Fairfield Folk Arts & Dance Co-op

INTERNATIONAL FOLK DANCE
International Folk Dance is a fun activity for individuals, families, kids and seniors. It can be as gentle or as lively as you want, and it's very social! Currently there are no regular IFD activities in Fairfield, but this teacher is available to lead groups of any size. Iowa City has an active group, and carpooling is available.

If you are interested in learning more about International Folk Dance, email oaktree "at" lisco.com. Please put "Folkdance" in the subject line.

The dance of the common people
by JoLynn Gates

Folk dancing is the dance of the common people. Its origin cannot be documented, for it evolved as a basic part of early people's culture as they employed dance to communicate through movement and rhythm. As in the remote past, people today still dance for celebration, to socialize, for spiritual communion, and to express their membership and identity in communities. Folk dancers experience a timeless quality, a sense of dancing in the footsteps of our ancestors. The connection is both horizontal, a here-and-now link to the other dancers, and vertical, as we are linked through tradition to dancers of every generation and many cultures.

The patterns, rhythms and purpose of folk dance are predictably varied. Most of the dances are done without partners, in circles or lines. Folk dancing is very social, as each dancer is a member of a larger group, and the dances allow interaction between people who might otherwise be too timid. Dancing in any form helps to develop rhythmic movement, coordination, balance and poise. Learning a new dance allows the satisfaction of achievement and acceptance within a group.

The beauty of folkdance is that each dancer's experience is different, and nobody is required to change in order to be accepted. It is social, but not hierarchical: once the teacher has taught the dance, she blends into the line or circle and the dance leads itself. Dance can be spiritual, without being religious: by simply holding hands with one another, we create a welcoming space within human society in which we celebrate each other's unique contribution to the dance experience. When people share synchronous movement their brain waves also tend to synchronize. This gives people a sense of unity with their fellow dancers.

Folk dance groups generally maintain a repertoire of dances at all skill levels, so newcomers to Folk Dance may find themselves dancing hand in hand with a dancer who is highly skilled. As each dance is mastered, the next becomes easier to learn, as the dancer's mind and body accustom themselves to new roles.
Virtually anyone can learn folk dancing. It requires no formal training or special skills, and children as well as the elderly can participate. The dances are gleaned from many cultures throughout the world. There are folk dance groups worldwide who welcome newcomers and are always willing to teach, as this is how dances and the accompanying music are genuinely preserved within a culture: not on digital recordings, but in the hearts and minds - and feet - of the people. Folk dancing is just that - folks, dancing!

Currently there are no regular IFD activities in Fairfield, but this teacher is available to lead groups of any size. Iowa City has an active group, and carpooling is available.

If you are interested in learning more about International Folk Dance, email oaktree "at" lisco.com. Please put "Folkdance" in the subject line.