We are pleased to present the following artists at our July 2023 Camp in Stockton California. At the end of each Guest’s biography, we’ve added video links so you can see them all in action!

lliana Bozhanova lives in Plovdiv, BULGARIA. She comes from a family of musicians and singers in Southern Thrace. She received her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from the Academy of Music and Dance Art in Plovdiv. Iliana is the Dance program coordinator for the annual Bulgarian Folk Music and Dance Seminar at the Music Academy in Plovdiv.

Since 2004, she is the Artistic Director and Choreographer of Ensemble “Voivodintsi”- the 165 - person multi-generational folk dance ensemble from the village of Voivodinovo (near Plovdiv). She toured as a principal dancer and singer with Ensemble Ruchenitsa of Plovdiv as a youth; graduated from the National School for Amateur Art Instructors. 

Since 1995, Iliana has been teaching Bulgarian folk dances and songs in USA, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium, Israel. She has worked as a choreographer with a number of ensembles, including Bosilek in New York City, Radost in Seattle, Balkanika in Denver, Legacy European Folk Dance Troupe  and  Po Leung Kuk Lee Shing Pik College Alumni Association in Hong Kong, Pojas in Taiwan,  Het Internationaal Danstheater, Zarove and Mladost in Holland. She has taught at most major U.S. dance camps, including Stockton, Mendocino, Old World Music & Dance Camp, Beloit, Balkanalia Folk Dance Festival, OR, North South Teachers Seminar, CA, Pinewoods  and Mainewoods.                                              

Todor Yankov (accordion) lives in Plovdiv, Bulgaria an d grew up in the Rhodopi Mountains. His father was a well-known gaida player in the area. Todor began to play gaida, then he took up kaval at age 10 and accordion at age 16. He is also a noted singer. For many years he played with the Hisar folk orchestra and has been the accordionist for several folk dance ensembles. 

In 2004, Iliana and Todor reunited to found Ensemble “Voivodintsi”, a music and dance ensemble based in Voivodinovo, just north of Plovdiv. Iliana and Todor has created the repertoire of 40 dance choreographies for their Ensemble “Voivodintsi”. Since 2007, Iliana and Todor are teaching abroad together.

Here’s a playlist of Iliana teaching Kune with Todor playing the accordian

Aloha! Hawai’ian in ancestry but raised in Orem, Utah, Kau’i Tuia has performed Polynesian dance from a very young age. Her parents felt it important to carry on their legacy by making sure their children would never forget the importance of their heritage and history through dance. Polynesian dance has taken Kau’i all over the Western United States and Hawai’i. While in Hawai’i, she both performed and taught dance at the Polynesian Cultural Center. She has been teaching students of different skill levels a variety of Polynesian island dance forms at Brigham Young University since 1999. Her classes are always full.

Here’s Kau’i teaching one of her classes (Facebook login required)

Here’s Kau’i dancing Eia No Kawika.

Kyriakos Moisidis was born in 1968 in Prohoma, Thessaloniki. He has been studying traditional dances since 1975 and teaching since 1989.

In 1983 he formed a dancing team and in 1985 he taught dances to the smaller children of the team. In 1986, his study of the traditional dances of Greece became more intense. He became a member of the dancing team that drew their material from various parts of Greece, such as Crete. This dance team gave many presentations in Greece and abroad.

He studied Business Administration at the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki, graduating in 1991. In 1991, he served in the military in Sparta and in Nicosia (Cyprus). In both of these cities, he taught Pontic dances. In Nicosia he organized a dance team in his battalion and formed Eldyk. This group participated in events and feasts in Cyprus and was on public television in Cyprus. He took Physical Education and Athletics with a major in traditional Greek dance at the Aristotle University in Thessaloniki.

In 1992, he was released from the army and from then until 1997 he worked as an importer of electric appliances, being responsible for marketing in Northern Greece. In 1997 he abandoned marketing to dedicate his time to the research of traditional dance. The Association of Native of the Pont (Goymenissas), the Association of Pont's Inhabitants (Chalkidiki), the Club Naoussa (Eyxeinos), the Cultural Association of New Agionerioy (Misti), the Cultural Association (Xirochorioy), the Cultural Association (Kryonerioy), and the Association of Natives of the Pont and Friends (Oraiokastroy) are a few of the institutions that have asked him to teach dances in their dancing departments.

