1. Introduction

In its original form, folk dance is an expression of cultural heritage, passed down through generations, and rooted in the traditions and practices of a particular community. In ethnic communities, dances are rarely taught. Children and community members learn by osmosis. They simply participate in dance events, watching their family or friends to see how to do the dance and what the correct styling is. Learning dance in a community is like learning the social rules of politeness or learning how to cook your family’s favorite dish. In those contexts, you simply learn by being a member of the community. But when dances are taken outside their purely social contexts, whether that be learning to perform them on stage or learning them in an International Folk dance group, more care must be taken with pedagogy and with explaining how the dances are structured and performed.

Teaching a folk dance is not merely about replicating steps; it involves an immersive process where the instructor must convey not only the physical movements but also the cultural significance, rhythms, and emotions embedded in the dance. In this chapter, I outline some thoughts on effective folk dance teaching. Following this, I’ll also provide a brief discussion of building and running a thriving folk dance club or class.

2. Teaching International Folk Dancing

2.1. Preparation

Preparation is the cornerstone of any successful teaching endeavor. Unlike simply performing a dance or following along as a student, teaching requires a deeper understanding of the dance’s intricacies, cultural context, and the most effective ways to communicate this to students. Here are a few points about preparing to teach a folk dance that you may not have thought about.^[1]

1. The first step in preparation is to master the dance you are going to teach. This means you must be thoroughly familiar with every aspect of the dance, from the basic steps to the more intricate patterns and transitions. But it is not enough to know how to dance; you must understand it well enough to anticipate common mistakes, identify tricky sections, and know how to break down complex sequences into teachable parts. Mastery of the dance also involves an understanding of its rhythm, flow, and how each step connects to the music.
2. In your preparations to teach a dance, practice pronouncing the dance’s name and be able to explain its meaning. The name of the dance often carries significant cultural meaning, and correctly pronouncing it is a mark of respect for the culture from which it originates. Before teaching, practice saying the name of the dance until you can pronounce it confidently. This also provides an opportunity to educate your students about the dance’s background. Explaining the meaning of the dance’s name and its origins helps students connect with the dance more deeply, making the learning experience more meaningful.
3. Relatedly, it’s important to contextualize the dance in its ethnic and cultural background. A folk dance is, in many ways, inseparable from the culture that created it. For example, if you are teaching a Kurdish dance from Turkey, be prepared to explain who the Kurdish people are, their history, and the role that dance plays in their community. When students understand the cultural significance of the movements, they are more likely to dance with the respect and authenticity it deserves.
4. Make sure you are very familiar with the music for the dance. Music is an integral part of folk dance, guiding the rhythm and flow of the movements. Spend time listening to the music associated with the dance you are teaching until you know it intimately. Pay attention to the musical cues that signal when certain steps should begin or end. Understanding the structure of the music will also help you to identify sections where the dance changes or where particular patterns are repeated. Knowing the music allows you to cue your students effectively.
5. Rhythm is the heartbeat of any dance, dictating the pace and timing of the steps. In folk dances, rhythms can vary widely, from simple beats to complex patterns. It is crucial to understand whether the steps follow a Quick-Quick-Slow (QQS) pattern, a Slow-Quick-Quick (SQQ) pattern, or another rhythm structure. Practicing the steps in time with the music ensures that you can teach the rhythm accurately to your students. Additionally, understanding the rhythm helps you to break down the dance into manageable parts, making it easier for students to learn and remember.
6. A dance often consists of several figures or sections, each with its own set of steps. Knowing where the steps change between figures is crucial for teaching the dance effectively. This knowledge allows you to guide your students through the dance in a logical sequence, helping them understand how each figure fits into the overall structure. By clearly identifying transitions between figures, you can prevent confusion and ensure your students move smoothly from one part of the dance to the next.
7. While you’re preparing to teach, you should put together a set of cue words. Cue words help students remember and execute the steps of the dance. These are simple, descriptive phrases that you can use to signal the beginning of a new step pattern or figure. For example, you might use the phrase “grapevine right” to cue a series of steps that move to the right in a grapevine pattern. It’s also helpful if these cues correspond to and emphasize the rhythm of the footfalls. Developing these cue words in advance and practicing them out loud is crucial. The more intuitive and memorable the cue words, the more effectively they will aid in the learning process.

