Romanian Dances taught by Gavril Ghiur:
Swedish dances taught by Eva and Tommy Englund:
Israeli dances taught by Fiona Howarth:
Dances from Northern Italy taught by Tess Edelmann:
The International Folk Dance Summer School takes place every two years in collaboration with the Society for International Folk Dance. Participants are mainly teachers and dance enthusiasts from the UK, but others have come in the past from as far away as Japan. The dances are taught as recreational folk dances, and as such are reasonably faithful to their original village settings. They will be of interest to folk dance enthusiasts as well as anyone who teaches, or has an interest in, national dance. Three specialist dance teachers will teach dances from the following countries:
Tommy and Ewa Englund have taught Swedish dances in their native country as well as in the USA. After winning the Hälsinge Hambo contest four times they are now on the judging panel. The dances are mostly couple dances to lyrical fiddle music.
Recent events in Romania have increased the interest in their traditions which have remained unchanged for centuries. Gabi Ghiur is from Maramures, a part of the country which continues the very oldest lifestyle of Romania.
Fiona Howarth is very well known to dancers in England for her enthusiastic teaching and unique lyrics to explain dances. For more than 20 years she has specialised in Israeli dances, learning from all the top Israeli dancers.
The course can be either residential or non-residential. The mornings will have lessons taken by the three teachers, while the afternoons can be spent in the historic town of York and its surroundings or at extra workshops arranged by interested participants.
