Ethnic Dance Chicago
Dance to the Beat of a Different Drummer!
Fridays 8:30pm to Midnite - St Josaphat Church Parish Hall
Belden Ave (2300 N) & Southport Ave (1400 W) in Chicago
info@ethnicdance.net / (773) 463-2288

(Overview / Ethnic Dance Chicago Calendar / Workshops / Special Events / Lost & Found)
(Chicago Area Folk Dance Scene / Dance/Music-Related Resource Links)
Ethnic Dance Chicago Home Page  -  Door County Folk Festival Home Page

05/25/2001 - WORKSHOP
Ethnic Dance Chicago Presents
http://www.ethnicdance.net
Balkan Dance Workshop
with
Dennis Boxell
Friday, May 25th

Workshop 8:00pm to 10:00 pm
Request Dancing until midnite

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Dennis Boxell

Dennis Boxell is originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota where, at the age of 15, in 1955, he first became acquainted with the music and dance of the South Slavs.  Under the encouragement of Lillian Kurkowsky of the St. Paul International Institute, he learned the dances of the Croatian and Serbian immigrants there.  Later, in 1961, he formed a performing group in South St. Paul with the children of these Slavic (mostly Serb) immigrants.  It was during his years in Minneapolis that Dennis first met the brilliant folk dance researcher and then choreographer of the Duquesne University Tamburitzans, Dick Crum.  Inspired by Mr. Crum, Dennis began to develop a professional and enthusiastic interest in Balkan Dance.

From 1958 to 1961, Dennis served in the U.S. Army Security Agency.  He was trained in the Czech language at the Army Language School in Monterey, California where he graduated first in his class with highest commendations.  From there he was sent to West Germany to monitor and translate radio transmissions from Czechoslovakia.  While in Germany, in 1960, he took his annual 30-day leave and through a stroke of luck and good timing, ended up traveling with the National Folk Ensemble of Yugoslavia, “Kolo iz Beograda”.  The dancers of “Kolo” accepted Dennis as their young American friend and shared with him many of their dances as he traveled with them from town to town.

Dennis then traveled to London, England to study with Phillip Thornton’s “Yugoslav Dance Club and Danny Lumbley’s “Bulgarian Dance Group”.  There he learned the original five dances that were to launch him on his career.  They were Bavno Oro, Ravno Oro, Tresenica, Sitno Zensko, and Belo Lence.

Returning from the Army, Dennis traveled West to study at the University of California, Berkeley, having finished his freshman year at the University of Minnesota.  En route to California, Dennis was “discovered” by John Filcich in the small town of Richland, Washington during their annual folk dance festival.  Mr. Filcich was the creator of the San Francisco “Kolo Festival” (Kolo means “dance” in Serbo-Croatian) and owner of the largest Balkan record and music shop in the U.S.  He brought Dennis to the Kolo Festival that fall, in November 1962, where Dennis presented the “original five dances” with great success and acclaim.

Dennis’ career was now launched in full swing.  He was asked to teach at Stockton Folk Dance Camp where he taught for five years in a row.  He was the first Balkan dance teacher to go on an extended national teaching tour, visiting dozens of cities throughout the country, presenting his five dances, including a new addition, “Šopsko Horo”.  Of the original “Five,” Bavno Oro is still a favorite everywhere.  Ravno, Šopsko and Tresenica are still danced here and there. Belo Len?e has been “resurrected” as “Iz Banju Ide” and is becoming a favorite as of this writing (winter, 2001).

In the fall of 1963, heeding the public’s clamor for more information about Balkan Dance, Dennis packed his suitcases and headed for the Balkans.  He did not return until he had: 1) Recorded over 150 dance tunes.  2) Visited and studied with eminent folklorists such as Ivan lvan?an of Croatia, Milica Illijin and Dobrivoje Putnik of Serbia, Pece Atanasovski and Vasil Hadjimanov of Macedonia, Kiril Dženev and Raina Katsarova of Bulgaria and Nana Stefanaki of Greece.  3) And had picked up a working knowledge of the Serbo-Croatian and Bulgarian languages along the way.  These experts made it possible for Dennis to travel to remote regions, collecting and recording the numerous dances he was later to introduce to the folkdance world.
 

St Josaphat Parish Hall
SE Corner of Belden & Southport
Belden (2300 N) - Southport (1400 W)
Click Here for Directions to St Josaphat Parish Hall

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       Information
         (773)-506-8222 - Paul/hm
          (773)-463-2288 - Paul/wk
           info@ethnicdance.net

       Admission
          General: $8.00
          St Josaphat Parish Members: $7.00
          Full time Students: $7.00
 


Ethnic Dance Chicago
Dancing as a Second Language
Fridays 8:30pm to Midnite - St Josaphat Church Parish Hall
Belden Ave (2300 N) & Southport Ave (1400 W) in Chicago
info@ethnicdance.net / (773) 463-2288