By using these suggested areas of preparation, you will make your teaching seem natural when you stand in front of a group of learners. That said, it’s also valuable to be prepared to deviate from your planning on the fly based on how students are doing. The key is to be flexible and adjust your approach based on your students’ needs. Preparation is important, but so is adapting your teaching to the needs of the moment. In the next section, I turn to the actual instruction itself.

2.2. Teach! Don’t Just Dance

Teaching a dance is a different skill set from dancing itself. While it might be tempting to simply demonstrate the dance and expect students to follow along, effective teaching requires a more structured and thoughtful approach. The following suggestions sketch how I break down a folk dance into teachable components and ensure that students can grasp the material in a logical and manageable way.

1. Break the dance down into understandable, sequential sections. Begin by explaining the overall structure of the dance. For example, you might say, “This dance has three sections. The first section includes running steps and step-hops, the second section involves a grapevine step and a right turn, and the third section is the chorus.” By outlining the dance in this way, you provide students with a clear roadmap of what to expect in the rest of your teaching.
2. Teach in the sequence that the parts of the dance appear. Once you have outlined the structure of the dance, teach each figure in sequence. Begin with the first figure and progress through the dance in a logical order. Only in rare cases should you start with a second or third figure, and this should only be done if that figure is particularly challenging or serves as a recurring chorus. Teaching in sequence helps students to understand how each figure connects to the next, creating a cohesive learning experience.
3. Begin with the basics, such as formation, handholds, direction of travel, and rhythm pattern. Before diving into the steps, it’s important to establish the basics of the dance. Start by explaining the formation of the dance—whether it is performed in an open circle, a line, a set, or another arrangement. Does the dance have a special handhold? Does the dance need a partner? Next, if the dance is done in a line or circle, explain the direction of travel. For example, in many circle dances, the line of direction (LOD) is counterclockwise. Understanding the formation and LOD helps students orient themselves within the dance. If you are teaching a couple set dance, you’ll want to indicate the names for the different roles in the dance (e.g., larks, robins, active couples, corners, neighbors, etc.). Chapter 23 of this book describes many different formations and handholds. Once the formation, handholds, roles, and directions of travel are established, introduce the rhythm pattern. Explain the meter of the dance (e.g., 4/4 time) and demonstrate the rhythm by clapping or counting out loud. For example, you might clap a Slow-Quick-Quick rhythm to help students understand the timing of the steps. Chapter 28 outlines the nature of many rhythms used in folk dancing. Finally, make sure students know which foot to start with, as this is crucial for maintaining the correct rhythm and flow. I often say things like “your weight starts on the left, and your right foot is free to take a step”.
4. Demonstrating the dance to the music is an important step in the teaching process, as it allows students to see how the steps fit with the rhythm and melody. It can be done before or after teaching the steps, but you want to do it before having students dance with the music themselves. Demonstrate the entire dance or specific sections of it while the music plays. This gives students a visual reference for how the dance should look and feel when performed to the music. Make sure your steps are clear and easy to follow during the demonstration. Avoid shuffling or making your movements too subtle, as this can confuse students. Instead, exaggerate the steps slightly to make them more visible. As you demonstrate, pay attention to the students’ reactions—if they appear confused or unsure, be prepared to break down the steps further or provide additional explanations.
5. If you have other experienced dancers available, consider inviting them to assist with demonstrations. Having additional people demonstrate the steps can provide students with multiple visual references, making it easier for them to learn. You might ask some experienced dancers to stand inside the circle and model the movements, or to partner with students who need extra help. This collaborative approach not only enhances the learning experience for students but also fosters a sense of community and teamwork within the class or club. By working together, teachers and students can support each other in the learning process.
6. Consider taking advantage of different learning styles. Students have different learning styles, and a good teacher will adapt their instruction to meet the needs of all learners. Some students are auditory learners, meaning they learn best by hearing instructions. For these students, clear and concise verbal cues are essential. Visual learners, on the other hand, need to see the steps demonstrated in order to understand them. These students will benefit from watching your feet and following along as you dance. Other students may prefer to learn through numbers, focusing on the count of the steps (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4). These students will benefit from hearing the count as they practice the steps. Finally, kinesthetic learners need to physically practice the movements in order to internalize them. For these students, repetition and muscle memory are key. By addressing all these different learning styles in your teaching, you can ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed.
7. One of the most effective ways to teach a dance is to focus on patterns rather than individual footfalls. This approach helps students to remember the steps more easily, as patterns are more intuitive and memorable than a series of isolated movements. For example, instead of saying “right in front, left to the side, right foot behind, left to the side”, you might teach this as a pattern, called a grapevine, and then use that terminology when teaching other dances with the same set of footfalls. By teaching in patterns, you provide students with a framework that makes the dance easier to learn and remember. See Chapter 24 for a discussion of the terminology used in describing footwork patterns.
8. Before students dance to the music, it’s important to have them practice the steps without music, first slowly, then gradually moving up to full tempo. This allows them to focus on getting the movements right and building muscle memory without the added pressure of keeping time with the music. Once they are comfortable with the steps at full speed, you can introduce the music and help them to synchronize their movements with the rhythm.
9. Active involvement in the learning process helps students to retain information and build confidence. Don’t just talk at the students; you want to engage with them and get them to feel involved. One way to involve students is to ask them questions about previous dances they have learned. For example, you might say, “Remember the ‘Lesnoto’ step from the last dance we learned? How did that one go?” This encourages students to recall and apply what they have already learned, reinforcing their knowledge. Encourage students to ask questions if they are unsure about a step or need something explained again. This creates an open and supportive learning environment where students feel comfortable seeking help when needed. Additionally, involving students in the learning process helps to keep them engaged and motivated.
10. As you teach the dance, it’s important to watch your students closely and adjust your teaching as needed. Pay attention to how well they follow the steps and whether they stay in sync with the music. If you notice that a large portion of the class is struggling with a particular step or pattern, it may be necessary to pause and re-teach that section. Conversely, if most of the class seems to have mastered a pattern, you can move on to the next section. Effective teaching requires flexibility and responsiveness. Be prepared to adjust your pacing, provide additional cues, or repeat sections as needed to ensure all students can keep up.
11. After you finish teaching the final figure and before you put the music on, review the figures in order. Because students concentrate hard on learning each figure, it’s common for them to forget how the dance began.

