Report

Surrey Folk Dancers at the Korean Festival

On June 29, 2024, the Surrey Folk Dancers had the privilege of performing at the Korean festival held in North Vancouver. With only five minutes to showcase our diverse repertoire, we shared a medley of folk dances. We began our performance with the Eastbourne Rover, a traditional English folk dance known for its lively steps and spirited music. Next, we transported the audience to Israel with the energetic dance, Tzadik Katamar. Our third dance was Jo ‘n Jo Tango, a captivating blend of Argentine tango and American influences. We then moved to […]

By SIFD|2024-07-04T11:31:31-07:00July 4th, 2024|News, Report|0 Comments

Folk-Dance: a glimpse into what makes us Human

Photo by Pindi Setiawan for Smithsonian Magazine

Dance is an ancient and deeply human activity. Dancing figures appear in Borneo cave paintings from 20,000 years ago, pre-dating agriculture and the domestication of animals.

Photo courtesy Narodni Muzej Slovenije

Music is even older: a 60,000-year-old flute made from the thigh-bone of a cave bear by Neanderthals was found in a cave in Slovenia. After hunting, dancing to music may be the oldest group activity created […]

By SIFD|2020-10-28T17:13:04-07:00October 28th, 2020|Photo, Reflections, Report|0 Comments

Dance in the time of COVID

According to the Berkeley Wellness Journal , dancing provides physical, psychological, and social benefits galore, so put on your dancing shoes and follow along.

Studies have shown improvements in balance, gait, walking speed, and reaction time, as well as cognitive and fine motor performance.

Dancing may also be good for your mood. It has been shown to reduce depression, anxiety, and stress and boost self-esteem, body image, coping ability, and overall sense of well-being, with the benefits lasting over time.

By SIFD|2024-10-22T13:35:48-07:00October 28th, 2020|News, Photo, Reflections, Report|0 Comments

Open House a Success!

We celebrated our first evening back in Walnut Road School by inviting the public to experience international folk dancing. We learned and danced Kos, Pleskavac, Biserka, Zemer Atik, Jugo, Jiffy Mixer, Savila se bela loza, Twelfth Street Rag, Goscie Jada, Family Contra, and Stella di maggio. Next week we welcome Ira Weisburd to teach us more dances that will be new to the whole group. New dancers will get a chance to review all the dances that were taught tonight in two weeks time. Welcome!

By SIFD|2014-09-25T22:41:07-07:00September 25th, 2014|Report|0 Comments

Fantastic First Evening of Dancing!

Eleven of us converged in my dance studio for a wonderful evening of dancing and socializing. Here are the dances that we did tonight.

An dro retourné	Biserka	Ceresnicky
Chilili	Ciganja	Coban Georgi
Elmalarin Yongasi	Enleio	Family Contra
High Green Mountain	Hora de la Soroca	Lerikos
Stella di maggio	Summer Celebration	Tino Mori
Tzadik Katamar	Zemjo Makedonska	Zimushka

By SIFD|2019-12-09T10:58:19-08:00September 11th, 2014|Report|0 Comments

SIFD Report to Arts Council of Surrey

As all users of Surrey schools, we are being hampered by the teachers’ strike. This is majority causing problems regarding an Open House we advertised and scheduled at Walnut Road Elementary School 16152 – 82^nd Avenue, for September 25th. This is where we meet Thursdays 7:00-9:00 p.m., to dance a wide variety of dances from around the world. We have an instructor. No partners or costumes are required.

Funding for the support materials distributed regarding this open house came from the City of Surrey’s Cultural Grants Programme for Capacity Building. We were kindly linked by the Arts Council of Surrey to this […]

By SIFD|2016-11-16T21:35:08-08:00September 9th, 2014|Report|0 Comments

SIFD Report for Arts Council of Surrey 2014-01-13

Surrey International Folk Dancers meet every Thursday Evening, 7 to 9 p.m. at the Walnut Road Elementary School, a school in the Fleetwood area. New dancers are always welcome and there is teaching every week. We dance a wide variety of dances from all over the world. It has been shown that dancing is good exercise for your mind and body.

Our activities for December, 2013 included our Christmas Party which was held on December 12th. Approximately 26 people attended, some wore international costumes and we danced to requests from the dancers. We also had light refreshments.

In […]

By SIFD|2016-11-16T21:35:08-08:00January 13th, 2014|Report|0 Comments

Surrey International Folk Dancing Society Update 2012-02-15

We held a free open house on Thursday January 19. A singleton, a couple, and a young family all came to experience folk dance. That evening was bitterly cold and it was extremely cold in the gym as well! That is the first time in the years that we have been dancing there, that we have been cold; on the contrary, we usually get quite hot because of all the exercise. Despite the cold, and to our delight, almost all the new participants returned the following week. So it was, after all, a successful open house.

Last week, on Tuesday, February 7, […]

By SIFD|2014-08-03T06:29:56-07:00February 15th, 2012|Report|0 Comments