2022 Staff & Bands

Click on the red Schedule tab above for workshop and dance set times and locations

Staff and band listings are subject to update and change.

Teachers & Dance Leaders

Bands

Daily Schedule

Please note the schedule and bands are subject to change, even at the very last minute. Schedule updated 8/5/22

Friday, August 5
Village Community School Gymnasium (MOVED BECAUSE OF RAIN!)

• 6:00 p.m.: Doors open
• 6:30 p.m.: Dance workshop with live music to get your feet moving, featuring Michael Ginsburg and Demetrios Tashie
• 7:30 p.m.: Dance party officially begins with Niva and continues with Kavala Brass Band
• 11:00 p.m.: Evening activities end in Manhattan. See you tomorrow in Astoria!

Saturday, August 6
Bohemian Hall

• 12:00 noon: Doors open
• 12:30 p.m. – Courtyard: 101 Gaida I Tupani
• 1:00 p.m. – Courtyard: Pontic dance set with Dimitris Stefanidis & Jerry Kisslinger, with dance leader Michael Ginsburg
• 1:00 p.m. – Main Hall: Albanian/Kosovar Ensemble & Singing workshop with Raif Hyseni & Merita Halili
• 1:00 p.m. – Meeting Room: Balkan Strings workshop with Adam Good
• 2:45 p.m. – Meeting Room: Makams in Balkan Folk Music workshop with Beth Bahia Cohen
• 3:15 p.m. – Courtyard: Balkan Brass dance set with Zlatne Uste, with dance leader Steve Kotansky
• 3:15 p.m. – Main Hall: Balkan Rhythm Planet workshop with Jerry Kisslinger
• 4:00 p.m. – Meeting Room: Balkan Singing & Songs workshop with Corinna Snyder
• 5:30 p.m. – Courtyard: Albanian/Kosovar dance set with Raif Hyseni, Merita Halili & Friends
• 6:30 p.m. – Main Hall: Greek Island dance set with Beth Bahia Cohen & Adam Good
• 6:45 p.m. – Main Hall: Greek dance set with Pontic Firebird
• 7:30 p.m. – Courtyard: Greek/Epirotic dance set with George Stathos & Friends
• 8:15 p.m. – Main Hall: Balkan Brass dance set with Zlatne Uste
• 9:00 p.m.: BalkanFest East Coast is over. See you in San Francisco!

Frequently Asked Questions & Important Information

This section is a work in progress. You can help! If you have a general question, email us and we’ll do our best to answer it, and if appropriate, include it in this list. UPDATED 7/27/22

What are the addresses of the BalkanFest venues and how do I get there? (Click on the links below for detailed directions)

• Village Community School
  272 W. 10th St., New York, NY 10014
 
• Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden
  29-19 24th Ave., Astoria, NY 11102

Can you expand a bit on your event Covid protocols?

• First of all, these protocols have been established in the spirit of best practices and the common good—so that we can ALL feel safe and comfortable while celebrating with each other. We are aware that Covid cases may occur despite our best efforts.
• Masks must be worn in all indoor spaces (exceptions below).
• All participants must be fully vaccinated and boosted. The registration form provides a field where you will upload your proof of vaccination.
• Please note that outside activities on Saturday at Bohemian Hall will also be accessible to the general public who are dining in the beer garden and who may or may not be vaccinated. Access to the daytime indoor classes and evening dance party will be restricted to BalkanFest participants, who will have shown proof of vaccination when they registered, with masking required.
• Please do not come to BalkanFest if you have tested positive for Covid-19 within the 5 days prior to the event or have symptoms of Covid-19 within the 5 days prior to the event.
• We advise everyone to take a PCR or antigen test 3 days prior to the beginning of BalkanFest.
• We will have a small emergency stock of N95 or KN95 masks on hand in case you forget to bring your own.

You’re asking that everyone be masked in indoor spaces. Will there be exceptions?

• Yes. We will make exceptions for featured dance bands who will be playing on stage at a safe distance from dancers. We will also permit featured teachers to conduct their classes maskless, though students should remain masked. Students who are bringing wind instruments to play in class will be permitted to remove their masks, but we will make sure everyone is positioned a safe distance from one another.