In 1999, he graduated from the Department of Science of Physics Education and Sports of the Aristotelian University in Thessaloniki.

In the summer of 2000, he organized his first ten-day seminar of Greek dances with individuals participating from many countries. Each year since, he has successfully put on this seminar.

In 2003, he received his degree with speciality in traditional dance. Simultaneously, he taught seminars in Canada, Germany, Israel, Italy, Switzerland, the United States, and of course in Greece.

In September 2005, with fifty other people, he founded the Centre of Study of Traditional Dances. During the same period, he taught traditional dances at the Department of Music and Arts of the University Macedonia in Thessaloniki.

Kyriakos tries to increase his knowledge by attending many seminars taking courses. His big passion, of course, remains the primary research in which he has invested a lot of time. He possesses an important file of music, videos, and books that are related to traditional dance.

Kyriakos teaches many seminars both in Greece and abroad. He resides in Thessaloniki, and speaks both English and German.

This link is Kyriakos’ YouTube channel.

Richard has taught more than 80 dances at Stockton Camp, and is returning to teach at Stockton for the thirteenth time since 1988. 

Richard Powers has taught more than 80 dances at Stockton Camp, and is returning to teach at Stockton for the thirteenth time since 1988. Richard is currently a dance historian and social dance instructor at Stanford University’s Dance Division. His focus since 1975 has been the research and reconstruction of American and European social dance forms, working from a personal collection of over 2,000 historic dance manuals. He is one of the world’s foremost experts in American social dance, noted for his workshops in Paris, Rome, Prague, London, Venice, Vienna, Geneva, Seville, Edinburgh, 22 dance workshops in Russia, and 25 teaching trips to Tokyo, as well as leading workshops across the U.S. and Canada.  

Richard has choreographed folk and vintage dance suites for many major companies, including AMAN Folk Ensemble, the Ethnic Dance Theatre of Minneapolis, the BYU Folk Ensemble, Ahmet Lüleci’s Collage Dance Ensemble in Boston, Westwind, the Narodno Folk Dance Ensemble, and the Beseda Dance Theatre in Prague. Richard was recently invited by Buckingham Palace to see the waltz quadrille that he was asked to choreograph for the 200th anniversary of Queen Victoria. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth commented that she loved it.

Besides Stockton Folk Dance Camp, Richard has taught at many of the major dance workshops and camps, including Mainewoods, Pinewoods, the National Folk Dance Federation of Japan, several of California’s Statewide Festivals, Idyllwild, the Flurry Festival, Texas Camp, Mendocino Folklore Camp, and Buffalo Gap, as well as many regional folk dance groups. During the pandemic, Richard  has been busy presenting Zoom lectures for historical dance conferences and organizations in New York, Boston, Seattle, San Francisco, Denver and Bar Harbor, Maine

Emily Saletan was raised by folk dancing parents in the Boston area and the Pacific Northwest and is thrilled to be joining the dance community in California. They are now an undergraduate at Stanford University, where they also teach an introductory folk dance course and partner with Richard to teach social dance. Favorite credits in the Bay Area include performing with contemporary circus company Circa and recording vocals for the premiere of “with” at ODC Dance. This year you will also find her singing in Orkestar Unbound. Infinite thanks to their dad, Tony Saletan, for his compassionate legacy of arts education.

CHECK OUT RICHARD POWER’S WEBSITE FOR MORE INFO.

Here’s richard teaching bohemian national polka in 2012.

Some of the many articles about Emily’s experience can be found here.

Tony Parkes (Billerica, MA) has been calling American folk dances since 1964. He specializes in old and new contra dances, traditional and contemporary New England squares, and squares from the 1950s (arguably the Golden Age of recreational square dancing). He has led workshops in these dance forms at dance camps and folk festivals in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

In addition, Tony has led workshops on the many and varied aspects of teaching and calling squares and contras. He is the author of Contra Dance Calling: A Basic Text and has made many dance recordings as caller and pianist.

