• Building and fostering community
• Facilitating and nurturing collaboration
• Exploring the world through music and dance
• Inspiring and mentoring the next generation of leaders

"Iliana Bozhanova is coming back to Boston after too many years! Todor Yankov, her colleague and accordion player will be here in this great town for first time! They will present and share dances with you from their latest dance collection - IBTY#18: "HOPE". In addition, we will be treated to dancing simple and well-loved Bulgarian dances all the while enjoying the beautiful music and voice of Todor!"

--Iliana Bozhanova

The afternoon workshop will be followed by an evening dance party with live music by the beloved Boston-area band Zdravets. The dance's program will include Iliana reviewing the dances she taught in her workshop, accompanied by Todor.

Iliana Bozhanova from Galabovo, in the Stara Zagora region of Bulgaria, grew up in a family of musicians and singers in South Thrace.
 
She graduated from the National School for Art Instructors in Plovdiv. She completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in “Bulgarian Folk Dances and Choreography” at the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv, the oldest folk arts academy in the Balkans and the most acclaimed in Bulgaria. She has since been active as a choreographer and teacher at workshops and camps throughout the world.

Todor Yankov (accordion) was born in 1962 in Plovdiv, but he grew up in the village of Dobralak in the Rhodopi Mountains in a large family. His father, Vasil Yankov, was a well-known gaida player in the area. Todor began to play gaida, like his father, and then when he was 10 year old, he took up kaval. Soon after that he became an orphan and had no one to send him to study at Shiroka Lûka Music High School, which had been his dream.
 
When he was 16, he discovered the accordion and began to teach himself to play.He is also a wonderful singer. For many years he played with the Hisar folk orchestra at different holiday celebrations. He has been the accordionist for the following folk dance ensembles: Rûchenitsa, Hebar, Pûldin and now, Ensemble Voivodintsi.

Please help protect the hall’s wooden floor by changing to clean, soft-soled shoes before dancing. For the comfort and well-being of all our dancers, especially those with allergies or asthma, please do not wear perfume or fragranced personal products at our dances. Thank you!