Susan Kotansky

Balkan & Albanian Dance

Susan Kotansky performed with the George Tomov, Kálmán Magyar’s Hungária, and Ungaresca ensembles in New York City. She spent a year living in Budapest, attending the Folkdance Section of the State Ballet Institute and studied with the Bartók Ensemble under the direction of Sándor Timár. She has made many research trips to Hungary and Transylvania, and together with her husband Stephen Kotansky founded the Guzsaly Ensemble.

Stephen and Susan were instrumental in planting the seeds for the táncház movement in the U.S., teaching classes and inviting teachers from Hungary. Together they teach Hungarian and Balkan dance classes worldwide. More recently Steve and Susan have done research on Albanian dance and they are about to take their second trip to Albania.

Class Description | Albanian & Other Balkan Dance

• Beginners are welcome.
• Schedule allowing, I’m available for additional instruction outside of class.
• The Student Concert is optional, and the class will decide whether we perform.
• This class plans to collaborate with Merita & Raif’s classes as well as John Morovich’s classes.
• Repertoire will include dances from Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, and the Roma.
• This class is accessible to non-dancer musicians.
• We will discuss strategies for learning new dances.
• Line leaders are expected to rotate throughout class.
• Class will focus on stylization.