Loading Events

« All Events

  • This event has passed.

Festival of the Oaks

February 12, 2023 @ 9:30 am - 5:00 pm PST

The 74th annual international Festival of the Oaks features a morning international folk dance workshop, a hot lunch, exhibition dance performance, and a program of afternoon recreational dances. Includes a pre-owned folk dance costume sale in the dance hall. Fun for all ages! No partner needed.

Dance ethnographer, scholar, and choreographer Farima Berenji will teach a short workshop of Iranian folk dances followed by a performance by her Simorgh Dance Collective. Lenore Watson will call contras, Following lunch there will be a brief presentation by Tahitian Dance Company Te Mana O Te Ra and a program of international dance.

Schedule

All Day — Institute and Folk Dancing, $30.00

9:00-9:30am Registration
9:30am-12:00pm Dance workshop with Farima Berenji, Silk Road folk dance performance by the Simorgh Dance Collective, and contras with Lenore Watson, $18.00
12:00-1:00pm Hot lunch, $10.00
12:00-1:00pm Federation membership meeting. Includes lunch provided to Federation members attending.
12:30-4:30pm Pre-owned folk dance costume sale
1:00pm Brief presentation by Tahitian Dance Company Te Mana O Te Ra
1:00-5:00pm International dance party. Dances from around the world and institute reviews. $17.00

Attendees must be fully vaccinated, including boosters. KN-95 or N-95 masks required.

Free refreshments will be served all afternoon.

To send dance requests for the afternoon party, or for more info, e-mail a request to rg94610@gmail.com or to yvonneprovaznik@comcast.net.

Download and print a flier to share with others.

Register and pay in advance

Register

Farima Berenji

Farima Berenji

Farima Berenji

Farima is an award winning, internationally acclaimed performing artist, instructor, dance ethnologist, and archaeologist. She specializes in sacred, classical, and folkloric dances of the Silk Road. She is a third generation artist – her devotion to the world of arts was inspired by both her mother and grandmother – performing artists, poets, and musicians of Azerbaijani heritage. Farima has spent her lifetime studying Persian/Iranian and Central Asian dance, culture, and history. Recognized as one of the few world scholarly experts of ancient and mystical dance ethnology, she travels worldwide to record, research, lecture, perform, educate, and to inspire dynamic creativity and rejuvenation through dance and movement.
Farima has lectured, facilitated research projects, collaborated, choreographed, & performed for highly acclaimed internationally renowned companies and institutions such as Avaz Dance Company, Mosaic America (formerly Sangam Arts), ODC, World Dance Fusion of San Francisco, Istanbul Conservatory of the Arts, Vienna Conservatory of the Arts, the National Folk Organization (NFO), the Unique Circle of Manchester, the Tumata Organization of Turkey, UNESCO, SF City Hall, Kansas State University, University of Manchester, University of London, Istanbul University, Stanford University, San Francisco State University, San Francisco City Hall, the Iranian National Museum and Conservatory and many more. Farima is the founder and artistic director of the Simorgh Dance Collective, Assistant Director and Program Director of Eastern Arts, and advisory council member of Mosaic America. She is honored to be the first Iranian-American woman TEDx lecturer and performer in the field of dance. The Simorgh Dance Collective was the first Iranian dance company, directed by an Iranian woman to perform during a reception for President Obama and President Biden. Recognized as one of few world experts and scholars of Persian dance history, Farima infuses spirituality into her dance and teachings to impassion, empower, and inspire. For more details and media visit http://farimadance.com

Lenore Watson

Lenore started folk dancing and contra dance in college. She has taught international folk dance since the early 2000’s with Redding International Folk Dance. And she has been calling contra dances since 2014 in Redding and Chico, as well as at special events – weddings, festivals, etc. She has called contras in previous years at the Festival of the Oaks and at other events in Northern California, including the Officers Ball and Stockton Folk Dance Camp. Lenore loves calling contras, and seeing the how the dancers connect and collaborate to make it work and have fun. Her favorite explanation of contra dance is that it’s like “an amusement park ride that we all create together.”

Details

Date:
February 12, 2023
Time:
9:30 am - 5:00 pm PST
Event Categories:
, ,

Organizer

Berkeley Folk Dancers
View Organizer Website

Venue

Live Oak Recreation Center
1301 Shattuck Avenue (at Berryman)
Berkeley, CA 94709 United States
+ Google Map