Steve Kotansky is one of the most exciting folk dance teachers in North America.  He enjoys an international reputation as an outstanding dancer, researcher, and teacher.  Over the years he has made many research trips to central Europe and the Balkans, and has taught at major folk dance camps all over North America and Europe.  He is a superb dance leader who brings energy and joy to his teaching and dancing.  Quite simply, he is one of today's greatest teachers.

Schedule and Prices

See schedule at the left for details.  A weekend dance package is available for $45 which includes everything in the schedule except for the lunches.  You may use the Registration Form to order weekend passes and lunches.  Individual sessions, the lunches, and the Saturday night dance party may also be paid for at the door as indicated in the schedule.

The Sunday sessions are intended for those who have attended earlier workshop sessions, but other interested persons are invited to come and observe.

About the Teacher and Musicians

Steve Kotansky started dancing during the 1960's in the San Francisco Bay area.  He studied dance and Slavic languages at UCLA, and he has a degree in Eastern European languages and culture from SUNY.  While at UCLA he performed with Vincent Evanchuk's Ukrainian group, and he choreographed and danced with the famed AMAN Folk Ensemble.  In 1972 he moved to Europe, where he danced with Lado, the Croatian national dance company.  He lived in Munich for eight years, where he danced with ethnic communities of guest workers, and traveled frequently to the Balkan countries and eastern Europe.  While living in Germany, he taught folk dancing extensively, and helped to popularize folk dancing there.  He also lived briefly in Bukovina, Romania, and studied folk dance and culture.

Steve has taught dance and conducted teacher training at numerous schools, including Greenmeadow Waldorf School, New York City Public Schools, Sunbridge College, Spring Valley NY, Hunter College, University of the Pacific, Münchner Volkshochschule, and Bode Schule für Gymnastic und Sport Ausbildung.  He has taught at most major international folk dance camps in North America.  Together with Csába Pálfy and Ricky Holden, he set up the Sárospatak Hungarian folk dance camp in Hungary, which helped to spread the táncház (dance house) movement to Europe and North America.  Most American folk dance groups regularly do numerous dances that he has introduced or taught.

Music for the workshop will be provided by three members of the band Which Way East based in New York City.  Jesse Kotansky performs on violin and oud, Patrick Harrison on accordion and percussion, and Rich Stein on percussion.  Which Way East performs traditional Balkan folk music as well as their own unique compositions which incorporate ideas from the contemporary music scene.  Members of the band have lived and toured in Turkey, Romania, Transylvania, Africa, and the Far East, and have performed in concert halls around the globe including Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Riverfront Stadium, The Royal Albert Hall, Preservation Hall, and the Royal Festival Hall.  This will be their first appearance in the Midwest.  The band will be featured on the Music From The Hills radio program (see next paragraph) on Saturday, May 3 from 4 to 6 p.m.

To hear examples of the type of dance music that will be featured at this workshop, tune in to Music from the Hills on Saturdays from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on radio station KDHX, 88.1 FM in St. Louis.  The program is hosted by IFDA member John Uhlemann.  You can also listen online — see KDHX's web site at www.kdhx.org.

Locations

University United Methodist Church (Friday and Saturday):  6901 Washington Ave., University City, Missouri; on the northwest corner of Washington and Trinity south of the Lion Gates on Delmar — see Google Map.  (Not indicated on the map is the fact that most of the streets in the area other than the main streets are non-through.)  Parking is available in the church lot and on Trinity, but please do not park on the residential part of Washington.  Walk by the playground in front of the church, and enter by the door at the inner corner of the L-shaped building.

The Focal Point (Sunday):  2720 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, Missouri; 1 1/2 blocks south of Manchester — see Google Map.  Watch for one-way streets in the area.  Park on street.

Other Information

Hard-soled shoes (leather or synthetic) are recommended, since rubber tends to stick to the floor.  Dress is casual.

Crash Space is available.  Please contact Diana Blanchard at 314-726-5737 or diana.blanchard@att.net.

For Other Information:  Please contact Nancy or Rex Couture at 314-275-8228 or , or John or Barbara Uhlemann at 314-726-5838 or buhlemann@aol.com.