2.3. Stay Positive and Encouraging: Creating a Supportive Learning Environment

Creating a positive and encouraging learning environment is essential to helping students succeed and enjoy learning a folk dance. The way you interact with students, provide feedback, and manage the classroom atmosphere can significantly impact their learning experience. The following principles outline how to foster a supportive environment that motivates students and builds their confidence.

1. Avoid singling out struggling students. It’s valuable to recognize that not all students will learn at the same pace, and some may struggle with certain aspects of the dance. When a student is having difficulty, avoid singling them out or drawing attention to their mistakes. Instead, re-teach the pattern to the entire class. This approach allows the struggling student to receive additional instruction without feeling embarrassed or singled out. By addressing the whole class, you also reinforce the material for everyone, benefiting students who may not yet have fully mastered the steps. Additionally, this approach promotes a sense of unity and support within the class, as everyone works together to learn the dance. If a student is having difficulty with a particular step or pattern, one effective strategy is to move directly in front of them and model the steps. By positioning yourself in front of the struggling student, you provide a clear visual reference and offer the opportunity to correct mistakes in a supportive, nonjudgmental environment.
2. Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool in teaching. When students make progress, whether it’s mastering a difficult step or simply putting in a good effort, acknowledge their achievements with praise. This could be as simple as saying, “Great job!” or “You’re really getting the hang of this!” Positive feedback helps to build students’ confidence and encourages them to keep trying, even when they encounter challenges. In addition to verbal praise, consider using other forms of recognition, such as always encouraging a round of applause from the class to celebrate how well they did and acknowledge how much they enjoyed dancing.
3. Learning a new dance can be intimidating, especially for beginners. It’s important to provide reassurances and encouragement to help students stay motivated and overcome any anxiety they may feel. For example, you might say, “It’s easier than it looks”, or “the music will guide you.” These kinds of reassurances help to demystify the dance and make it feel more approachable. Encouragement can also come in the form of gentle reminders that everyone learns at their own pace and that it’s okay to make mistakes. By creating an atmosphere where students feel safe taking risks and making mistakes, you foster a learning environment that is both supportive and conducive to growth.
4. Dancing is meant to be enjoyable, and this should be reflected in your teaching. Keep the classroom atmosphere fun and light-hearted by smiling, using humor, and maintaining a positive attitude. When students see that you are having fun, they are more likely to relax and enjoy the process as well.

