Featured Post

2024 *Still* Zooming

  We will *still* be Zooming in 2024, since COVID is *still* going around , and besides, we've kind of gotten used to it.  Contact linda...

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

New Years Day Dance+Potluck Wed Jan 1, 2014



Argonne International Folk Dance

New Years Day Party
 Date: Wed., January 1, 2014 
Time: 1:00pm-6:00pm, 
potluck meal around 3:00pm 
Place: St. Paul's UCC Fellowship Hall 
Address: 5739 Dunham Rd., 
Downers Grove, IL 
Req. Donation: $3+Potluck dish to share
Click on image below to enlarge/print flyers
 
 

Friday, November 29, 2013

Not meeting Friday after Thanksgiving Nov 29, 2013

We will not be meeting for dancing in Downers Grove the day after Thanksgiving (Fri Nov 29).  Hope you all have a good holiday.

Some items of possible interest around the area:

Sat Nov 9 6:30pm Evanston Folk Dance Regional Potluck + Dance 

Wed Nov 20 7:30pm Oak Park Folk Dance 33rd Anniversary party - 515 Franklin, River Forest, IL

Fri Nov 22 7:30pm Auditorium Theatre: Hungarian State Folk Ensemble

Sat Nov 30 8:00pm Muriel Anderson Concert, Downers Grove North HS

Wed Jan 1, 2014 1:00pm Argonne IFD Annual New Years Day Party 

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Maxwell St Klezmer Band 30th Anniv Concert Nov 3 - Old Town School

Maxwell Street Klezmer Band 30th Anniversary Concert

http://www.oldtownschool.org/concerts/2013/11-03-2013-maxwell-st-klezmer-band-30th-anniversary-4pm/
Sunday, November 3, 2013  ♦  4:00 PM & 7:30 PM
4544 N Lincoln Ave · Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall · 773.728.6000
  • $25 General Public
  • $23 Members
  • $72 VIPs

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Oconomowoc dances - video clips

Update 9/19/2017: videos also available in youtube playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijPtPxfVqUw6SI5A0MZXUb0EonYGiQt1

L'Homme Qui Marche


Fezodherveneghas


Vodarka


Varko Sto Yialo

Shatty Ya Deney

Megdansko



Ibo



 Laner V'Lebsamim

Female Saylor

Simple Gifts
 
Sundown



Friday, October 4, 2013

Not meeting Friday Oct 4, 2013 (Oconomowoc weekend)

Because many of us will be attending the Oconomowoc Folk Dance Weekend, we won't be dancing in Downers grove Friday night Oct 4, 2013.  We should have some additions to our repertoire to share the next week.

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Fall Folk Dance Camp, Oconomowoc, Oct 4-6, 2013

Fall Dance Camp in Oconomowoc, sponsored by Lake Geneva Folk Dancers
Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI),
600 Lac La Belle Drive, Oconomowoc, WI
Oct 4-6, 2013
$185/person
Click on flyer to enlarge:

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Fox Valley Folk Festival Sep 1-2 Geneva, IL

37th Annual Fox Valley Folk Music & Storytelling Festival
September 1 & 2, 2013 At Island Park, Geneva, IL
http://www.foxvalleyfolk.com/

Old-Time Community Barn Dance Sunday Only, From 6 to 7:30 PM

Sunday, July 28, 2013

NPR: Henry Ford's 150th with folk dancing

According to this story from NPR's Weekend Edition this morning, Henry Ford was a great fan of folk dancing.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=206310512
The comment thread says that the caller heard in the story is Glen Morningstar Jr, leading the Ruffwater Stringband. Fiddler is Brad Battey Jr., playing the Rochester Schottische.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Don Weeda plans to join us this coming Friday July 19, to play live accordion music for dancing.  He'll also be playing for dancing at Fermilab on Thursday, July 18, in between teaching by Mihai David.

Don has a wonderful repertoire of folk dance tunes for dancing, and we always enjoy his visits.