(Overview / Ethnic Dance Chicago Calendar / Workshops / Special Events / Lost & Found)
(Chicago Area Folk Dance Scene / Dance/Music-Related Resource Links)
Ethnic Dance Chicago Home Page  -  Door County Folk Festival Home Page
Top This Page

11/09/2001 - DINNER/DANCING @ UZBEKISTAN RESTAURANT & RHODOPA
Ethnic Dance Chicago
Important December Schedule Change

Ethnic Dining & Dancing


The idea to follow dinner with some ethnic dancing came to the group of us that ate at the Uzbekistan Restaurant on November 9th.  After eating a great meal, someone suggested that it was too early to go home.  While we were trying to think of where to go dancing, someone else reminded us that Izgrev (Velizar Shumanov's band) was playing at Rhodopa Restaurant (formerly Mona Lisa).  So to Rhodopa we went and had a great time. 

Friday, November 9, 2001 - (No Dance @ St Josaphat)

Join us for a special night

  Dinner:    8:00pm to 10:00pm
Location:   Uzbekistan Restaurant
      3930 W Touhy
      Lincolnwood, IL (N Chicago Suburb)
      (Just east of Crawford Ave, 4000 W, Pulaski)
    (847)-673-0777 
   A La Carte Dining (order off the menu) 

  Dancing:    10:30pm to until
  Location:   Rhodopa Restaurant (Bulgarian)
      7150 W Grand Ave
      Elmwood Park, IL (W Chicago Suburb)
      N side of Grand, just east of Harlem Ave 
      (7200 W)
    (773)-889-6088
    Live Music with Orchestra Izgrev
(music starts about 9pm)
A La Carte Dining (order off the menu)

 

Ethnic Dance Chicago

Dance to the Beat of a Different Drummer!
Fridays 8:30pm to Midnite - St Josaphat Church Parish Hall
Belden Ave (2300 N) & Southport Ave (1400 W) in Chicago
info@ethnicdance.net / (773) 463-2288

(Overview / Ethnic Dance Chicago Calendar / Workshops/ Special Events / Lost & Found)
(Chicago Area Folk Dance Scene / Dance/Music-Related Resource Links)
Ethnic Dance Chicago Home Page  -  Door County Folk Festival Home Page
Top This Page


Ethnic Dance Chicago
Dancing as a Second Language
Fridays 8:30pm to Midnite - St Josaphat Church Parish Hall
Belden Ave (2300 N) & Southport Ave (1400 W) in Chicago
info@ethnicdance.net / (773) 463-2288

(Overview / Ethnic Dance Chicago Calendar / Workshops / Special Events / Lost & Found)
(Chicago Area Folk Dance Scene / Dance/Music-Related Resource Links)
Ethnic Dance Chicago Home Page  -  Door County Folk Festival Home Page
Top This Page

12/07/2001 - DINNER/DANCING @ RENGA-TEI & RHODOPA
Ethnic Dance Chicago
Important December Schedule Change

Ethnic Dining & Dancing


The idea to follow dinner with some ethnic dancing came to the group of us that ate at the Uzbekistan Restaurant on November 9th.  After eating a great meal, someone suggested that it was too early to go home.  While we were trying to think of where to go dancing, someone else reminded us that Izgrev (Velizar Shumanov's band) was playing at Rhodopa Restaurant (formerly Mona Lisa).  So to Rhodopa we went and had a great time.  This time, we thought we'd plan it that way in advance, so it's dinner at Renga-Tei (8:00pm, Japanese) followed by dancing at Rhodopa (10:30pm, Bulgarian).   If you're coming later, you can also get dinner and desert at Rhodopa.  Details are below.

Friday, December 7, 2001 - (No Dance @ St Josaphat)

Join us for a special night

  Dinner:    8:00pm to 10:00pm
Location:   Renga-Tei Restaurant (Japanese)
      3956 W Touhy
      Lincolnwood, IL (N Chicago Suburb)
      NE Corner of Touhy Ave & Crawford Ave 
      (4000 W, Pulaski)
    (847)-675-5177 
    Show up on time or you may have to wait!
   A La Carte Dining (order off the menu) 

  Dancing:    10:30pm to until
  Location:   Rhodopa Restaurant (Bulgarian)
      7150 W Grand Ave
      Elmwood Park, IL (W Chicago Suburb)
      N side of Grand, just east of Harlem Ave 
      (7200 W)
    (773)-889-6088
    Live Music with Orchestra Izgrev
(music starts about 9pm)
A La Carte Dining (order off the menu)

 

Ethnic Dance Chicago

Dance to the Beat of a Different Drummer!
Fridays 8:30pm to Midnite - St Josaphat Church Parish Hall
Belden Ave (2300 N) & Southport Ave (1400 W) in Chicago
info@ethnicdance.net / (773) 463-2288

(Overview / Ethnic Dance Chicago Calendar / Workshops / Special Events / Lost & Found)
(Chicago Area Folk Dance Scene / Dance/Music-Related Resource Links)
Ethnic Dance Chicago Home Page  -  Door County Folk Festival Home Page
Top This Page