Martenitsas

E-mail from Carlyn:

Subject: just an idea for a blog posting -invitation to make a Martenitsa

Date: Saturday, February 23, 2008 6:51:08 PM

Spring is Almost Here...

In Bulgaria, spring is ushered in with a delightful custom: Bulgarians give martenitsas to their friends and loved ones on March 1st to wish them good health.

What is a martenitsa? It is a small decoration usually made of red and white yarn. Some you wear on your clothes, some you wear tied on your wrist.

You leave it on until you see your first stork of the year (in Illinois, we would probably look for an alternative outdoor bird sighting -no fair looking at a picture of a stork...) Then you take the martenitsa off and attach it to a fruit bearing tree.

Here's how to make a simple bracelet martenitsa for your friend's wrist:

Cut a piece of red yarn and a piece of white yarn approximately the lengths of what it would take to wrap both pieces around your wrist twice. Tie them together at one end.

Have a friend hold the tied end (or hold it with your mouth.) Hold one color in each hand and pulling them taut, twist them both in the SAME direction. Then hold the two loose ends together, not letting go.

Now, let go of the knotted end, and they should twist around each other. (Snarls are likely to happen. Just pull on both ends and then let it twist the two strands more.)

It should eventually straighten out and make a twisted red and white strand. To finish your bracelet, tie the loose end, either directly to the other end, around your friend's wrist, or just having a knot at both ends.

Another simple martenitsa is two pom poms, or tassels, one red and one white, hanging from a bow.

Pictures of martenitsas are on the web:

http://www.geocities.com/bulgarian_martenitsa/make_martenitza.html

Not many supplies are needed, and it has a good chance to work better than the current flu vaccine... Have fun!

Folk Dancing Penguins

It's amazing what you can find on Youtube (and how much time you can waste if you're not careful...)
I came across this link in a post on rec.folk-dancing :
penguins - shamil- şamil oynayan penguenler

And there are a bunch of them, apparently mostly of Turkish origin:
cerkez penguen
bizkackisiyiz
Horon Tepen Sevimli Penguen (Dancing Penguin)

World music/dance events at the Old Town School

If you're looking for something to do on Friday, Feb. 29, when we're not dancing in Downers Grove, that night is the World Dance Night event at the Old Town School of Folk Music .

Another event on their schedule that might be of interest (though it's on a Friday when we will be dancing in Downers Grove):

Shoghaken Ensemble Friday, February 22, 2008 7:30 PM

Feb. 10 North Central College International Fest - Naperville

For the 12th year, the community is invited to attend North Central College’s International Festival on Sunday, Feb. 10, from noon-4 p.m. in Merner Field House, 450 S. Brainard St.

Activities planned throughout the day include ethnic dancing and live performances by musicians in colorful costumes, games and crafts, exhibits from community organizations, and authentic cuisine available for purchase. Attendees can also participate in immersion rooms— French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and Spanish—and experience the challenge of entering a totally different cultural environment.

For more info, click here.

Feb 8 - Audio Postcard about Ethnic Dance Chicago on Chicago Public Radio

Here's a link to the feature.

Update: looks like the segment didn't make it into the Feb 7 show - now it appears to be scheduled for the Feb 8 show

Received from Paul:

On Thursday morning, February 7, 2008, Chicago Public Radio
(WBEZ - 91.5 FM) is planning to air a short (2-minute)
'audio postcard' about Ethnic Dance Chicago on the local
feature program "Eight Forty-Eight".

"Eight Forty-Eight" is Chicago Public Radio's award-winning
morning magazine, featuring news, views, and culture,
all with a local bent, hosted by Steve Edwards.

It runs from 9:00am to 10:00am (CDT) and is repeated
from 8:00pm to 9:00pm (CDT).

If you're out of the listening range of WBEZ (91.5 FM)
you can listen to the free podcast on WBEZ's website.
(1) Click the link below,
(2) scroll down to the program of 02/07/2008, and
(3) click on the "Play Now" link.

  http://podcasts.chicagopublicradio.org/848podcast

Given the weather, who knows whether that segment will make
it or be "muscled out" by a more important feature.

Eilee Heikenen-Weiss visited EDC at the Latvian Center back
on December 7th, danced with us a bit and interviewed some
of the dancers.  On January 27th, she also attended part
of the Sunday morning dance review session at the Folk
Ball in Madison and conducted some interviews.

This story will only be on for about 2 minutes so listen
carefully or go to the website and listen to the podcast.

UofChgo Folk Festival Feb 8-10 2008

Click here for more info. Looks like there will be a number of dance workshops, including:

Like to Dance? Then come to the Folk Festival Contra in the beautiful Ida Noyes Third Floor Theater. Featuring great LIVE MUSIC from folk festival performer New Bad Habits . All dances taught!
Calling by Dot Kent. Presented by the University of Chicago Folklore Society

Date: Sunday, February 10
Time: Dancing 3 pm - 5 pm
Location: Ida Noyes Hall, Cloister Club 1212 East 59th Street. Click here for a map.

Note, Saturday Feb 9, there will also be a Cajun Dance from 1:30-3:30, with the Lafayette Rhythm Devils and a Ceilidh Dance from 3:30 - 5 pm with Culrua. Ed Heffernan calling. See the workshops page for details.

Daytime workshops, which are apparently free, include Scandinavian Dance (John Parrish & Mary Allsopp),
Waltz Workshop, English Country Dance (Tom Senior), Cajun Dance, Ceilidh & Set Dance, Balkan Dance (Georgine Paris of EDC), Middle Eastern Dance, Israeli Dance, Yiddish Dance, European Traditional Dance, Irish Dance, Bhangra...

Dancing tonight (Feb 1) - We'll be there, come if you can

Looks like the storm is over and the streets are reasonably clear, so, in case you were wondering after last week: we will be meeting tonight, as usual. Time, place, map, etc., here.