Square dance history has long been one of Tony’s passionate interests. His large personal library has enabled him to rediscover long-forgotten dances and to develop an appreciation for the breadth and depth of American dance traditions.

Check out Tony & Beth’s website for more information.

Here’s Tony calling Forward Five.

Since his twelve year career as a leading performer with the Croatian National Folk Ensemble, LADO, Željko Jergan has catapulted through the folklore and dance community as a driving force.  He has restored details and authenticity to traditional dances, and developed new choreographies from regions of Croatia that had hardly been touched.  There have been over 500 original choreographies to his credit, which have been set for nearly 100 performing ensembles.  He has collaborated with some of the foremost composers and musicians in the Croatian folklore world. 

   His popularity in the recreational folk dance community has extended to several countries, including the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, Japan & Taiwan. His attention to style and detail keeps him in high demand.  In addition to this, he has single-handedly raised the artistic and presentation level for children’s adult amateur, semi-, and professional ensembles throughout these same countries.

          Across Canada, he has made a significant contribution to the Croatian folklore community, where he has researched and produced many original choreographies, which are ultimately presented at Croatian Folklore Festivals.   In addition, he serves as Artistic Director for several ensembles throughout the country.

          In the States, he has worked with numerous collegiate and amateur folk ensembles from coast to coast.  He has also developed children’s groups, providing these students with the soundest of foundations to move to higher levels; such as the collegiate TAMBURITZANS of Duquesne University, KUMOVI of Pittsburgh and Folklore Ensemble LJELJO, also of Pittsburgh.

          Željko has been recognized many times for his on-going work. He has also received fellowship grants from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.  Željko also was bestowed the prestigious honor to serve as the Guest Conductor for the 2009 CFU Junior Tamburitza Festival in Chicago, Illinois. He continually strives to elevate the level of authenticity and presentation for all the ensembles with which he is affiliated, while continually showcasing the Croatian and other cultures at its highest possible level.

See www.zeljkojergan.com for more information.

AN article about Željko’ work in preserving Croatian culture.

Here’s Željko dancing and calling Sviračko Kolo.

Returning to Stockton as our band is Chubritza, with Special Guest Michele Simon.

Chubritza was founded in 1993 in Arcata, California. Chubritza is the name of a Bulgarian table spice which is usually served as sharena sol, a mixture of savory, salt and paprika. The name reflects the band's variety and mixture of international musical tastes and textures, while retaining a Balkan and Eastern European emphasis
Playing a wide variety of traditional instruments used in folk music throughout Eastern Europe and other parts of the world, Chubritza performs traditional dance music and songs from both urban and village traditions from Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, England, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Macedonia, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, U.S.A. and the Jewish/Klezmer and Romany peoples. These songs reflect many universal themes: the passion of being in love, the sorrow of lost love, and the happiness music and dance brings to the heart.

Chubritza plays the first Friday of each month at the Humboldt Folk Dancers' First Friday Dance Parties. The band also performs concerts and festivals in Humboldt County including the Fortuna Concert Series, Arts Alive! in Eureka, Arts Arcata!, Community Hannukah party sponsored by Temple Beth El, St. Innocent's Orthodox Church's Ethnic Food & Dance Festival and various dance festivals in northern California and southern Oregon.

Chubritza performed at the 2018 Tamburitza Extravaganza and will be a featured band at the 2019 Kolo Festival in San Francisco.

Chubritza had a wonderful time as the house band for the Stockton Folk Dance Camp in 2003, 2005 and 2009. The band has also played for Kolo Festival in San Francisco, Mendocino Folklore Camp, Sacramento International Folk Dance Camellia Festival, the California Folk Dance Federation's Statewide Festivals, the Veselo Festival in Eugene, Oregon, and the San Francisco Tamburitza Festival.

Chubritza had the honor and great pleasure playing a 10-day tour of folk dance events and concerts in Israel in June of 2010 sponsored by the Balkanitsa Haifa Balkan Dance Group on their 25th anniversary jubilee and supported also by the dance groups of Dunav and Nua-Am.

