EDC Live Music Balkan Dance Fri. Sept. 14

We aren't going to be dancing in Downers Grove Sept. 14, but here's an alternative, if you're not headed for Oconomowoc:

ETHNIC DANCE CHICAGO

Dancing As A Second Language

News Release

In conjunction with Chicago's World Music Festival, Ethnic Dance Chicago
presents a Live Music Balkan Dance
Party with two Balkan dance/music bands:

- Chris Bajmakovich & Muzika 4 U with Ljupco Milenkovski (Macedonian & Bulgarian), and
- T-Rroma (Croatian, Serbian & other)

When:
-Friday, September 14, 2007
- 7:00pm to midnite (or later)
- 7:00pm-8:00pm - Balkan Dance Lesson to live music
taught by Paul Collins of Ethnic Dance Chicago
- 8:00 until ­ Balkan Dance Party with live music

Where:
- Chicago Lavtian Cultural Center, 4146 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL
60618, (NW corner, entrance on Hamlin)

Cost:
- $12.00 ­ general admission
- $8.00 - full-time students & kids under 12

Further Information:
- Paul Collins
- Tel: (773)-463-2288
- Email: info@ethnicdance.net
- Website: www.ethnicdance.net/special_event


About the Artists

Chris Bajmakovich & Muzika 4 U (Highland, IN)
Chris Bajmakovich is a Macedonian-American, whose parents are from Bitola and
Ohrid, began studying music at
the age of five and continued formal music training for the next twelve years.
His main instrument is accordion,
though he is also well-versed on tarabuka (doumbek) and other drums, clarinet
and singing. Chris plays
professionally with his band Muzika 4 U for many different functions, primarily
for the Macedonian and Serbian
communities in the Chicagoland area as well as in Detroit, Indiana and Ohio. He
also teaches accordion privately,
and has been featured on several recordings, including two of his own. Chris
excels as a vocalist, accordionist
and as a composer, having written the incredibly emotive song, "Rakija i
cigari", that drives Balkan audiences crazy.
He was part of Ilija Ampevski's critically acclaimed ensemble which wowed the
audience at the 2004 Chicago World
Music Festival and is in demand around the US.

Ljupco Milenkovski (Merrilville, IN)
Ljupco Milenkovski originally from Dracevo, Macedonia, moved to the U.S. in
1985. He made and learned to play
his first wooden flute at the age of 10 years old. By the time he was 14, he
had started playing kaval (open-ended
flute) with the famed Macedonian musician, Mile Kolarov. About two years after
he started playing kaval, he also
started learning to play the gajde (bagpipe) from his father, Andreja
Milenkovski. Between 1977 and 1985, Ljupco
played traditional Macedonian dance music with Mile and other musicians for the
"Kitke" Dance Ensemble in
Dracevo. In recent years, Ljupco has taught himself to play the clarinet and
saxaphone. He plays some of the more
Macedonian and Southeastern European music with several ensembles in the
Chicagoland & Northern Indiana areas
including his own ensemble, "Sar Planina". Ljupco lives with his wife Linda and
their two children, Andres and
Dionaa in Merrillville, Indiana.

T-Rroma (Joe Kirin, Lyons, IL)
An energetic quintet performing Eastern European gypsy music, T-Rroma
(Tamburitza Rroma) takes the audience on
a jubilant journey with their strings and Slavic voices. Born out of the 2001
World Music Festival, T-Rroma made its
debut at HotHouse in May 2002 and have delighted audiences with their fresh
approach to traditional folk music
ever since. Although T-Roma, is based in the Chicago area, its musical roots and
its fan base spread far beyond that
city's boundaries. Its repertoire, which includes original as well as folk and
modern compositions, is as rich and
diverse as the culture of the Gypsy (or the preferred "Rom"), from which it
takes its name. At every performance,
therefore, T-Rroma takes its audience on a compelling worldwide journey that
stretches from the Balkans to South
America, punctuated from start to finish by everything from hushed and haunting
ballads to powerful, pulsating Latin
rhythms.

Paul Collins (Ethnic Dance Chicago, Chicago, IL)
Paul Collins has danced since the age of eight and has been an ethnic folk dance
leader & square/contra dance caller
since high school in the mid 1960's. Paul has been a guest caller at dances from
the North Country to the Deep South
and has even called squares and taught folk dancing for the hearing impaired at
Galledet University in Washington.
DC. Between 1966 and 1979, Paul led the University of Chicago Folk Dance Club
and introduced squares and
contras into the group's repertoire. After directing the U of C Folk Dancers'
Annual Fall "International Folk Festival"
for twelve years, in 1980 Paul joined Gerhard Bernhard in producing the DCFF and
two years later became co-
director. In 1989, Paul and Bill Sasso started the Mid-North Folk Dance Club
that has today evolved into Ethnic
Dance Chicago. Paul has also presented dance programs for kids in Midwest area
schools, tutoring programs and
scouting organizations. In the world outside of dance, Paul is an independent
management consultant for web-based
collaboration, interpersonal communications, group facilitation and personal
network development and is a co-
founder and director of the Midwest Facilitators' Network. Paul is also a
student in Northwestern University's
Leadership and Organization Behavior Program.
_________________________________________________________________
EDC c/o Jordan-Webb - 2656 W Montrose Ave - Suite 110 - Chicago,
Illinois 60618 - (773)-463-2288
pcollins@ethnicdance.net -
www.ethnicdance.net

