THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT TO ENJOY THE 2017 BOULDER BALKAN BASH. IT WAS A BIG SUCCESS! If you'd like to receive notice of the next Bash, go to planina.org and sign up for the Planina and Friends email newsletter.
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Live music for folk dancing by SIX hot local bands specializing in traditional and contemporary music from Eastern Europe. Many of the dances are easy enough to learn on the spot. Not a dancer? Not a problem; the Avalon has plenty of room to sit and watch. In Eastern Europe, live music and dancing are always accompanied by food! So roll up your sleeves, make a great potluck dish and come celebrate!
The bands are: The Bitovniks, Planina - Songs of Eastern Europe, Ansambl Teodosievski, Barbelfish Balkan Band, Sherefe, and Gora Gora Orkestar. Short dance demonstration by Balkanika.
Live folk dance music starts at 5:30pm and continues until 11:00pm. From 6:00 till 10:00pm the potluck dinner and dessert will be served. All guests are encouraged to bring a dish to share. (We ourselves are cooking and we would love for everyone to bring food, but if you cannot, we'd much rather have you attend without a dish than stay home!)
The dance music program will feature tunes from Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, and Roma (Gypsy) traditions. While the majority of dances will be line dances, a few waltzes and other couple dances will also be included.
Join us in celebrating Eastern European traditions of live music, dancing, and food. Don’t know what to bring or don’t like to cook? Please contact Mary Ann, the food coordinator, at [email protected] for assistance/ideas, etc.
Volunteer for the Bash - If you are interested in working a two-hour volunteer shift at the Bash in exchange for free admission, please contact Mary Ann at 720-936-5055.
TICKETS
Advance Purchase Prices
- Adults - $22
- Students - $18
- Seniors - $18
- Child - $9
At the Door Prices
- Adults - $25
- Students - $20
- Seniors - $20
- Child - $10
MORE INFORMATION...
- Avalon Ballroom (6185 Arapahoe Rd, Boulder, 80303)
- Potluck, food, and beverage info: [email protected] or 720-936-5055.
- Event and ticket info: [email protected] or 303-329-6242.
- Please buy tickets in advance if you possibly can to help us estimate the food/beverage needs.
ENSEMBLE LINEUP
5:30-6:15 The Bitovniks
6:20-7:05 Planina - Songs of Eastern Europe
7:05-7:20 Balkanika (dance demonstration)
7:25-8:10 Ansambl Teodosievski
8:20-9:05 Barbelfish Balkan Band
9:15-10:00 Sherefe World Music Ensemble
10:05-10:50 Gora Gora Orkestar
10:50-11:10 Finale Set
ABOUT THE ENSEMBLES
Ansambl Teodosievski
Petar Teodosiev, a Macedonian-born accordion virtuoso who has played extensively in Serbia and who toured internationally for years with Roma legend Esma Redžepova, presents his arrangements of folk songs from the former Yugoslavia at the Boulder Balkan Bash. Annie Aqua (violin), Teresita Lozano (flute), Amy Self (clarinet), Nate Back (trumpet), Brett Bowen (percussion), Paul Brown (bass), Rose Fuller (vocals), Jamie Halliday (vocals), Loren Uecker (vocals), Josephine Teodosijeva (vocals), Valerie Brown (vocals, percussion), Petar Teodosijev (accordion). Planina will join on vocals for one tune.
Barbelfish
Barbelfish (named after a freshwater fish to which a pretty girl is likened in some Macedonian songs), plays soul-stirring music for dancing from Eastern Europe and beyond, especially from Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Greece. Village and urban music from the Balkans offers some of the most exquisite melodies, soaring harmonies and driving rhythms on the planet and Barbelfish expertly delivers them. Jesse Manno (percussion, vocals), Steve Mullins (tambura, guitar, bouzouki, mandolin), Amy Self (clarinet, kaval, vocals), James Hoskins (gudulka, cello, zurna, vocals), Julie Lancaster (accordion, tambura, vocals), Loren Uecker (vocals).
The Bitōvniks
Although all the members of the Bitōvniks are experienced multi-instrumentalists in a variety of traditions, this band features traditional Bulgarian village instruments only (no modern instruments). The repertoire consists of exciting dance tunes, often in uneven rhythms, such as 5/8, 7/8, 9/8 and others. Brett Bowen (tapan / bass drum), Mark Brissenden (gajda / bagpipe), James Hoskins (gudulka / folk fiddle), Steve Mullins (tambura / long-necked lute), Mary Ann Saussotte (tambura), and Amy Self (kaval / wooden flute).
Gora Gora Orkestar
Gora Gora Orkestar, a brass band powerhouse, has been bringing the sounds of the Balkans to the Rockies with high-energy performances, infectious rhythms, and feel-good music since 2009. Think of Dixieland Brass Band with eastern modes, and you have an idea: it's hot and smoky party music for line dancing or your global groove. Tung Pham, Alice Hansen (trumpets); Leah Concialdi, Stephen Angus (saxes); John Jonas, Jon Kenney (trombones); Ben Fausch (tuba); Adam Loudermilk, Vic Stauffenberg (drums); Kelly Maxwell (vox).
http://goragora.org
Planina - Songs of Eastern Europe
Planina (the word means “mountain” in several South Slavic languages) is a mixed chorus of 16 members. The group has been performing in Colorado since 1988, presenting a cappella and accompanied music from many parts of Eastern Europe, including the Balkans, the Baltics, the Caucasus, Poland and Russia. Some of the members play instruments (various drums and percussion, accordion, flute, tambura, trumpet). Planina members performing at the Bash are Nate Beck, Jessica Bondy, Valerie Brown, Nicholas Caputo, Rose Fuller, Christmas Gainsbrugh, Jenny Gubrud, Sharon Kermiet, Julie Lancaster, Laura Osterman, Thorn Roby, Mary Ann Saussotte, Galina Siergiejczyk, and Yoanna Todorova. The group will be joined by guest instrumentalists Petar Teodosiev (accordion) and Paul Brown (bass). www.planina.org
Sherefe
Sherefe, named after the Turkish drinking toast, "to your honor," is a group of mostly Boulder-based musicians dedicated to performing traditional music from the Balkans and the Middle East. At the Bash they will play dance tunes from Greece, Turkey and elsewhere in the Balkans. Brett Bowen (doumbek, tupan), Paul Brown (bass), James Hoskins (cello, gudulka, bouzouki, guitar, vocals), Jesse Manno (baglama, bouzouki, saz, oud, flutes, vocals), Julie Lancaster (accordion, vocals), Dexter Payne (clarinets, saxophone). http://sherefe.org
Balkanika (dance demonstration)
Balkanika Folk is a performance group from Denver that presents dances and songs from Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova.