2023 NFO Conference Presenters
March 29 – April 2, 2023 in Concord Massachusetts
José Mateo
For more on José Mateo, visit: www.ballettheatre.org
Videos here:
José Mateo On The Tenth Annual Dance For World Community Festival
Dance For World Community Festival.
Keynote Presentation
Dance for World Community
Thursday, March 30, 9:00 AM
Parish Hall, Trinitarian Congregational Church
Cuban-born choreographer José Mateo is the Founder and Artistic Director of José Mateo Ballet Theatre, one of America’s leading producers of new ballets and the Boston area’s most innovative school for quality ballet training.
In 2009, he originated Dance for World Community, a project that creates local and global networks to expand the role of dance in communities locally and beyond.
Jeremy Carter-Gordon
Bal Folk dance workshop
Saturday, April 1, 10:30 AM
Parish Hall, Trinitarian Congregational Church
Jeremy attended Village Harmony sessions as a teenager, and now is known as both an enthusiastic dance teacher and an accomplished singer and song leader.
In 2011-2012 Jeremy spend a year studying, recording, and dancing with European hilt and point sword dance groups on a Watson Fellowship. While in Europe, he discovered Bal Folk and has added that to his teaching repertoire. He is also one quarter of the Windborne Singers, and busy touring and singing with them.
For more on Jeremy Carter-Gordon, visit: www.jeremycartergordon.com
Videos here:
Windborne Singers Videos
Bill Cope
For more on Bill Cope,
visit: Bill’s biography
Videos here:
Orkestar Unbound Videos
Panel Presentation
Whose music is it, anyway?
Saturday, April 1, 9:00 AM
Parish Hall, Trinitarian Congregational Church
Bill’s a hard working musician who loves Balkan music, playing it every chance he gets, and sharing his passion with others.
He coordinates the annual Kolo Festival in the Bay Area. He’s been a long standing member of the Balkan Camps teaching staff, leads too many bands to count, and offers music transcriptions and lessons on line.
Martha Forsyth
Presentation
Why Bulgaria?
Saturday, April 1, 2:00 PM
Parish Hall, Trinitarian Congregational Church
Martha started her field research in traditional Bulgarian singing in 1978 and continued through some 25 subsequent trips to Bulgaria. She has written a dual-language book presenting the songs and life of a well-known village singer, and presented several conference papers. She is one of the drivers of live music performance in the Boston area.
Zdravets, of which she is a founding member, will play for the Wednesday evening dance party.
Together with her friend Helen Snively, Martha will teach us how to make the Martenitsas traditionally given to one’s loved ones on the first of March, to protect them throughout the year.
For more on Martha Forsyth, visit: martha.forsyths.org/about/
Michael Ginsburg
For more on Michael Ginsburg,
visit: Michael’s biography
Videos here:
Zlatne Uste Balkan Brass Band
Balkan Wednesdays
Presentation, dance workshop
How to listen and then dance to live Balkan music
Saturday, April 1, 3:00 PM
Concord Scout House, 74 Walden St, Concord MA
Michael started folk dancing as a teenager, and danced with Michael & Mary Ann Herman. His fascination with Balkan dance & music was likely sparked by a dance he was introduced to by Mary Ann.
Michael has an incredible gift for making Balkan folk dances accessible to all by breaking down their complicated music rhythms.
He is the director and lead trumpet player of Zlatne Uste Balkan Brass Band. He also organizes Balkan Wednesdays dancing in New York City.
Eden MacAdam-Somer
For more on Eden MacAdam-Somer,
visit: necmusic.edu/faculty/eden-macadam-somer
Video here:
Sail Away Ladies
Presentation
Crossing Borders: One Fiddler’s Life Through Dance Music
Friday, March 31, 11:30 AM
Parish Hall, Trinitarian Congregational Church, 54 Walden St., Concord MA
Multi-instrumentalist Eden MacAdam-Somer talks about her journey through various music and dance styles and the influence that has had on her life as an improviser, composer, performer, and mother.
