1996 Book

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CONCERT PROGRAM
STANFORD VINTAGE DANCE ENSEMBLE (America)
Director-Richard Powers
Suite of 19th Century Ballroom Dances: The Standford Vintage Dance Ensemble specializes in nineteenth
century and ragtime era social dances, drawn primarily from French, English, German,
Polish, and American traditions. The presentation today features three dances from the 1850s.
ENSEMBLE INTERNATIONAL (Switzerland)
Directors - Ned and Marian Gault
Medlev of Swiss Dances: From southern Switzerland, near Lake Geneva in the canton of Vaud,
comes this suite of dances showing the French influence in this part of the country. Making of the
Ensemble's costumes was supervised by the women of the dance group in Montreux. They are the
only group outside of Switzerland to have a set of these lovely costumes, with their white Swissorgandy
skirts and hand-braided straw hats made by a very nice, elderly lady, who has since passed
away. She was the last traditional hatmaker in the region. The stage choreography of traditional
dances was done by Ned Gault.
RED THISTLE DANCERS (Scotland)
Director - Jennifer Kelly
The medley presented today comprises three dances created by the famous John Drewry. The
Alderburr. . a jig written early in his career; The Road to Forfar. a charming strathspey involving
kaleidoscopic changes in form; and Kenavarra, a lively jig, is somewhat reminiscent of the popular
Bees of Maggieknockater. The Red Thistle Dancers will also dance a true medley entitled The Dancing
Couple. devised by director Jennifer Kelly to celebrate the marriage of two of their members.
Clare Lawson will perform two Highland dances. The first is the ever popular Irish Jig, a playful
parody by the Scots of the dancing of their neighbors and Blue Bonnets O'er the Border, a charming
step dance originating in the Shetland Islands.
BARBARY COAST CLOGGERS (America)
Director - Janice Yee-Hanzel
Clogging developed hundred of years ago as a dance of immigrants in the Eastern United States. This
remarkable dance form has developed from Native American, African, as well as European dance
traditions. Today clogging remains one of the nation's most spirited and popular dance forms. The
suite of dances performed by the Babary Coast Cloggers will start with a Square Dance choreorraphed
by Janice Yee-Hanzel. This will be followed with a Plank Dance choreographed by Matt Ellinger
and the last dance will be Banjo Buck choreographed by Janice Yee-Hanzel.
SLAVONIJO KOLO ENSEMBLE (Croatia) Artistic Director - Racim Arnautovic
Bunjevacko Momacko Kolo is a dance from Subotitsa, a city in Bachka. Subotitsa is next to the
Hungarian border and the dance shows much Hungarian influence. In the title, "Bunjevacko" refers
to the people of this region and "Momachko" refers to "bachelors. •
DUNAJ INTERNATIONAL DANCE ENSEMBLE (Slovakia) Director - Richard Duree
In the former Hungarian region of Zemplin, now a part of East Slovakia, the men dance a curious
-'l' mixture of "parobsky" or "lads' dances: The "parobsky" are made up of such dances as a Verbunk.
Sarku Raz, and Basistovska. • The lads are joined by the girls in a Flaskovv, a challenge dance in
whic.h the men, women , and couples demonstrate skill in dancing over the ever-present wine bottle
.• jnca joyous salute to the grape, long a symbol of life and renewal.
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intermission