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Performer List from 2008

Musical Ensembles
Dance Groups
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The Balkanics

The Balkanics, playing Balkan wedding band music, offer a rare mixture of odd rhythms, forgotten modes and poignant lyrics played on modern day instruments. This music, with its unlikely progressions and intricate ornamentation, sounds extremely intriguing to the Westerner's ear. Coming to a Balkanics event is not just a night out - it is an experience of a culture distant yet rooted into your natural instincts and emotions. To feel footloose and carefree and forget the troubles of the day, this is what music is all about! The Balkanics are Tzvety Weiner - vocals, Varol Saatcioglu - keyboards, vocals, gaida, Jason Gillenwater - saxophone, Len Newman - bass, guitar, Valeri Georgiev - kaval, Bryndyn Weiner - drums.
Balkanics on Myspace

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Balkanto

Balkanto plays traditional (acoustic) music from the Central/East European countries of Hungary, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, on traditional instruments. We focus on dance music as well as music for listening--both vocal and instrumental--using panpipes, acoustic bass, cimbalom, kontra (chording viola), furulya (wooden penny whistle), guitar, tambura, duda.
Group Roster:
Tom Armstrong--bass, Joan Dubinsky--cimbalom, Craig Packard--guitar, kontra, nai, prim, vocals, George Petran--kontra & nai, Zsuzsana Seres--vocals, Noemi Toka--vocals

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Druzina

Druzina ("group of friends") brings together U.S. and Balkan-born musicians playing an exciting mix of dance music from the Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian, and Romany traditions. Based in Connecticut, the 5-piece group (vocals, accordion, tambura, percussion, bass) performs extensively throughout New England at festivals, international folk dance groups, colleges and private parties. Because we love feeling connected to the dancers, we've abandoned the stage and moved the music-making to the center of the dance floor, where the real party is going on. The interaction between musicians and dancers happily blurs the distinction between performer and audience: it's precisely this synthesis which gives people permission to dance and sing along with us, helping us create the party. View our website on myspace at druzinadancemusic.

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Gogofski

Is it "Gogofski. James Gogofski. Shaken, not stirred." Is it Marlon Gogofski? ("Stella!!") Is it Ingmar Gogofski? ("And I, Antonius Block, am playing chess with Death.") Is it Akira Gogofski? (Besieged Japanese castles.) Elvis Gogofski?
Who is Gogofski?
Now it is made known: Henry Goldberg (drums) and David Golber (clarinet) are the two Gs of Gogofski. Melinda Fields (accordion) is his F. And a bolt of lightning striking a gravestone on a remote Balkan hillside had nothing to do with revealing Corinna Snyder (vocals) as his S. This is Gogofski - a fictitious but significant figure, akin to Hamlet or Nikolas Bourbaki.
Gogofski plays music of the Republic of Macedonia and nearby areas. Gogofski has a web site: www.dgviolins.com/Gogofski

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Harris Brothers Band

Created by the brothers - Drew (Saxophone and Clarinet) and Laine Harris (Truba) - with dear friends Melinda Fields (Accordion) and Helen Marx (Boban and Darambuka) the Harris Brothers Band plays Balkan Music heavily influenced by the Roma (Gypsy) style brass bands of South-eastern Europe: Serbia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Northern Greece. The band's lean, mobile style recreates the authentic, intimate experience of dancing to roving Roma musicians. Expect an "in your face," high energy musical experience at Balktoberfest! Check the for other gigs and video clips at http://www.youtube.com/user/HarrisBro2 and http://www.myspace.com/harrisbrothersband.

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Karpouzi

In Greece, a karpouzi is a sugar baby melon — sweet and juicy and reminiscent of the Mediterranean summer. In the DC area, Karpouzi is a group of close friends who have been playing music together for many years, interpreting the music of the Greek Mainland and Islands, the Balkans and Asia Minor on traditional instruments of the Aegean: clarinet and violin (though not at the same time — Jonah Blaustein), sandouri (Margaret Loomis), laouto/lute (Len Newman), tombeleki/hand drum (Brad Sidwell), vocals and defi/frame drum (Batja Bell).

