Hello Dancers,
Kalispell International Folk Dancers will gather to dance this Saturday Oct. 24, 7 to 10 pm, at the
Salvation Army gym, 110 Bountiful Drive. Easier dances are taught for at least the first hour, with
more advanced dancing later in the evening. This week we will be wishing happy birthdays to several.
Connie Cohen sent the following reminder:
Ruth's birthday was Oct 14. Sharon and Karen have birthdays the 23rd and 24th. I don't know who
is coming, but I wanted to let you know now rather than wait until I have the details of who will
be there. There will be a party for them all on the 24th!! Please come help us celebrate! If you
can bring a treat of some kind, great!
Belated thanks to Hallie for hosting last month's barn dance at the Weather Rock Barn in the idyllic
Shields Valley north of Bozeman, and to Cecelia for organizing the international dancing portion
of the program. It was a lovely weekend and well worth the trip.
Roger has forwarded the following from Ann Kyle in Calgary. The renowned Bulgarian dancer and
teacher Yves Moreau is returning to Calgary next month to lead another workshop. Looks like a
terrific program.
Hi All,
If you had fun at the Yves Moreau Bulgarian dance workshop last spring, you will be pleased to
know that Yves and France are coming back November 13-14 to do dance workshops with the Bulgarian
community in Calgary! The events are open to all and will feature live music!
Please note that advance registration is required.
Folkdance Fridays will be cancelled on November 13 so that everyone can attend the dance workshop.
If out-of-town people need billets, please let me know, and we'll try to accomodate you.
Hope to see you,
Ann
Musical Treasures of Bulgaria
Bulgarian folklore days in Calgary- November 13 and 14, 2009
Calgary Bulgarian Society is organising and sponsoring a two-day event that celebrates the
diversity of Bulgarian folk music and dance. Join us to learn more about the long-standing
tradition of Balkan folklore with interactive dance and folk singing workshops with world known
Bulgarian and Canadian artists.
Echoes of Bulgaria
CONCERT
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2009
Montgomery Community Hall
Address: 5003 16 Avenue NW, Calgary
7:30p.m.-8:15 p.m.
Lecture by Yves Moreau: «Bulgarian Folk Traditions past and present».
Audio-visual presentation on Bulgarian folk music, dance and traditions focusing on folklore
rituals, costumes, musical instruments, festivals, performing groups.
8:30p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Traditional singing and instrumental pieces from all over Bulgaria with renowned Bulgarian
professional folk artists: Nikolay Kolev, gadulka; Donka Koleva, singer; Vassil Bebelekov,
gajda; Maria Bebelekova, singer; and Strahil Vankov, accordion.
The concert will be followed by a vecherinka, a traditional evening dance party where
everyone can join the horo and ratchenitsa dances with live music.
A bar service and light snacks will be available.
Folk music CDs featuring our guest artists will be also be available for purchase.
Interactive Dance & Singing Workshops
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2009
Bankview Community Hall
Address: 2418 - 17 Street SW, Calgary
8:00p.m.-10:30 p.m.
Bulgarian Folk Dance workshop #1 with Yves Moreau and musicians.
Beginner-Intermediate-level class for people with some experience introducing typical
dances from various ethnographic regions of Bulgaria .
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2009
Bankview Community Hall
Address: 2418 - 17 Street SW, Calgary
2:00p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Interactive Bulgarian Folk Dance workshop for children (ages 4-15) with France
Bourque-Moreau at the Bulgarian Language School
Bring your children to experiment with Shareni Chorapi, Kukuvicka, Lalentse, Dva Pati na
djasno, Boryano Boryanke, and many others.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2009
Montgomery Community Hall:
Address: 5003 16 Avenue NW, Calgary
09:30 a.m – 12:00 p.m
Bulgarian Folk Dance workshop #2 with Yves Moreau and musicians.
Intermediate-advanced-level class for more experienced dancers experimenting with
dances from various ethnographic regions of Bulgaria .
1:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
Bulgarian Folk Singing workshop with Donka Koleva, Maria Bebelekova and musicians.
Introduction to Bulgarian folk singing. A wonderful opportunity to learn some
Bulgarian folk songs
with elements of regional styles and technique.