Will activities be held inside or outside?

• Friday: Everything will he held outside on the Village Community School roof SkyYard. Everyone attending will be required to be vaccinated.
• Saturday: Both! There will be live music and dancing outside all day long in the Bohemian Hall courtyard with 10 picnic tables reserved for our participants and placed near the raised dance floor. There will also be music workshops and an evening dance party inside in the Hall and Meeting Room.

Are Bohemian Hall and the Meeting Room air-conditioned?

• There is air conditioning that will be used in the likely event of a warm August day. The Meeting Room has a wall-inserted air conditioner. We are checking on the air conditioning in the inside Hall and will update everyone regarding this situation. Both rooms have high ceilings. Masking will be required indoors.

What if it rains?

• We’ve got you covered!
• Friday: If it rains we’ll move inside to the Village School’s large gymnasium.
• Saturday: If the rain is occasional and light, tents will be provided over the outdoor tables. The courtyard dance area might be exposed to a bit of drizzle in this case. If there is heavy rain or storms, all events will be moved indoors, and the music program will be slightly condensed.

I’m bringing a heavy instrument to Bohemian Hall. Do I have to lug it around all day?

• There will be a dedicated corner in one of our activity rooms where you’ll be able to stash your instrument safely when you’re not using it.
• Make sure to mark your instrument and/or its case with your name!

What’s the policy around alcohol consumption at the festival?

• Friday: Because we’re on school grounds, alcohol will not be permitted at the Village Community School. We know you’ll still have lots of fun.
• Saturday: Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden is, well, a beer garden, so alcohol will naturally be available for sale. The folks at Bohemian Hall have told us that they’re (naturally) strict about who gets to drink alcohol there—it’s a legal thing. If you are under 21, you cannot consume alcohol, even if someone 21 or older passes you a glass of wine or bottle of beer. The Bohemian Hall security personnel will eject you from the site if you do not follow their rules.

BalkanFest? Is this event related to Golden Fest?

• Not directly, but you should know that the EEFC has deep and abiding connections to New York’s Golden Festival, which is produced and hosted by Zlatne Uste Balkan Brass Band and the Golden Festival Organizing Committee. We’re excited that Zlatne Uste will be a featured band at BalkanFest (don’t miss ’em—see the Schedule tab above to find out when they’re playing).

Class Materials & Resources for Download

Updated 8/5/22

To download audio files and PDFs:
PC: right-click as you click on the red download link.
Mac: press Control as you click on the red download link.
Note: Some browsers work better than others for downloading. So if you’re not successful with one browser, try another.

Adam Good – Balkan Strings

Bajramsko Oro
Charts:

• D minor
• D minor with no ornaments
• E minor
• E minor with no ornaments

Audio examples:

• Bajramsko Oro – D minor – Mamer Sakipov
• Bajramsko Oro – E minor

Pembe
Charts:

• D major
• G major

Audio example:

• Pembe – Raim Baki

Jerry Kisslinger – Balkan Rhythm Planet

Charts:

• Tapan
• Hand Drums (Doumbek and Frame Drum)

Corinna Škėma Snyder – Balkan Singing & Songs

Lyrics sheets:

• Filka moma mole boga
• Ilija fidan bojlija
• Neli storivme, Sevdo mori
• Prošeta se Jovka Kumanovka

Registration Form

Live Streams

For those of you unable to make it to this weekend’s festival, we are offering free live streams on YouTube of the Friday night dance party at Village Community School SkyYard, and of the Saturday bands playing in the Main Hall of Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden.

Click on the red “YouTube” links below to access each evening’s live stream. These streams are in real time and will become active about 15 minutes before things start a-poppin’!

Note that schedules are subject to change. All times in Eastern.

Friday, August 5
YouTube link
6:30 p.m.: Dance workshop with Demetrios Tashie and Michael Ginsburg
7:30 p.m.: Kavala Brass Band
9:15 p.m.: Niva

Saturday, August 6
YouTube link
6:30 p.m.: Greek Island with Beth Bahia Cohen & Adam Good
6:45 p.m.: Pontic Firebird
8:15 p.m.: Zlatne Uste Balkan Brass Band