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Lyuti Chushki

Lyuti Chushki means "Hot Peppers," and that is the kind of spicy traditional Bulgarian music this band plays. Lyuti Chushki is a combination of professional musicians from Bulgaria and American musicians from the Baltimore/Washington area who have been playing together for festivals, weddings, concerts, and other special events since 1997. The toe-tapping music, played on traditional instruments from Bulgaria, takes you back to the old country - it is joyful, evocative, compelling and lyrical, in modes and rhythms generally not found in western music. The instruments we play include kaval (end-blown flute), gaida (bagpipe), gudulka (bowed stringed instrument with resonating strings), tambura (fretted instrument similar to a guitar) and tupan (large drum), all of which serve to accompany the unique Bulgarian vocal style which has a beauty on its own. Website: www.lyutichushki.com

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Parea

Parea plays dance tunes and songs from the Greek mainland, islands, and Asia Minor. We are based in Durham, North Carolina since 1993. We perform on traditional instruments for folk dance parties, coffeehouses and cafés, or festival stages - wherever we can bring the excitement of Greek traditional music. Parea is: Robin LaPasha (sandouri, vocals), Kostya LaPasha (laouto, vocals), Richie Leonard (clarinet), and Doris Smith (violin). At Balktoberfest, we have the pleasure of playing with DC area percussionist Brad Sidwell. Email: Parea_NC@verizon.net

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Šarenica

Šarenica plays Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, and Greek music using tamburica stringed instruments. Its repertoire draws on Balkan, South Slavic and Slavic-American, and Central European traditions. Šarenica's repertoire includes high-energy music for dancing, music for listening from both town and village folk sources. Its members are Zsuzsi Seres, vocals; Craig Packard, prim, bugarija, vocals; Marian Penn, prim, vocals; Larry Robinson, prim & brač, vocals; Tony Kambic, brač & bugarija, vocals; George Petran, bugarija; and Tom Armstrong, bass. MySpace page at: www.myspace.com/sarenica
Group Roster:
Tom Armstrong--bass, Tony Kambic--brač & bugarija/beglajt, vocals, Craig Packard--prim, bug, vocals, Marian Penn--prim, vocals, George Petran--bugarija, Larry Robinson--prim and brač, vocals, Zsuzsana Seres--vocals

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Slaveya

Group rosters:
Theadocia Austen, Karen Chittenden, Agnieszka Christian, Helen Fedor, Anne Harrison, Jenny Lee, and Toni Schneider.

Slaveya - from the Bulgarian for nightingale - is a women's vocal ensemble in the WashingtonD.C. metropolitan area specializing in East European /a cappella/ folk music.
Our songs reflect village life: the harvest, war heroes, matchmaking, love and flirtation, birth and death, and are traditionally sung at work or while participating in community festivities and seasonal celebrations. In addition to folk songs, we interpret sacred vocal music from the Orthodox traditions of the Balkans and Georgia. Our repertoire is drawn from the vocal heritage of Bulgaria, Macedonia, Bosnia, Croatia, Poland, and Russia. We are also excited to introduce a wealth of new songs from the Republic of Georgia recently collected during an intensive workshop with the traditional vocal group Zedashe.
Slaveya has been an active member of the folk music and dance community in the Mid-Atlantic region for 24 years. Performance highlights include appearances at the Wammies (Washington Area Music Awards) at the Strathmore Music Center, Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, Library of Congress Capital Roots concert series (with Tatiana Sarbinska), Maryland Renaissance Festival, Washington Folk Festival, and Takoma Park Folk Festival.
From 2003 through 2007, Slaveya studied under Artistic Director Tatiana Sarbinska, an internationally recognized performer and teacher in Bulgaria and the United States. In August 2005, Slaveya toured Bulgaria to perform in Plovdiv, Blagoevgrad, and at the 9th National Festival of Bulgarian Folklore in Koprivshtitsa. For more information about Slaveya, visit www.slaveya.org.

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Vardo Sisters

Performers: Leslie Clark, Lynette Garlan, R.J. Heid, James Rumbaugh, Jeff Senn, Stoyan Kostov.
The Vardo Sisters sing and play Romani music from Serbia, Macedonia and Bulgaria. This group is an offshoot of the Balkan Babes Balkan Babes. Singers are Leslie Clark and Lynette Garlan with musicians Stoyan Kostov on guitar, James Rumbaugh on clarinet, Jeff Senn on doumbek/tupan, RJ Heid on drums/percussion and Lynette Garlan on accordion. Most songs we do are dance tunes as well. http://www.myspace.com/vardosisters
Sponsored by the Fluffy Gravy Foundation