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Romanian dance workshop with Mihai David July 18, Fermilab

Received from Mady:

Update:
We've decided to move the Mihai David Romanian workshop to Fermilab's Ramsey Auditorium to take advantage of the smoother floor and air-conditioned climate there (better a little crowded than so hot!), on Thursday, July 18, from 8 to 11 p.m. (note slightly different time as well).  In addition, our accordionist friend Don Weeda will be in town and will play for request dancing during the evening, when we take a break from workshop dances.
We’ll go back to the Barn for a SPECIAL event: Thursday, July 18:  MIHAI DAVID, the teacher of some of our favorite Romanian dances, will be at Fermilab’s Barn for a WORKSHOP!!  We’re moving to the Barn so that we have extra space, in hopes that lots of you will come. If the weather is warm, be aware that the Barn has no air-conditioning. There are several fans, but we could use extras if you want to bring one along (and maybe an extension cord).
Suggested donation for the workshop is $10 for adults, $5 for students, but remember it is only “suggested,” and you can come to participate in any case!  Mihai is appearing at the Door County Folk Festival (www.dcff.net), but to my current knowledge is not giving workshops elsewhere in the Chicago area on this trip. 
Mihai is also doing a workshop at the Evanston Monday Night group on July 22.
You can download the flyer at http://www.fnal.gov/orgs/folkdance/MihaiJuly18.pdf  (If you run a group or will be seeing other dancers, kindly print a few and help us spread the word! – Thanks!)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/taiauztovgvj79w/MihaiJuly18-2.pdf

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Irish American Heriitage Festival, July 12-14 Chicago

Irish American Heritage Festival
July 12-14
4626 N. Knox Ave, Chicago, IL
773-282-7035
Includes music, dance, food, Irish wolfhound petting, mashed potato eating contest, and more...

http://irishfestchicago.com/

Square Roots Festival, Jul 12-14 Lincoln Sq, Old Town School, Chicago

Square Roots Festival, by the Old Town School of Folk Music and Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce
July 12-14, 2013
Lincoln Ave. between Montrose & Wilson, Chicago, IL
Including performance by Le Vent Du Nord, with Contra Dance lessons on Fri 7/12
(Le Vent Du Nord is the Quebecois band that does C’est une jeune mariĂ©e, which is on their CD Les amants du Saint-Laurent and to which they have the English translated lyrics here.



Looks like they'll also be at SummerDance Sat. 7/13)

http://squareroots.org/about/

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Chicago Summerdance 2013

Grant Park
Spirit of Music Garden
601 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60605

________________________
  • Free Admission
  • Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays
    Dance Lessons: 6-7pm
    Live Music & Dancing: 7:30-9:30pm
  • Sundays
    Dance Lessons: 4-5pm
    Live Music & Dancing: 5-7pm 
http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_summerdance.html

Door County Folk Festival July 10-14

34th Annual DCFF - Wed-Sun, July 10-14, 2013

Baileys Harbor, Ephraim & Sister Bay, Wisconsin

 http://www.dcff.net/

Friday, May 31, 2013

Not meeting Friday, May 31, 2013 - June Camp

We will not be meeting to dance in Downers Grove on Friday, May 31, because a number of us will be attending June Camp .  We should have some new dances to share the next Friday, June 7, when we will meet as usual.

Monday, May 13, 2013

June Camp Update

The deadline for registration, May 17,  is fast approaching. Iliana Bozhanova is the the main teacher.  Jaap Leegwater won't be able to attend, in his place Thea Huijgen, a Dutch folk dance teacher from the Seattle area, will come to teach Dutch and other international dances.

More info, flyers, etc.: https://sites.google.com/site/junecampifd/ 

Skokie Festival of Cultures May 18-19, 2013

2013 Skokie Festival of Cultures
May 18 & 19, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Oakton Park, 4701 West Oakton St., Skokie, Illinois

http://skokieculturefest.org/

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Not meeting Friday, May 10, 2013

We won't be meeting Friday night, May 10, but please join us Saturday, May 11 for our annual Stone Soup Party

Argonne IFD Stone Soup Party, May 11, 2013 Downers Grove











Stone Soup Party
Date: Saturday, May 11, 2013
Time: 1:00pm-6:00pm, potluck meal around 3:00pm
Place: St. Paul's UCC Fellowship Hall
Req. Donation: $3 + Potluck dish to share
In order to spend more time dancing and less time cooking during the party, the soups will be made ahead.  Please let us know if you'd like to volunteer to provide one of the soups.