3:00p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Bulgarian Folk Dance workshop #3 with Yves Moreau and musicians.
Pan-Bulgarian dances. A thorough overview of the most popular folk dances such as
Pravo Horo, Paidushko, Eleno Mome, Shirto, Daichovo, Gankino Horo, etc.
Everything you need to survive a Bulgarian wedding!
Admission fees:
Friday Bulgarian dance workshop #1: $15
Saturday Bulgarian Dance Workshop # 2: $15
Saturday Bulgarian singing class: $15
Saturday Bulgarian dance workshop #3: $15
«Package price» for all 4 workshops: $50
Calgary Bulgarian Society will sponsor workshop fees for its regular members.
Advanced registration required. Please submit information to
info AT calgarybulgariansociety DOT com with name, tel number and e-mail. Fees payable
at the door Friday night or to contact person for concert tickets below.
Saturday evening lecture and concert + dance party: $25, payable in advance to
Nikolay Dolaptchiev (tel: 403-283-7135) and Miroslav Rusev (tel: 403-233-8710).
VASSIL BEBELEKOV - Thracian and Rhodope gajda (bagpipe) - Born in the Rhodope
mountain town of Devin , he graduated from the Shiroka Lâka Folk Music School and the
Plovdiv Folklore Conservatory. He has played with the State Ensemble Trakiya in Plovdiv
and has recorded for Bulgarian National Radio. For several years he was Assistant
Professor of music at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).
MARIA BEBELEKOVA (singer) -- was born in the Rhodope town of Shiroka Lâka where she
learned singing from her mother and grandmother. She taught at the famous Shiroka
Lâka Folk Music School for 15 years and also sang with the famous women’s chorus
Angelite for three seasons.
She has made several recordings and has appeared on Bulgarian National TV and Radio.
Youtube videoclip for Vassil and Maria: Maria and Vassil Bebelekovi at Slavic Concert Without Borders - Berkeley. CA
NIKOLAY KOLEV - gâdulka (Bulgarian type of fiddle). Famous virtuoso from the
village Karavelovo in the Rose Valley of Bulgaria. Graduated from the Shiroka
Lâka Folk Music School and performed with the Sliven Folk Ensemble . Founded the
Sopot Orchestra and Orkestar Rozova Dolina . His musical formation, Balkanski
Glasove which includes his wife Donka and two daughters, has toured widely
throughout North America .
Youtube videoclip of Nikolay: Nikolay Kolev, Gadulka master, solo, Aug. 2008
DONKA KOLEVA (singer), is a native of the village of Tuzha near Stara Zagora in
Thrace . She graduated from the musical folklore school in Shiroka Lâka and performed
with the Sliven Folk Dance and Music Ensemble. She has many recordings at the National
Radio and Television in
Bulgaria . In 1997, her recording of the song Yavore was proclaimed «folk song of
the year.» As a teacher, she is sought after for her careful technique, gorgeous
voice and iron fist.
Youtube video/soundclips of Donka:
Donka Koleva- Pomnish Li Yavore
Donka Koleva - Turci Ot Kalofer Slyazoha
STRAHIL IVANOV VANKOV (accordion) was born in Ivailovgrad in Southeastern Bulgaria.
He first studied gajda at the Shiroka Lâka Musical School and later took up the
accordion playing at concerts and weddings with the popular clarinetist Mladen Malakov.
He has also shared the stage with stars of Bulgarian Folk music such as Ivo Papazov
and Peter Ralchev. He currently lives in Chicago where he directs the Bulgarian
folk orchestra Kolorit.
YVES MOREAU (dance) lives in Montreal and is recognized as one of North America's
foremost exponents of Bulgarian dance and folklore. He has travelled to Bulgaria
almost annually since 1966 to research dance and to record music in all regions of
the country. He has also lectured and conducted workshops in Bulgarian and Balkan
dance throughout North America, Europe,and Asia.
He has produced many recordings of Bulgarian folk music and in 1980, Bulgaria awarded
him with the Order of Kiril & Metodi (1st degree) for his work popularizing Bulgarian
folk culture in North America . In July 2008, for his 60th birthday, Yves received the
Presidential Medal and letter of congratulations from the President of Bulgaria, Georgi
Pârvanov.
Happy Dancing,
Don