HERE’S ONe of the sets Chubritza played at the San Francisco Kolo Festival.

Check out Michele performing with Zabava! at the San Francisco Kolo Festival.

The members of Chubritza joining us at this camp are….

- gajda, clarinet, prim, brač, accordion, tambura, spoons, snare drum, tŭpan, tsimbl mic, violin, vocals -

Craig (he/him/his) has been a performer in dance, music, and theatre since childhood, growing up in his hometown of Salt Lake City, Utah. He played Western classical music on French horn from elementary school to university, and he learned Japanese folk dancing with the Salt Lake Japanese community. At the University of Utah, he was introduced to international folk dancing and music while completing degrees in linguistics and German. He became president of the U. of U. Folk Dance Club and joined the Živio Ethnic Arts Ensemble as a dancer, singer and musician in 1985 and became its General Manager in 1987, touring Yugoslavia and Hungary. His first experience with the East European Folklife Center’s Mendocino Balkan Music and Dance Workshop (Balkan Camp) was in 1988 and he has attended every year since. He has been an EEFC board member, secretary and development chair.

Craig moved to Arcata in 1993 and co-founded the international folk band, Chubritza, in which he plays gaida, tamburica, clarinet along with other instruments and sings.

Craig speaks English and German and has some competence in Spanish, Bulgarian, Mandarin and Japanese. He loves to learn new languages, music, and dances. Craig retired from Humboldt State University (now Cal Poly Humboldt) as an Administrative Coordinator in 2016 and can’t imagine how he had time to work an eight-hour shift.

- tambura, brač, guitar, prim -

I got a late start playing music, only really starting to learn guitar at 28. Although I loved music, there weren't many people around me playing music, except a few friends playing and singing folk songs. So eventually I started doing that. Later on, especially while traveling, playing music with people became a regular thing that I greatly enjoyed.

Shortly after moving to Humboldt County in 2013, I got involved with the local Balkan music scene, led by Craig Kurumada and Linnea Mandell. This led to going to Balkan Camp and eventually to playing for folk dancers with Chubritza.

There is something really special about those moments when people are playing music, singing and dancing together. It is important to me to be part of creating those moments.

These days, in addition to playing with Chubritza, I play with a Middle Eastern musical ensemble called Hayal, and I am also involved with a Samba drum group called the Synapsis Drum Brigade.

- accordion, tambura, bugarija, tŭpan, recorder, dumbek, snare, vocals -

Linnea grew up listening to folk dance music as the child of folk dancing parents, and has happy memories of attending folk dance camps every summer from the time she was an infant carried in the dance line. She spent many years performing in international dance and music ensembles including the Northcountry Folk Ensemble, the Humboldt Ballet Folkórico, and Arcata Salsa Rueda. When 16 was the minimum age to attend Stockton Camp, Linnea vividly remembers her excited arrival the first year she was finally old enough to attend!

Linnea’s musical education began in her parents’ station wagon as a result of her family’s tradition of part-singing in the car, rather than turning on the radio. She studied classical music growing up, and began playing folk music in college. Linnea regularly combines her dance and musical knowledge. Whenever possible, she learns the dances that go with the music, so she is always dancing inside her shoes while playing, helping create the best possible dance feel.

Linnea directs Chubritza International Folk Band (www.chubritza.com) which has a long history of playing for folk dancers including Stockton Folk Dance Camp, Mendocino Folklore Camp, Kolo Festival, the San Francisco Tamburitza Festival, the California Folk Dance Federation Statewide Festivals, Veselo Festival, a 10-day tour in Israel, and numerous events in California and Oregon.

Linnea and her husband, Craig, met at Balkan Camp in Mendocino and have traveled frequently during the last 23 years studying music and dance, learning languages, and exploring cultures and history. Linnea believes that the arts are an essential and integral part of life, education, and human expression, and is committed to promoting arts opportunities for everyone.

