GRAPEVINE

Find out what’s been happening in the folk dance community in Ontario.  Send us news that you would like to share with others.  News items can be sent to:   TheOfdaTimes@gmail.com As of December 2024 The latest news of Rita Winkler’s artwork, from her mom Helen:  “One exciting development that has happened recently is that […]

Jim Gold’s YouTube Videos of his Early Tours

Jim Gold Adding early Folk Tour dance videos (1987-2004) to YouTube…and it’s all free! Hello folk dancers and travelers, Here’s a special treat to begin the folkdance season. Now you can now watch international folkdance performances, visit exotic countries, and see ancient sites, all without leaving your chair or even your home! And it’s all […]

Tour of Mexico – February 2024

Article by Kalina Serlin.  (Photos by Kalina Serlin except where otherwise noted.) My recent tour of Mexico came about rather unexpectedly and on fairly short notice. The idea originated with a fellow OFDA member and folk-dancer from Hamilton, Mirdza Jaunzemis, who had spotted it on the website of a tour company she had travelled with […]

Folk Dance Teachers Course

Folk Dance Teachers Coursebeing offered by Riki Adivi Next month, on May 5th I’m going to start my first Folk Dance Teachers Course. In the course I would like us all to have an open discussion about everything that matters and is part of the dance class/session. For that purpose I have been gathering for […]

DANI at Rikudiyah 2024

DANI at Rikudiyah 2024 by Helen Winkler This past Sunday I had the pleasure of watching history being made on the dance floor. I watched my daughter Rita, along with fellow participants and staff of her day program DANI Toronto, perform a dance as part of the Rikudiyah festival of children’s dance. OFDA members will […]

OFDA Café in Memory of Theodor Vasilescu

March 9, 2024 Report by Dorothy Archer The late Theodor Vasilescu, master teacher of Romanian folk dancers, was honooured the afternoon of March 9th at a folk dance party held at the Agricola Finnish Lutheran Church in Toronto. Theodor attended Ontario folk dance camp several times with his wife and dance partner, Lia, and was always […]

HAMILTON IFDC CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY

Hamilton International Folk Dance ClubCelebrates 40th Anniversaryby Anita Millman On January 26, 2024 Hamilton International Folk Dance Club (HIFDC) celebrated its 40th anniversary. More than 50 participants enjoyed the Macedonian dance workshop presented by Vlasto Petkovski. Other than the regular Friday night dancers, the group was joined by former members and dancers from London, Toronto, […]

MOROCCO – A FASCINATING LAND OF CONTRASTS

MOROCCO – A FASCINATING LAND OF CONTRASTSby Mirdza Jaunzemis This past September a group of us went on a guided tour of Morocco with G Adventures. In all we were twelve, divided into a younger and an older group – all women. Six of us were from Hamilton: Janina, Anita, Denise, Gillian, myself and Helga, […]