2.4. Summary

Teaching a folk dance is a complex and rewarding task that requires careful preparation, clear communication, and a deep understanding of both the dance itself and its cultural context. By following the principles outlined above, instructors can create a supportive and effective learning environment that helps students to master the dance while also fostering an appreciation for the cultural heritage it represents. From thoroughly preparing and breaking the dance down into manageable parts to staying positive and encouraging throughout the learning process, these strategies provide a comprehensive approach to teaching folk dance. Whether you are teaching beginners or experienced dancers, these principles will help you to guide your students through the learning process with confidence and success.

There are several valuable resources for new teachers and dance leaders. Sanna Longden started a workshop called “Pourparler”, where experienced folk dance educators exchange dances and share their experiences teaching dance. The National Folk Organization sponsors a mentoring project where new teachers can partner with an experienced mentor or master teacher. There are also many online resources for teaching dance, which are listed at the end of this chapter.

3. Setting up a Folk Dance Club or Class

There are a number of significant factors to consider if you’re thinking about organizing a folk dance club or class.^[2] First, you have to figure out who your target audience is. Is it for adults looking for a social and recreational activity? Is it for seniors? Is it for children? Is it for university students? Is it for a particular ethnic community? Is the goal of the class recreational or performance? Is it part of a broader educational mission? The answers to these questions will ultimately guide how you organize your club or class.

3.1. Common Things to Address No Matter Who Your Audience Is

Probably the hardest challenge for setting up a class is finding a suitable but affordable location. The space has to be large enough for your anticipated audience. And it has to be centrally located so that people can get to it. Such spaces can be found in church basements, schools, community centers, cultural centers, senior centers, grange halls, YMCAs, and dance studios that rent to external groups, but often these locations suffer from frustrating deficiencies. A hard concrete or tiled floor makes dancing hard on dancers’ bodies, especially for older folks. Carpet is even worse as it doesn’t allow for free movement of the feet and can lead to twisted ankles and knees. A sprung wood floor is ideal because it has enough bounce to protect the participants’ limbs. These are often found in dance studios, which can be expensive to rent. Dance studios that specialize in ballet often also cover their wood floors with a material called marley. Marley is a vinyl floor covering that adds a little extra cushion and grip for people dancing in ballet slippers. However, most folk dancers find dancing on marley challenging. Many folk dancers prefer to wear running shoes and sneakers because they provide more support. As a consequence, turning on a grippy marley floor can be as dangerous as dancing on carpet. Marley can be offset by equipping dancers wearing running shoes with special sock-like shoe covering called “glides”, but this requires some advanced planning. In extremely hot places like where I live in Arizona, air conditioning is really necessary. In cold places like Alaska, good heating is equally important. All of these things have to be taken into consideration along with the room rent.

Another thing to consider is your liability in the event that a student in your class or club is injured. I strongly recommend getting liability insurance to protect yourself. The good news is that it is possible to get such insurance, either for free or for a membership fee, through several folk dance organizations. The National Folk Organization (NFO), the Country Dance and Song Society (CDSS), and CALLERLAB all offer free or low-cost insurance to their members. There are some venues that will not rent to you unless you can provide evidence of insurance. By joining one of these organizations, you will be able to present official evidence of insurance to landlords.

