, many old farm buildings that night played , hambo, Rorospols, , from different regions in Norway, and a stave church and stjuls. Wednesday we spent the afternoon and dating back to 1200. Then we took the train over the evening at the Bingjostammen, a gathering of mountains to Bergen. We enjoyed the scenery as we musicians and dancers from all over Sweden. It was passed by farmland, rushing streams and lakes. The fiddle city - groups of fiddlers jamming everywhere train stopped in many small towns, including Voss of on the grounds, performances by many different Vossarul fame, and backpackers got on and off the spelmanslags including some children's groups, solo train at various stops in the mountains. The first fiddle performances, dancing in two different halls night in Bergen, we watched an amateur folk dance and on an outdoor dance platform, and hordes of group perform Norwegian dances including spectators sitting on the hillside watching everything. Reinlender, Pols, Springar, and Vossarul. The group Thursday we danced in Ostbjorka and Friday in performs for tourists in the summer to earn money to Boda. All of the dance halls were rather small and pay their fiddler and to pay rent for their dancehall. very crowded so that it was hard to find room to Before you pack your bags and head for dance. When dancing a polska, often the best we Scandinavia, be warned that prices are very high could do without bumping into the other dancers was (thank goodness for cheaphotels.com). Just for to promenade until we reached a corner of the hall calibration purposes, a Big Mac meal at the Oslo and then get in a few very tight polska turns. train station costs around $10 (yes, McDonald’s is After the festival, we headed for Jarvso to watch everywhere). Chuck will be happy to show you his the world-famous hambo contest with over 300 videos of dancing in Scandinavia whenever you couples competing. This all-day event is as much an drop by. VOLUME 24, ISSUE 5 Page 5 Texas Camp 2004 updates We are pleased to report that both Steve and Suzy reenactment led by Bob Leibman. Kotansky will be at Texas Camp 2004 to teach Instrumental music workshops: taught by Trio Slavej Hungarian and Romanian couple dances. and Jerry Kisslinger. Camp brochures mailed, forms available Donations The Texas Camp 2004 brochure, registration form, Please use the Sponsorship Form at tifd.org and pass Bobbi Gillotti Scholarship form, and related information it on to a business that would like to contribute to TIFD’s are now available at tifd.org. Click the Camp web page tax-deductible programs. All contributions will be link. If you cannot access the website or forms, please acknowledged in future TIFD publications. contact Chuck Roth at 512-453-8936, Unused frequent flyer miles can help with Camp staff [email protected]. transportation costs. Please contact Camp Chair John Added attractions Ramage (see Page 2) to donate. Macedonian Wedding: traditional wedding In remembrance . . . Maria Magdalena Garces Saldana, longtime performing at area functions and traveling to Mexico City to perform and study dances. The group performed folkdancer and a 1997 Texas Dance Awardee, died Aug. regularly for "Fiesta Noche del Rio" at the Arneson River 2 in San Antonio at age 69. Funeral services were held Theater. According to her sister "Concha", Magda and Aug. 5 in San Antonio with burial at San Fernando others in the family made the costume for "Rosita" Cemetery #3 near her husband, Jimmy G. Saldana. Fernandez which is reportedly in the Smithsonian. Born Jan. 9, 1935, in San Antonio, Magda was the She is survived by eight brothers and sisters, and eldest child and the first to attend college. She worked many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death for San Antonio College and the Alamo Community College District for 54 years, retiring in 1997. She was a by her husband, and her parents, Juan O. Garces and member of the Anacacho Chapter of the International Germana V. de Garces. Her mother was present during Association of Administrative Professionals (formerly the award presentation at the SAC Folk Dance Festival. National Secretaries Association) and was its president Memorials may be made to educational organizations. from 1968-1969. Shirley Bard Rapoport, who with her husband Magda did a lot of cooking and sewing, including Morris ran a Beaumont folk dance group before they costumes. She devoted her spare time to studying and moved to Houston several years ago, died July 28 at 81. performing Mexican folk dance. Mrs. Saldana belonged She is remembered by many for her perpetual, ebullient to the dance group, "Los Mexicanos de San Antonio," smile. Make donations in lieu of flowers to Houston Hillel. News from Member Groups evening. Two weeks after that, there will be a last Houston Croatian performance at the Slavic Festival. -- Joan Furstenberg On Sat., July 10, ten HIFD Croatians performed at a dance concert at the University of St. Thomas in The Cultural Arts Council of Houston and Harris conjunction with Nadira Nar, an oriental dance group in County makes grants to cultural and performance Houston. On July 30 & 31, the same performance organizations that promote tourism. Houston Swing occurred at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts in Dance Society received a project grant last year for the downtown Houston Theater District. The dance $5,800 to support The Great Southwest LindyFest. This concert was put on by Dance Houston, which showcases year, even with budget constraints, CACHH increased many of the dance forms available in Houston. HIFD, LindyFest's grant to $7,500. probably the only amateur group there, put on a good Thanks go to HSDS board member Leon Chol for show for over 900 people combined for all performances. putting the grant application together and to graphic On Oct. 30, Bud Bearce will lead a live music dance designer Daniel Bosse for his presentations of this year's performance for St. Maximillian Kolbe Catholic Church's LindyFest. The photographic images used were praised annual International Night. In past years, several groups by the jury. The images were taken by longtime TIFD have performed. This year, it's only HIFD for the entire member and current HSDS president Buddy Steves. More member news, Page 6 Texas International Folk Dancers P.O. Box 4516 Austin, TX 78765 www.tifd.org FIRST CLASS MAIL ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

More News from Member Groups

Dallas Austin In recognition of the Olympics, AIFD hosted a DIFD members in good standing are eligible for the Greek Night folk dance party Sat., Aug. 28, at group’s new Texas Camp Scholarship. Application Hancock Rec Center. Greek food, costumes, live postmark deadline is Oct. 1. For a form, contact Shelley, music and a lively turnout made the occasion 972-416-9199, [email protected]. memorable. (See photo, Page 4.) Musicians and singers, who had rehearsed Aug. Members broke in a new floor at DIFD’s Sat., Aug. 14, “New Beginnings”dance party. Dance Etc. has 15 at the Gompf residence, presented 12 tunes. moved across the street from its previous location. DIFD Participating were: Anne Alexander, Shelley Allison, reached its scholarship fundraising goal at this party. Paula Blaha, Bruce Bostwick, Leslie Gompf, Franklin Houston, Dena Houston, Kathleen San Antonio McDonagh, Mike Revesz, Jo Soto, and Don Weeda. In addition, dancers encircled visiting clarinetist The South Texas Polish Dancers will perform at Hristo Alexiev of Houston, who was accompanied by the State Fair in Dallas, Oct. 16 and 17, and they are Don on accordion and Anne on tupan. looking for some dancers to join them in return for free admission. They will do a couple of Polish Csardas demonstrated Hungarian dances Sept. 4 dances, such as Ada's Kujawiak and Kujawiak & 5 at Westfest in West, Texas. Dance groups from Niebieski, plus line dances such as Baztan Dantza, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Waco and West also Godecki Cacak, Rustemul and Vlasko II. If performed. interested, contact Dyann at [email protected].