Click on below image, then right-click on enlarged image and select "View Image", to print if you need more flyers:

Friday, April 12, 2013

2013 World Dance Day, Apr 28, Athenaeum Theater, Chicago

2013 World Dance Day
April 28, 2013, at 2 p.m.
Athenaeum Theatre
2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago
Tickets are $28 for adults, $16 for seniors and
$16 for students and dancers. Group discounts are also available.
For tickets, visit www.atheanaeumtheatre.org or call
773-935-6875

There's a slideshow on linked from their facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.446090738800473.1073741832.158799914196225&type=1

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Appleton, WI Fox Valley Intl Folk Dance Workshop Apr 27

21st annual International Folk Dance Workshop
 and SAVE THE GRANGE HALL
Saturday, April 27, 2013
With instructors: Michael Kuharski, Paul Wagner, and Elaina Qureshi
Dance party music performed by: Ethnictricity
Location: the South Greenville Grange just west of Appleton, WI
W6920 County Road BB
http://fvfolkdancing.blogspot.com/2013/03/its-official-21st-annual-workshop-is.html

Barynya Russian Ensemble, Fermilab, Apr 20, 8pm

http://www.fnal.gov/culture/NewArts/Arts/12-13/Barynya.shtml
Fermilab Cultural Events
Barynya: Music & Dance of Russia
April 20, 2013 @ 8 p.m.
Tickets - $25/$13 for ages 18 and under
Ramsey Auditorium, Wilson Hall, Fermilab
 Batavia, IL

Kristina Dimitrova + Orlin Goranov, Apr 20, River Forest, IL

http://www.horochicago.com/WP/orlin-goranov-i-kristina-dimitrova-na-20-april/chicago-web/

Kristina Dimitrova & Orlin Goranov
30 Years On Stage
7:00 pm April 30, 2013
Mother Guerin High School
8001 West Belmont Avenue.
River Grove, IL 60634
(W Belmont Ave. and N Cumberland Ave.)
Tickets $30 Advance, $30 at door, $15 kids 12-18, under 12 free
http://bgfocus.com/chicago-eng.html

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Not exactly a folk dance...

http://youtu.be/LP3w-oJjH8I 



There are quite a few versions of this dance out there, apparently - search YouTube for "strumpfhosentanz"

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Harmonia + T-Roma, Mayne Stage, Chicago, Fri Mar 8, 2013

Roo alerted us to this event, though it conflicts with regular Friday night dancing:

Harmonia with Tamburitza Roma
Friday, March 8, 2013, 10:00pm, 8:30pm doors
Mayne Stage Theater
1328 Morse Ave.
Chicago, IL 60626
773.381.4551 (phone)
info@maynestage.com

Oak Park Folk Dancers Annual Potluck Apr 17, 2013

Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Oak Park Folkdancers Annual Pot Luck
515 Franklin, River Forest, IL
Dinner at 8:30, Request dancing 7:30-10:30
$6, Bring a Dish to share

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Fermilab 25th Anniversary Party photos, past & present


There's a website called dearphotograph.com "take a picture of a picture, from the past, in the present" -- which seemed like kind of a cool idea, so I tried it out at the Fermilab 25th anniversary party last night (at which a good time was had by all, BTW; great turnout, lots of old friends in attendance).  I need to work on the technique, learn how to line things up better and focus better, but here are a few of the not-so-horrible attempts:





Then, because I wasn't happy with the way they looked when I got them uploaded to the computer, I tried monkeying with them after-the-fact, and/or trying to match the vantage point of old and new photos and putting them together without my chubby arm in the frame.  But somehow, that doesn't quite have the same effect, although there was something nice about being able to blend in people who are unfortunately no longer with us, as if there in spirit, and blending in the little kids who are now grown, moved away, and in some cases have kids of their own...





Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Neighborhoods of the World, Navy Pier, Sundays Feb 17 - Apr 7, 2013

Neighborhoods of the World
Sundays, February 17 – April 7, 2013
12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Navy Pier's Crystal Gardens
Chicago, IL
Free Admission, All Ages
http://www.navypier.com/neighborhoods/schedule.html

Feb 24: Chinese Fine Arts Society
Mar 3: Celebrate Mexico
Mar 10: Celebrate Lithuanian Independence
Mar 17: Amazing India
Mar 24: Phillipine Fest
Mar 31: Africa in Chicago
Apr 7: Greek Journey

Sunday, February 17, 2013

More events around the Midwest Feb 22-24,2013

In addition to the Columbus weekend with Yves Moreau previously posted, and the Dalakopa webcast that Roo alerted us to,  Mady listed some other events happening in other cities that same weekend (Feb 22-24, 2013) in a recent e-mail:

http://www.stlouisfolkdance.org/workshop.html - Balkan Dance, Alex Marcovic, St. Louis
http://www.snopa.org/snopa2013Registrationflier.pdf - International Dance, Wilder Forest N. of Stillwater, MN
http://www.aactmad.org/ddw/ - Contra & English, Ann Arbor, MI Dawn Dance Weekend
http://www.oldtownschool.org/concerts/2013/02-22-2013-orpheus-hellenic-folklore-society-830pm/

Also, when I turned on the Midnight Special on WFMT last night, they were playing "Changerais-Tu?" by Talitha Mackenzie (which you would recognize as the music to which we dance An Dro Retournee) - and they mentioned that Talitha Mackenzie will be preforming at the Chicago Maritime Festival, Feb. 23, 2013, at the Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St, Chicago.

Looking for links for the above, I came across this costumed version of An Dro Retournee (same tune, but not Talitha Mackenzie's version): http://youtu.be/PG1wV1BD6mc

And for the musicians, here's the "abc" notation from which you can generate sheet music and midi sound: http://abcnotation.com/tunePage?a=trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/Intl/song/Changerais_tu_Fw/0000

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Warrenville Open Line Dances

Here's a link to Janet Kruse's page with the schedule of open line dances at the Warrenville Community Building -- next one is Feb. 16:

http://dancewithjanet.com/warrenville-dances

We've done a few of the dances we picked up there on Friday nights, and that's where Jay picked up "Men In Black" that he brought to Oconomowoc last year.


Save The Date: Saturday May 11, 2013 - Stone Soup

We've reserved St. Paul's UCC Fellowship Hall for our Stone Soup Party for Saturday, May 11, 2013.  More details will be posted later.

Balkanske Igre Spring Festival Mar 22-24 Univ of Chgo

Doesn't look like they've updated their website with the 2013 details yet (as of Feb 9), but here are some links you can check later, and a scan of the paper flyer.  Click on the flyer image to view it in a new frame/window if you want to print it.

http://www.balkanskeigre.org/
http://globalgroovechicago.com/profile/BalkanskeIgre


Marchfest, Irish Ceili Dancing, March 8-9 Urbana, IL

The Illini Folk Dance Society in conjunction with the Central Illinois English Country Dancers, and the Urbana Country Dancers will be holding a weekend of traditional dance and music in Urbana, IL
The weekend will feature a Friday evening contra dance, Irish dance workshops during the day Saturday and a Saturday evening Irish Ceili Dance.


http://www.centralillinoisecd.org/weekend.html

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Fermilab: Intro to English Dance, Sun. Feb. 10

Received from Mady:

If you get a chance, could you also let folks know that there's a special introduction to English country dancing this Sunday, Feb. 10, 2 to 5 p.m. at Fermilab's Kuhn Village Barn. Tammy and I will be teaching the basics, and encourage newcomers to try it out, and dancers to bring their friends.


