Tango to Evora

We recently danced Misirlou with many variations taught by Evi Beck to this beautiful piece of music. It is Tango to Evora sung by Loreena McKennitt. These dancers are celebrating the winter solstice in Brazil.

Halay

Halay is a Greek dance being led by Joe Graziosi at the World Dance Camp, October 2011

Albanian Cocek

The Albanian Cocek is a Cocek with variations common to Albania. This is being taught by Steve Kotansky at Timber Ridge Dance Camp, Labor Day weekend, 2011.

Sari Gelin

Sari Gelin means "blond bride." This is a beautiful piece of Turkish music that clearly has Armenian origins or influence. The dance was arranged by Ahmet Luleci with steps common to this region of Turkey and Armenia. The video is of Steve Kotansky showing me the steps at a break in the dancing at Timber Ridge Dance Camp over the Labor Day weekend, 2011.

Opsa

Opsa is the name of the song for this Macedonian dance. Steve Kotansky is leading the dance in this video

Isu Byala Nedo

This video is done by. . . Isu Byala Nedo is a Bulgarian dance in 11/8 rhythm counted 12, 123, 12, 12. I learned it from Steve Kotansky in Brazil, 2011. In this video the last 2 steps of the second sequence are side, cross over left. When Steve taught it, he did two steps in place.

Gori More

Steve Kotansky and Ira Weisburd lead over 70 folkdancers in the circle dance Gori More. It was created by the Serbian Dance Community in Detroit, MI. and is very popular in recreational folk dance groups

Varba

Varba is a dance from Hungary that was originally a court dance done in a stately fashion with stiff, formal clothes. It was later taken to the countryside and danced by peasants often in a rowdy style that was unrecognizable to the "nobility." So imagine yourself with full, heavy skirts or a stiff uniform and a saber by your side. When Steve Kotansky taught this dance in Hungary, he did stamping steps in the center of the circle as well as the outside of the circle after backing out.

Tessera Matia, Dhio Khardies

Tessera Matia is a Greek women's dance in 9/8 rhythm from Asia Minor. Lykeion ton Ellinidon performance, Keratea, Attiki, July 2010. Filmed by Laura Shannon. Evi Beck and I learned this dance from Joe Graziosi at World Dance Camp 2011.

Yiatros

This is a video of Steve Kotansky teaching Yiatros in Brazil, August, 2011. Yiatros means "doctor" and the lyrics are about needing a doctor to cure an uncurable love pain. It is a dance from Epiros and the mountainous region of central Greece. The style is heavy, strong and into the ground. It ends with Pogonissios or Sta Dhio.