Folk Arts Center of New England
promoting international folk dance and music since 1975
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What is folk dancing?

Folk dances are the traditional social dances of ethnic groups, rural or urban, from all over the world. Social dances are participatory dances done at weddings, parties, and other gatherings.

Recreational international folk dancing is based on social dances, adapted to 2–5 minute formats to provide a sampling of a wide variety of cultures. Some of the dances that we do use simple village steps and rhythms; some are choreographed in the style of a particular culture. Tempos range from slow and meditative to vigorously aerobic.

FAC’s repertoire includes dances from the USA, Canada, Mexico, and South America; from the British Isles, Scandinavia, and Western, Central and Eastern Europe; from the Balkan, Baltic and Mediterranean regions; and from the Middle East, Russia, Ukraine, South Africa, Japan and the Philippines.

See the FAC Friday dance page for a video montage of folk dancing, and the additional video page for a sampler of dances often done at the FAC Friday dance and other events. The FAC video album offers a selection of music and dance clips from performances and participatory events. Facebook members: see FAC’s Facebook page (facebook.com/FolkArtsCenter) for more video postings.

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Folk Arts Center of New England • 10 Franklin Street • Stoneham, MA 02180-1862

• Office: 781-438-4387 • Events listing (FolkFone): 781-438-4389