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AIFD Newsletter
May 29, 2020
zoomThis Friday's AIFD/HIFD Virtual Folk Dance, May 29, 7:30-9:30pm, Zoom link. If needed: Meeting ID: 895 2183 9294 Password: 847731.

This week's event is hosted by AIFD. Kathleen McDonagh will be starting the evening at 7:30 sharp with some kid friendly dances. Here is the complete lineup.


Get To Know Your Board:

Bill BrockBill Brock, Vice President. They asked me to write a bio for the newsletter. I wondered why because I figured they wanted people who could not only pronounce the dance names but also people who didn’t dance with two left feet. But then I remembered, I am a great example of a fellow who basically was pulled into folk dancing kicking and screaming as opposed to blissfully stepping onto the dance floor at every opportunity.

So if any of you were like me, this is for you. My wife Madeline started dancing way back in college, and in our early marriage years I essentially adopted the attitude of “That’s nice honey, see you when you get back home!” I was able to keep up this subterfuge for about a dozen years until I got a call from Chuck Roth. He called me and told me about a couples folk dancing night that his church was holding. Chuck can be persistent, so I finally agreed to show up.

We took his class, and the first dance that I learned was Bal de Jugon. I found to my surprise that not only was I capable of doing the dances (so long as someone was holding my hand, ha), but I liked the music, and the people were great! So for the next twenty or so years I was an intermittent attendee. I enjoyed dancing but not every dance night.

In 2010 I went to my first Thanksgiving camp at Greene Family Camp, and that pretty much flipped me into being a regular dancer. Since then I try to make the majority of Friday nights – I have found dancing to be one of the best evenings I can give myself. So I’ll see you on the dance floor – just don’t copy my feet!


Blast From The Past 1974
1974 Blast from the Past
(Click on picture for full size.)
Names of people, Anita Rich at the very top. Girl's row from left to right - Gloria Herrera, Sue Hovorka, Pearl Clark, Anita Rich (at the very top), Jeannie Lawrence, Wendy Erickson, Gail Lanier. Boy's row from L to R - Nolan Lujan, John Steele, John Ramage, Michael Sternberg and Robert Sampson. - Dena Houston.


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City of Austin Update:
As folks have seen, Austin is slowly allowing businesses and facilities to open, trying to balance the risk of infections COA logowith the benefits of "returning to normal". Needless to say, it could be a long time before folk dancing as we know it returns to Hancock Rec Center. And even then it will depend on what is allowed combined with what folk dancers feel safe with. In the meantime, we hope everyone is enjoying the online activities.


Online Dance Activities
Compiled by Denise Fynmore.

These are some of the online dancing events, but not all. Please check our Facebook page frequently.

Also, Dale Adamson maintains a comprehensive Google Calendar of online dance events. In an effort to streamline the newsletter, events on this calendar will not be duplicated in the newsletter.

Friday Night Folk Dance co-hosted by Houston and Austin International Folk Dancers, 7:30-9:30pm. Line up and Zoom link.

Yves Moreau – has dance videos of his teaching of FIVE dances. These are available on his Facebook page anytime.

Dimitar Petrov teaches a workshop with several Bulgarian dances. It is on YOUTUBE.COM, also with a link from the AIFD Facebook page. Available on YOUTUBE anytime.

The San Antonio Folk Dancers have Tuesday night dances at 7:00 pm using Zoom. Use this link every Tuesday. Join Zoom Meeting us04web.zoom.us/j/430250629... Meeting ID: 430 250 629, Password: 95942.

Rebekah Valencia is hosting Monday evening ZOOM folk dancing in your living room from Oklahoma. Check the Oklahoma City Folk Dancers Facebook page for time ad ZOOM link.

CDSS (Country Dance and Song Society) has compiled a great list of online events for the Contra and English Country Dancers. See their website at cdss.org/community/covid19/online-events.

Austin Balkan Singers in quarantine continues to meet on Zoom, every Wednesday night at 7 PM for an hour or so. If you are missing your 5/8, 7/8, 9/8, or even 11/8 dose you are welcome to join us – zoom singing has the advantage is that you can “sing along” while muted if you want to learn in private. Also we are being joined by folks from far away who we have missed. Send e-mail to susan.hovorka@gmail.com if you want to zoom-sing along with us.

If you have any suggestions or comments about upcoming online events, please email contact@aifd.cc.

Four Balkan Dancers

Something to sayHave something you'd like to see in the AIFD newsletter? Do you have an upcoming event you'd like to announce, a poem you'd like to share, a dance experience you think other dancers would enjoy? Feel free to submit it to the AIFD newsletter and we'll make it fit.


Link of the week:
Poikkeustilapolkka - Polka in Quarantine.
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