Yves Moreau lives in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and is recognized as one of North America's foremost exponents of Bulgarian dance and folklore. He has travelled to Bulgaria almost annually between 1966 and 1986 to research dance and to record music in all regions of the country. He has also lectured and conducted workshops throughout North America as well as on numerous occasions in Belgium, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Mexico, Brazil, Israel, Japan, Slovenia, Hungary, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, New Zealand, and Australia.

Yves teaches mostly non-choreographed village material which he has collected during his many field trips. His teaching method is clear and thorough yet relaxed. A special emphasis is put on regional styles and background information. Above all, Yves wants to share his love for Bulgarian folklore and communicate the fun of dancing. Yves has also introduced and teaches folk dances of other Balkan countries as well as dances from Brittany (France) and his native Québec.

Born in the US of Norwegian-American parents, Lee has lived and worked most of his life in Norway as a professional dancer, dance teacher and choreographer.

For the last 10 years he has been active on the international scene, teaching various Balkan dances at international folk dance festivals in Europe, the USA, and East Asia.

Lee has a professional education in choreography and was one of the choreographers of the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway in 1994.

Lee’s teaching emphasizes style: dancing well, not just “getting the steps.” Whenever he can, he also tries to bring improvisation, self-expression and spontaneity back into the folk-dancing traditions where these elements are a central part of the tradition. And he never loses sight of the fact that we recreational folk dancers dance because it is fun, and because these dances mean something to us – just as they were fun and meant something to the village dancers before us!

Lee has  graciously allowed Stockton Folk Dance Camp to host videos of  some of his dances.
They can be seen here. Index to Lee's Video and Dance Descriptions

Željko Jergan is a renowned choreographer and teacher throughout the world. Since moving to the United States in 1986, Željko has created over 350 original choreographies for 70 different amateur, semi-professional and professional ensembles.

When he's not researching and creating new choreographies, Željko stays extremely busy working with the international folk dance community, where he is in popular demand for his depth and style in teaching Croatian folk dancing. He has traveled extensively both domestically and abroad, including folk dance seminars and workshops in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan and Taiwan

Roberto Bagnoli -- Italian

Roberto Bagnoli grew up in Rome, where he was first introduced to folk music and dance, eventually taking part in several performances and teaching dance classes. He subsequently studied various forms of folk dance in workshops throughout Europe, Israel, and North America under the guidance of renowned choreographers and teachers.

Roberto now lives in Reggio Emilia in Northern Italy, considered to have one of the most important dance communities in Italy.

From 1995 to 2003, he performed as a dancer and choreographer with the Terra di Danza Dance Company and was involved in the production of Raggi di luna Italiana and Capriccio Italiano (Italian dances), GiroGiroMondo (dances from around the world), Keltic Emotion (Celtic dances), Mazal Tov (Israeli dances), and Ethnos (international folk dances). He is the founder of Folk Atelier Reggio Emilia (FARE), devoted to the development and conservation of folk dance heritage.

As director of FARE, he is in charge of organizing and conducting folk dance classes, workshops with Italian and foreign specialists, and of the performing sector, staging various performances, parties, and dance gatherings. (Taken from http://www.phantomranch.net/folkdanc/teachers/bagnoli_r.htm )

Roo Lester,  dance educator and ethnologist, living in the southwestern suburbs of the Chicago metropolitan area. She teaches Scandinavian turning dance, international folk dance, adults & children, folk crafts, culture workshops, costumes workshops, teaching techniques and more.

She coordinates and teaches the Chicagoland Scandinavian Turning Dance Class.

Bruce Hamilton is a thoughtful and energetic teacher of English and Scottish country dancing. He started dancing in college, and took up teaching in the early ’70s. He founded the San Jose English dance and has taught English country dancing for over 30 years, all over the US and abroad. Lately he’s been focusing on non-choreographic elements of ECD: how to move well, how to be musical, how to recover from slips, how to be a good partner, body mechanics, and the social and mental aspects. He doesn’t teach many new or complex dances (claims he can’t remember them!) but instead focuses on skills that apply across all dances. He carries this focus into his sought after callers’ classes, which he’s done for the last couple of decades. Training ECD teachers is relatively unexplored territory and it’s very exciting. Learning to teach takes years, but even in a weekend or week-long mini-course he’s been able to point students in useful directions, and some have made great strides. Bruce is currently president of the Country Dance and Song Society.

Jerry Helt--Squares and Contras

Jerry Helt is internationally known for his expertise in the calling and teaching field, respected by callers and dancers for his ability to bring fun and joy into the dance world. Jerry first came to Stockton Folk dance Camp in 1956, and has been here every year since, delighting us with his great squares and contras, doing a build up to Exploding Squares on Friday night.

Linnea Mandell - Singing

Linnea Mandell - accordion, tambura, bugarija, tupan, recorder, dumbek, snare, vocals

France Bourque-Moreau lives in Montréal, Québec and for the past twenty-five years has been active in Canada and abroad teaching folk dances for children and conducting special seminars to train school teachers in this field.

Her current repertoire includes hundreds of dances and singing/games from all parts of the world especially designed and adapted to various age and experience levels. Ms. Bourque-Moreau also puts emphasis on the French and French-Canadian repertoire which is widely used in the Canadian school curriculum.

Chubritza

Chubritza was founded in 1993 in Arcata, California. Chubritza is the name of a Bulgarian table spice which is usually served as 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

Chubritza plays international dance music for folk dance events, weddings, bar mitzvahs, cultural celebrations, parties and festivals.

Members

Randy Carrico - clarinet, soprano sax, cornet, tambura, kaval, violin, prim, bugarija, guitar, vocals

Deborah Dukes - bass, frame drum, zils, tambura, tupan, vocals

Janet Finney-Krull - flute, pennywhistle, recorder, frula, accordion, brac, dumbek, tupan, snare, vocals

Craig Kurumada - gajda, clarinet, prim, brac, accordion, tambura, spoons, snare drum, violin, vocals

Linnea Mandell - accordion, tambura, bugarija, tupan, recorder, dumbek, snare, vocals

Kroy Rubin - dumbek, guitar, tambura, brac, recorder, penny whistle, violin, vocals