VIFD was founded in 2004 as an informally organized dance group
specializing in teaching beginning international folk dances to new
dancers. We were meeting on Monday nights at the since our inception, and as of October 2, 2009, we
moved to NiaSpace on South Congress, and then, on March 9, 2010, to
Hancock Rec Center and first and third Friday nights. Teaching is organized by our
co-founders, Jo Soto and Bruce Bostwick. VIFD is affiliated with
.
Jo Soto is a veteran folk dancer who has been involved with
, , and since the 1960's in a wide variety of official and
unofficial capacities, and founded her own dance performance group
L'Chayim which was a successful international performing group for many
years. Jo has also done folk dance and costume research in
Bulgaria and former Yugoslavia and has travelled extensively to other
countries, and has an interest in folk music singing and drumming. Jo
is currently a member of the TIFD Board of Trustees and has been Chair
or Co-Chair of Texas Camp for 2005, 2006, and 2010.
Bruce Bostwick has been involved with ,
, and since 1991,
and has served on the board of AIFD and as an officer of TIFD.
Bruce caught the dancing bug from Jo shortly after they met in 1991 and
has been hard to keep off the dance floor ever since. Bruce is
also an avid musician, with a very strong interest in Eastern European
folk music and particularly Macedonian and Bulgarian singing, and enjoys
teaching dances just for the fun of it. Bruce is also a member of the
TIFD Board of Trustees.
The group tries to promote dancing through workshops and guest teachers.
Teachers may be local or from other areas. The following have been to
the group: , a recognized dancer, choreographer, dance contest judge,
festival organizer, dance ensemble founder, author, and teacher, , a professional dancer, folk dance teacher, choreographer,
and folk dance researcher from Sofia, Bulgaria, , a Rom folk dance performer and instructor from the former
Yugoslav republic of Kosova, , one of the foremost researchers of Macedonian folk
dance and folk culture in the United States, , a professional dancer and choreographer in Israel and the
United States with extensive expertise in Israeli dance history and
choreography, and ,
an accomplished live musician who brings a unique and lively style to
her accordion and vocal music. VIFD tries to preserve some dances
that otherwise are not performed much in Austin, and at a TIFD Texas
Camp, more than half of the dancers doing the easy but subtle Greek
dance "Halay" were VIFD veterans.
Our program will feature many countries, with focus on dance as village
ritual. Dance has been a part of village life and the passing of
the seasons for thousands of years. Modern choreographers have
built on these age-old rituals and added modern innovations resulting
in a blend of harmony and history that is rooted in the ancient dances.
We will continue with our mission to bring new dancers into the folk
dance culture, whether visiting our village to get started, or coming
home to the village to stay and enjoy dancing in the commons. Be sure
to check out the calendar for more info!