Madison World Music Festival -- Sept. 13-15

Just received from Michael K. in Madison:
http://www.union.wisc.edu/worldmusic/

From: "Michael Kuharski"

To:

Subject: Madison World Music Festival -- Sept. 13-15 !

Date: Saturday, August 25, 2007 2:50:31 PM

Dear Friends ~

The amazing Madison World Music Festival continues to surpass itself and invites you to share the experience! I am sending a quick sketch of this outstanding FREE festival to you early because I really feel it could be worth making time or taking a little road trip to be part of the scene. We all consider that sort of effort once in a while for performers we know will thrill us. This gathering of a dozen great groups offers more -- come for the ones that call out to you and then be swept away by others you had no idea existed. This really works, and the festival has quickly become an eagerly anticipated high point of Madison's lively music calendar. More later, but for now here is the plan as we have it. Enjoy!

Michael Kuharski

Madison World Music Festival
Artist	Date	Time	Venue	Rain
Margaret Beissinger Lecture	9/13	4pm	Tripp
Ismail Lumanovski Lecture/demo	9/13	6pm	PlayCircle
Ilgi (Latvia)	9/13	7pm	Terrace	GH 7pm
NY Gypsy All-Stars (Turkey, Macedonia,Greek and Balkan)	9/13	9pm	Terrace	GH 9pm
Margaret Beissinger Lecture	9/14	12noon	Ingraham
Chirgilchin Workshop	9/14	3pm	PlayCircle
Huong Thanh (Vietnam)	9/14	5:30pm	Terrace	WUT 5:30pm
Dragon Knights (Stilt Walkers)	9/14	7 & 9:15	Terrace
Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic)	9/14	7:45pm	Terrace	WUT 7:45pm
Romano Drom (Hungary)	9/14	10pm	Terrace	WUT 10pm
Chirgilchin (Tuva)	9/14	6:30pm	Theater	MH 6:30pm
Haale (Iran)	9/14	9pm	Theater	MH 9pm
Romano Drom Workshop	9/15	11am	PlayCircle
Dragon Knights (Stilt Walkers)	9/15	5 & 7:15	Terrace
Estrella Acosta (Cuba)	9/15	5:45pm	Terrace	WUT 5:45pm
Dhoad Gypsies (Rajasthan)	9/15	8pm	Terrace	MH 7pm
Louis Mhlanga (Zimbabwe)	9/15	10pm	Terrace	WUT 10pm
Rodriguez/El Medioni (Cuba/Algeria)	9/15	7pm	Theater	WUT 8pm
Gerard Edery Trio (Sephardic Jewish)	9/15	9:30pm	Theater	MH 9:30pm
Dobet Gnahore (Ivory Coast)	9/15	3:45pm	Willy St Fair	?? ??

Rain Locations:

GH=Great Hall

WUT=Wisconsin Union Theater

MH=Music Hall

Times and stages are subject to change -- any updates promptly shown at:

http://www.union.wisc.edu/worldmusic/

Fox Valley Folk Festival CANCELLED

Posted this morning on the Fox Valley Folk Festival website:

--- 2007 FESTIVAL CANCELLED!! ---
Island Park Is Under 6 Feet of Water From Record Rains! We Have
Desperately Tried To Relocate, But All Viable Options Are Flooded,
Unavailable At Short Notice, Or Don't Have Parking. On August 24
We Were Reluctantly Forced To Cancel The Festival For This Year.
Please Help Spread The Word & We'll See You in 2008.

Oconomowoc camp Sept 14-16 - no Fri. dance here Sept 14

Since so many of us will be going to the folk dance camp in Oconomowoc Sept. 14-16, we will NOT be dancing in Downers Grove that Friday night, Sept. 14. Other than that, we will be dancing every Friday in the foreseeable future, including the Friday before Labor Day Weekend (Aug. 31). Teaching at Oconomowoc will be: Dit, Edie, Darice (from Racine), and our own Jay. I scanned the flyer into the computer and I'm going to try to attach it to this post, but I'm not sure how well it will work, I'm guessing not too well - you should be able to pick out the basic info, though.