Thanks!
Mady

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

U of C Folk Festival Feb 8-10, 2013

Looks like there are quite a few dance workshops on the schedule at the U. of C. Folk Festival, including the following, all on Saturday in Ida Noyes Hall:

The Gentle Art of Morris Dancing
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM  

Scandinavian Dance Workshop with Mary Allsopp & Friends
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
 
Irish Social Dance
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
 
English Country Dance
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Cajun Lesson and Dance
2:00 PM - 4:30 PM


Dance of the Seven Veils: Myth, Mayhem and More
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM


And on Sunday:
Bhangra! with Shamila Khetarpal
4:00 PM-5:00 PM 
 

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Sad News: Allan Michaels

Received the following sad news from Joe M:

Long-time Argonne Folk Dancer, Allan Michaels died on December 24, 2012 in Seattle, Washington.  Allan and Phyllis, his wife, moved to Seattle after they both retired from ANL about 15 years ago.  Allan was a physicist in the Material Sciences Division at ANL;  Phyllis was a supervising administrative assistant.  According to their daughter, Robin Michaels, Allan fell in the shower, bumped his head in early December but did not stop taking the blood-thinning Cumadin prescribed for a slight stroke seven years ago.  A slow brain hemorrhage drove him into a coma from which he did not recover.

Allan and Phyllis were early and enthusiastic dancers with AFD when the club danced at the former ANL Recreation Center east of Cass Avenue.  They organized and rehearsed participants for many AFD performances for special events; and they seldom missed our Friday night dancing.  They continued dancing with groups in Seattle

They recently sold an 8,000-book collection of notable first editions before moving into an assisted living facility for seniors.

Allan's pursuit of his PhD was temporarily interrupted when he and Phyllis spent more than a year in a tuberculosis sanitarium in New York.  Allan worked for a U.S. military contractor in Toronto, Canada before joining the staff at Argonne.

Allan is survived by Phyllis, his wife; daughter, Robin Michaels and her daughter, Thorne. His son, David Michaels of Seattle, died from a heart attack in 2003.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/seattletimes/obituary.aspx?pid=162256056

Stuff found while web-surfing...

http://www.theworld.org/2013/01/nolwenn-leroy/
PRI's "The World" - Global Hit - Nolwenn Leroy; at the end, she sings a song you may recognize as the tune to which we dance "Le Laride". Turns out the name of the tune is "Tri Martolod"
Here's the youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTuBnZrLbq0
and here are the lyrics with a translation: http://lyricstranslate.com/en/tri-martolod-three-sailors.html 
The version we're used to is the one recorded by Alan Stivell  in the 1970s.

On another subject, here's an interesting version of Skudrinka (check out the shoes!):

And here's a a youtube page with lots of Bulgarian dance videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/BulgFolk/videos

And today's "Agnes" cartoon is about Line Dancing
http://www.gocomics.com/agnes/2013/02/03:










And finally, this last one isn't exactly dance-related, but it does involve a guy in a kilt with sporran, and might be amusing to the Scottish-dancing physicists:
http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/science-sporran/

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Dalakopa dance music: Rørosmaartnan 2/22/13 Webcast

Received from Roo:


Here is the official Martna-link. Last scheduled event on Friday 22nd!

http://www.rorosmartnan.no/index.php?c=19&kat=Fredag+22.+februar

How to watch:   Go to www.fjelltv.no

Details:
The time for this year's webcast is:
01.00 - 04.00 Norway time
7-10PM Eastern Time in North America
6-9PM   Central Time in North America
5-8PM   Mountain Time in North America
4-7PM   Pacific Time in North America

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

New Years Day 2013 Potluck + Dance - Downers Grove












Argonne International Folk Dance New Years Day Party
Date: Tue., January 1, 2013
Time: 1:00pm-6:00pm, potluck meal around 3:00pm
Place: St. Paul's UCC Fellowship Hall
Address: 5739 Dunham Rd., Downers Grove, IL
Req. Donation: $3+Potluck dish to share