Linnea is a retired teacher and curriculum specialist in multicultural education, arts integration, and English language development. She continues to work in her second job in property management and real estate. When not working, playing music, or dancing, Linnea enjoys reading, travel, studying languages and cultures, photography, sewing, making jewelry, and sitting in warm, sunny spots like a cat. Her favorite foods are artichokes and avocadoes, and her hidden talent is riding a unicycle.

- tambura, bass, brač, čelovič, trumpet, guitar, dumbek, tŭpan, vocals -

Meadow has been a member of Chubritza for 10 years. She lives in Arcata, CA with her husband and two young sons. Meadow attended Humboldt State University (now Cal Poly Humboldt) as a vocal performance major, and later as a music education major. As a sophomore at HSU, she took a folk dance class and has been hooked on international folk dancing and folk music ever since.

Meadow is a music teacher in a public elementary school and Waldorf inspired charter school with students from preschool to 8th grade.

When not playing or teaching music, Meadow loves hiking, crafts and musical theater.

- bass, violin, gŭdulka, čelovič, tambura, mandolin, banjo, vocals -

My musical journey started at age 9 when I began violin in public school. I continued to play through high school and graduated from a local community college with an A.A. degree, music emphasis.

Music took a backseat when I began doing art and exhibiting in shows and galleries. My lifelong love of the outdoors drew me to painting and drawing waterfowl.

When I met my life partner, Joyce Burton, a folk dancer, I started dancing and playing violin in small groups.

In 2010, I joined Chubritza. By then I was playing upright bass and began adding other ethnic string instruments.

I am 10 years into a lifelong journey with the shakuhachi, (Japanese end-blown flute) under the guidance of my sensei, Koga Masayuki.

Some of my fondest musical memories are:

2010 Israel tour with Chubritza

2018 Japan tour with my sensei and group

2010-2023 Mendocino Balkan Camp

Folk dance and music have broadened my horizons in so many ways, and I feel blessed by the many teachers who have shared their knowledge and skills with me.

- flute, stringed instruments, clarinet, vocals - -

I am a life-long Humboldt County resident. My mother started me with piano lessons at 10, and I began playing her trumpet in elementary school band at 11. I learned a lot about guitar as a teen playing rock and roll. I played for twenty years in the College of the Redwoods’ Jazz Ensemble on trumpet and saxophone.

In the 1980’s, I spent some time in Europe playing music for a travelling theatre troupe.

When I returned to Humboldt, I played in The Jewish Wedding Band and from there I was introduced to Chubritza and Balkan folk music. I also play Middle Eastern music in an ensemble called Hayal.

I am continuing my explorations into Balkan and Mediterranean music and musical instruments.

- vocals and percussion

Michele has been involved with music all of her life, and with Balkan folk music for most of it, as a dancer, singer, drummer and teacher. She was raised surrounded by music of all kinds, including classical (especially Bach), standards (especially Margaret Whiting, Frank Sinatra and Ella ), and American folk music. She sang before she talked, played cello and guitar, and most formatively, enjoyed trading harmonies with her mother's rich alto.

She has been inspired by countless musicians, both in the US and abroad, and has been lucky to study with, to name just a few, the late Nadezhda Hvoinova, from the Bulgarian Rhodope region; the late Esma Redzhepova, Queen of Romany music; Serbian folk specialist Svetlana Spajic; Mary Sherhart of Seattle; Jane Sharp of Berkeley; and Bulgarian master singer Tatiana Sarbinska, with whom she also trained as a teacher. Over the last thirty years she has sung with Kitka Women’s Vocal Ensemble, as well as being steeped in the complex odd-metered Balkan dance rhythms, singing and playing percussion in folk dance bands Anoush, Brass Menažeri, Helladelics and Zabava!. She has appeared on recordings and stages across America and in Bulgaria, as well as on Bulgarian and Serbian TV.

Michele teaches private students, workshops, and camps, including the popular Balkan Vocal Technique class that has been a staple at Mendocino Balkan Camp for almost 20 years. As a singing teacher, Michele's specialty is integrating Balkan vocal styles with American voices. With humor, warmth and patience, she focuses on placement and sound fundamentals, using innovative exercises and imagery, as well as her model skull, Bartholomew.

Michele lives in Oakland, CA.