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Veselba

Group roster: Nan Nelson (tambura), Chris Rietz (kaval), Bruce Sagan (gudulka)
VESELBA (meaning "merriment" or "hijinks" in Bulgarian) is a group consisting of three highly acclaimed musicians: Bruce Sagan, Chris Rietz, and Nan Nelson. Formed in 1998 to play music from Bulgaria on native instruments, they have since branched out into other areas such as Greece, Roumania, France, and Scandinavia.
Bruce plays fiddle, gudulka, nyckelharpa, and hardingfele. He is much sought after as a teacher and musician for folk dance camps, festivals, and other events. He has studied in Bulgaria, Sweden, and Norway with some of the top instrumentalists from those countries. Chris is a master of the guitar, kaval, and tambura. He has taught numerous times at the Balkan Music and Dance Camps on both coasts and played in ensembles where all the other members were native Bulgarians. Folk music has been a part of Nan's life since an early age. She is a veteran of the Russian scene where she plays Domra and Balalaika. In Veselba she concentrates on tambura and bass as well as singing. When you hear the incredible music of this trio, you will find the urge to dance irresistible. On with the party!

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Zlatne Uste

ZLATNE USTE ("Golden Lips") BALKAN BRASS BAND, based in New York City, is an internationally known group of American-born musicians performing in the Romany (Gypsy), Serbian, Macedonian, and Bulgarian brass band traditions. Four-time invited guest at the Dragačevo Brass Festival in Guča, Zlatne Uste is among the foremost presenters of traditional Balkan dance music in the United States. For more about the band see www.zlatneuste.org , and visit our myspace page for sound clips and photos.

Roster: Michael Ginsburg, Catherine Foster, Marian Eines, Laine Harris, Morgan Clark, Matt Smith, Emerson Hawley.

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Zurli Drushtvo

Zurli Drushtvo - (loosely translated: "Zurla Guys") was formed in 1985 in response to the insatiable demand for the amazing sound of paired zurlas with tapan accompaniment. (A Zurla, for the uninitiated, is the distant country cousin of the oboe - loud and unrefined, suitable for outdoor fun - Definitely not parlor music!) ZD blends traditional Macedonian and Albanian dance music with modern Roma tunes in a compelling experience. No one stands by idly while Zurli Drustvo plays! Zurli Drustvo has never been recorded in a studio - it is not clear that this wild sound would survive in captivity. However, you can find video clips of Zurli Drustvo at http://www.youtube.com/user/HarrisBro2. For Balktoberfest 2008 the ensemble includes Drew Harris, Laine Harris and Henry Goldberg.

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Bosilek

Bosilek Bulgarian Folk Dance Ensemble of New York City, the only exclusively women's Bulgarian folk dance performing ensemble in the USA, is celebrating 29 years of bringing the beauty and rich treasure of Bulgarian folklore to American audiences. The ensemble has performed in a wide variety of venues ranging from Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in New York, to the garden of the White House in Washington, D.C., at festivals, in libraries, schools and other venues throughout the northeast United States, and has been featured in festivals and on television in Bulgaria. Artistic Director: Cathie Springer; Choreographer: Iliana Bozhanova; Music Coordinator: Lyuben Dossev.
Bosilek on Myspace

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Zharava

The Bulgarian folk-dance ensemble Zharava was established in January, 2007. Within its first six months the group gathered more than 20 enthusiastic members, including natives of Bulgaria, Russia and the U.S. The fire in each performer's heart, as the name Zharava - 'burning embers' - implies, is transmitted to the audience by the addictive energy the group brings onto a stage.
The vision of Zharava's founder, Desi Jordanoff, is two-fold: to establish a strong ensemble that preserves the rich Bulgarian folk-dance tradition and to enhance the awareness of all the Bulgarian folk arts - dance, music, song and rhythm - throughout the U.S. and the world. Affiliate and educational programs are currently designed to realize the mission of the organization.
Already in its second year of existence Zharava has delivered over 15 performances at Festivals in Washington DC and Maryland. In addition the group has participated in multiple concerts on behalf of organizations, such as the World Bank Group at its Annual Celebration of Cultures, celebrations of the Bulgarian Community Center of greater Washington, DC and the events organized by the Embassy of Bulgaria.
Zharava has acquired great support in the arts communities in Washington, DC and Maryland, and is currently running a pilot project of establishing and developing an affiliate group in Richmond, Virginia. Founded in the fall of 2007 Zharava's affiliate dance group in Richmond has attracted more than 30 members, who retained their interest in the group and successfully transited into 2008 with strong passion and love for the Bulgarian folk dance. Zharava - Richmond already had its first inaugural performances in the Spring of 2008 at festivals and events at the University of Richmond and other venues.
Website: www.zharava.org
e-mail: bgforlkdance@zharava.org