Composer/performer/improviser Eden MacAdam-Somer is one of today’s most exciting and versatile artists. While growing up in Houston, Texas, Eden studied classical music formally, spending her free time at the local folk music sessions. In 2013 she became the first DMA graduate of New England Conservatory’s Department of Contemporary Musical Arts. Eden is currently a full-time faculty member at New England Conservatory, where she teaches courses, ensembles, studio lessons, in addition to serving as Co-Chair of the Department of Contemporary Musical Arts. A dynamic and passionate teacher, Eden works with each student to attain the skills they need to become creative and successful artists, strengthening unique personal style with a good foundation in aural skills and technical facility. Outside of the classroom, Eden maintains an active, eclectic international performance and recording career as a soloist and with such bands as Notorious Folk and the Klezmer Conservatory Band.
George Marshall
For more on George Marshall,
visit: www.swallowtail.com/george.html
Video here:
Contra Dance Introductory Session with George Marshall
Dance Leader
Thursday, March 30, 7:15 PM
Concord Scout House, 74 Walden St., Concord MA
Pierre Neville
Presentation
Costume Corner
Friday, March 31, 10:30 AM
Downstairs
Trinitarian Congregational Church, 54 Walden St., Concord MA
Tony Parkes
Dance workshop
Squares and Contras for International Folk dancers
Thursday, March 30, 3:00 PM
Parish Hall, Trinitarian Congregational Church
Tony Parkes is a Boston-based dance caller specializing in contras, traditional squares, and 1950s squares. Tony has led workshops in the United States and abroad 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. He has an extensive personal collection of old books and square dance recordings.
For more on Tony Parkes, visit: www.folkdancecamp.org/tony-parkes
Video here:
Merry-Go-Round
Tom Pixton
Presentation
Finding Community through Music and Dance
Friday, March 31, 1:30 PM
Parish Hall, Trinitarian Congregational Church
Tom Pixton is active as an International, Balkan, and Scottish folk dance musician. He has worked with many of today’s most accomplished dance teachers and musicians as accordionist, pianist, band leader, music arranger, and CD producer. As a soloist or with the Pinewoods Band, he has provided dance music for dance camps, workshops, and special events in the US, Canada, and Japan. He has provided music leadership for the Boston Branch of the Royal Scottish Dance Society, Cambridge Revels, June Camp (Illinois), August Camp (New Mexico), and the Folk Arts Center of New England. Tom publishes the Pinewoods International Collection, a 400-page book of folk dance tunes and songs from around the world.
For more on Tom Pixton, visit: pixton.org
Tom Roby
Dance Leader
English Dancing with Jacqueline Schwab
Friday, March 31, 5:15 PM
Parish Hall, Trinitarian Congregational Church
As a dancer and leader of all styles of international folk dance, known across the US, Tom is especially well-versed in Balkan line dances, Hungarian dances and English & American set dances. He currently is one of the callers for the CDS Boston Centre’s Wednesday Evening English dances and often leads at the Tuesday Night Revival folk dances in the Boston area.
For more on Tom Roby, visit: Tom Roby’s biography
Helen Snively
Craft
Martenitsa
Thursday, March 30, 2:00 PM
Downstairs, Trinitarian Congregational Church
Helen Snively is a long time contra dancer who’s visited the Balkans repeatedly. She learned Martenitsi making from Martha about 20 years ago and for years hosted a gathering where friends could make them together.
Jacqueline Schwab
Presentation
Artistry versus Predictability; the challenges of playing for dancers
Friday, March 31, 4:00 PM
Sanctuary, Trinitarian Congregational Church
Known for her work with Ken Burns and Bare Necessities, Jacqueline has taught piano, improvisation and dance music at workshops around the US. She enjoys working with students to grow their listening, musical/dance understanding, and passion, confidence and joy in playing! Until recently, she also taught English country dancing emphasizing musical phrasing and community connection. She recently released her fifth solo album I Lift My Lamp – Illuminations from Immigrant America.
For more on Jacqueline, visit: jacquelineschwab.com