September Camp in Oconomowoc Sponsored by Lake Geneva Folk Dancers

JOIN US FOR A FUN-FILLED WEEKEND OF FOLK-DANCE, WORKSHOPS & EVENING PARTIES including programmed dancing, request sessions, with workshop review on Sunday morning. ALL LEVEL DANCERS ARE WELCOME! No partners needed!

WHERE: OLIN-SANG-RUBY UNION INSTITUTE (OSRUI) in Oconomowoc, WI.

(It is located2-1/2 hours from downtown Chicago or approximately 45 miles west of Milwaukee, WI)

WHEN: September 14-16, 2007 Check-In Time: Friday 4:30 p.m ... on? Dinner: 6:00 p.rn.; camp concludes Sunday after lunch.

COST:

$150.00 PER PERSON i[paid in full by August 24 -- $160 after August 24.

The camp facilities are located on beautiful grounds situated next to Lac La Belle. Dancing takes place in a large gymnasium in the Sang Sports Center. Six (6) meals are served in the Dining Hall (dinner Friday through lunch Sunday). Accommodations: Double occupancy rooms with private bath -- kitchen facilities and lounge are in the same building for our use.

CANCELLATIONS: Prior to August 30, 2007: $150. less $25.00 (non-refundable registration fee).

After August 30, 2007: no refund will be given unless a suitable replacement is available.

*** I[you need to cancel- call Jill Carlson- 1(708) 748-5108 or Dit Olshan - 847/966-9888***

*** We reserve the right to cancel the September Camp in Oconomowoc weekend. In such case, all payments will be refunded in full. ***

CONTACTS: COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON:Jill Carlson 1(708) 748-5108 email:angelajillcarlson@hotmail.com Dit Olshan (847) 966-6888 email address-dit32l@aol.com

-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --(cut here)

REGISTRATION FORM - September Camp in Oconomowoc September 14 -16, 2007

Please do not put more than one person or couple on this registration form. You may duplicate this form NAME(S)

Street

_

City

State

Zip code

_

Phone Number: Home (

)

. Work/Cell (

Email Address

E-mail address in the syllabus? Yes

1

No

Housing: I would like to room with:

Special Needs?

_

Fee Schedule:

1. Prior to August 24th: Number ofpersons __ ~ x $150.00
2. After August 24th Number ofpersons x $160.00

3. Grant and/or music donation:

$--­ $--­ $---

4. TOTAL AMOUNT OF CHECK ENCLOSED

$

Mail the registration form and check for full payment to the address provided.

Make your check payable to:

Mail to:

LAKE GENEVA FOLK DANCERS Darice Griffin

2901 Washington Ave. Racine, WI 53405

Sad News - Sue Lofton

I didn't know the Loftons, but perhaps some of you do:

> From: Carey S
> Subject: Re: News from Paul C

> For those that don't know, Nate and Sue Lofton led the Francis Parker
> folk dance group for many years, a very friendly dance that was IMHO
> probably responsible for more new international folk dancers (at that
> time) than any group outside the University of Chicago.
>
> My apologies if this is a duplicate message.
>
> Paul C wrote:
> > Dear Carey:
> >
> > I'm sorry that I was not able to reach you by phone and had to give
> > you this information via email
> >
> > I'm sorry to bring you the sad news that Shizu "Sue" Lofton passed away
> > quitely on Sunday, August 5, 2007.
> >
> > Sue had been under care for the last 2+ weeks for breathing difficulties
> > and was in hospice care. Sue was with Nate, family members and close
> > friends when she died at approximately 4:05pm on Sunday.
> >
> > There will be a memorial service for Sue from 1:00pm to 3:00pm [Sat. Aug 11]
> > at the United Methodist Home, 1415 West Foster (5200N), Chicago 60640.
> >
> > In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to the
> > White Crane Wellness Center in her name - Shizu "Sue" Lofton:
> >
> > White Crane Wellness Center
> > 1355 West Foster
> > Chicago, Illinois 60640
> >
> > Please pass this information on to those you think might want to know.
> >
> > Sincerely,
>
> --
> Carey 

Fri Aug 3 dance list

Above is the dance program from last night, as photographed by my real camera, which has a viewfinder and flash and everything.

In case anybody is curious about what came out of my $10 toy camera with no viewfinder or flash, a couple of those photos are below:




The difference in resolution is much more obvious on the computer, where the photo from the real camera is 1163x866 pixels even after cropping it down some, vs. the supposed "high resolution" setting on the tiny toy camera, 352x288 pixels. The process of posting the photo to the blog reduces the size/resolution considerably. I must say, the toy camera did pretty well in terms of exposure, though perhaps at the expense of a too-long shutter speed, assuming the blur in the second photo is due to camera shake rather than focus. Well, this isn't supposed to be a photography blog, I just wanted to learn how to post photos to it, and now I have. Sort of...I had to edit the raw HTML to get the photos sort of where I wanted them, and the text isn't exactly positioned very well. But, good enough...