Janetta Redžić

Balkan Dance

Born and raised in the Bay Area, Janetta’s Bosnian roots have always been a central part of her identity. She began folk dancing at the age of six with the group Sevdah, where Bosnian folk dance and song were deeply emphasized. From an early age, she demonstrated a deep love for dance—participating in both youth and adult choreographies and always eager to spend more time learning, rehearsing, and performing.

Although Sevdah eventually dissolved as members moved on to new stages of life, Janetta’s passion for folk dance never faded. In the winter of 2021, she moved to Seattle, where she discovered a thriving Balkan dance community. A chance visit to a “Balkan Night,” featuring the renowned group Drómeno, introduced her to Greek music and to a broader pan-Balkan dance tradition beyond Bosnian repertoire. Shortly thereafter, she was invited to join Radost Balkan Folk Ensemble, a respected ensemble with over 50 years of performing throughout Seattle, Canada, and surrounding regions.

Through Radost, she danced weekly alongside Macedonian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Croatian, and other dancers, gaining a deeper understanding of Balkan dance styles, musical structures, instruments, and cultural histories. This experience expanded her perspective and strengthened her appreciation for the shared and distinct traditions that exist across the Balkans.

Upon returning to the Bay Area to be closer to her family, Janetta was struck by the absence of a strong performing folk dance community. Rather than accept that loss, she founded Čardak, a pan-Balkan folk dance ensemble created to celebrate, preserve, and share the diverse traditions of the Balkans while fostering unity and belonging. What began as a personal vision has grown into an ensemble of 26 dancers, ranging in age from 4 to 42, representing Balkan communities, the LGBTQ+ community, and individuals with no direct Balkan background—connected through a shared love of Balkan music, movement, and culture.

Today, Janetta’s work with Čardak reflects both her lifelong dedication to folk dance and her commitment to building community through teaching. She is deeply invested in sharing the beauty, history, and joy of Balkan folk traditions, and in creating an inclusive space where culture is honored, celebrated, and passed on through dance.