Dancers need, of course, music to dance to. In some traditions, such as contra dancing, the norm is to hire local musicians to play at your events or classes. But in others, especially when the music is dance-specific or more exotic, recorded music is the norm. In either case, a decent sound system is needed. For live music, this may entail mics, a mixing board, and an amplifier. Groups and classes using recorded music can usually get away with a simpler system. The good news is that these days it’s possible to buy relatively portable and inexpensive speaker/amplifier systems. In my class, where we use recorded music, I have a portable Bose speaker which, despite its diminutive size, can be cranked up to fill our large dance studio with sufficiently loud music. If you choose your location carefully enough, the rental may already include a sound system.

If you are using recorded/digital music, you also need a device on which to play it. In the old days, these were record players, cassette tape players, MiniDisc players, and CD players, which were bulky, and you also had to lug around heavy LPs or CD collections. These days, with digital music, things are much simpler. For some groups with relatively limited repertoires, you can get away with just using a phone or tablet with an integrated music player. Larger repertoires or situations where you might want to slow down or speed up the digital music may require a laptop. Depending on your operating system, there are a variety of players that can manage your music. I personally just use the built-in Apple Music player that came with my laptop. The only challenge to this is that Apple Music does not have speed or pitch control. There are also specialized programs, usually written for Windows-based machines, for playing specifically square dance and folk dance music. It’s also possible to use DJ software, although these often have features unnecessary for your average folk dance teacher. There are links to some such software at the end of this chapter.

The rights to play digital music in the context of your class are a legal issue you need to consider. Obviously, pirated music is unethical, and you should purchase the music you play or subscribe to a streaming service that will send it to you. But since folk dance music often comes from locations or groups that don’t sell their music through digital stores or streaming services, sometimes this is extremely hard, especially if the music has been distributed via a teacher at a workshop, and you may not even be able to track down the original musicians. I find this is the case with a lot of music that comes from Eastern Europe or the Middle East. When you’re teaching dances, I think it is very important to credit the musical group whose recording you are using if you can identify them. Many older recordings for folk dances are now out of copyright or will soon be (depending upon where you live); but again, a good-faith effort to credit and, if possible, compensate the musicians who played on these old records is ethical.

Paying the artists for the recordings you use is not the only legal requirement. Since you are playing the music in what is technically a public venue, you are required by law in some countries to pay a licensing fee for public performance. There are organizations such as BMI/ASCAP in the US, PRS in the UK, and SOCAN in Canada that collect these licensing fees and distribute them to composers. You may be required to purchase an annual license from one of these organizations. Not all folk dance music requires one of these licenses, and it may well be the case that your venue already has one. Many churches, schools, dance studios, gyms, and other venues where music is played regularly will have a license for their premises, so it does not necessarily fall on you, but you should double-check with your venue to make sure you are protected from accusations of infringement under their license.

Although the pandemic might be officially over, I recommend still establishing policies and expectations for COVID-19 and general wellness. Clearly stated policies on staying home when you’re sick, masking when you’ve been exposed, general hygiene, reporting exposures to a club leader, testing, etc., can go a long way to keeping your community healthy and safe.

Finally, you should consider what it takes to recruit dancers to your club or class. In the old days, the standard was a classified ad in the newspaper and some posters in public places like grocery stores. These days, you’re much more likely to need (1) a website with all the meeting information and (2) social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc.). These digital recruiting tools are particularly important if you’re targeting younger dancers.

The transmission of dances to the next generation requires fostering environments where new dance leaders and teachers can thrive. This also requires extra work. But the return on investment is high. Encourage newer dancers to lead and teach dances, even if they don’t do it perfectly. People are more likely to participate if they see people like them in leadership positions. Make sure that groups have mechanisms in place to begin leadership opportunities early in students’ participation, so there is a pipeline for students as they graduate. Provide explicit training for student leaders in folk dance pedagogy using some of the ideas presented in the first section of this chapter.

If you are planning a social club, rather than setting it up as a class or club under the auspices of an existing organization, you probably want to establish it as a nonprofit (official or not), with a governing board and a constitution. Various people serve as officers of the club, and they distribute the organizing work among themselves. Other models work, but this way ensures that the labor doesn’t all fall on one person’s shoulders. If the club is properly set up, you will be able to set up a club bank account to manage the finances and maintain transparency over the budget.

Almost everything we’ve talked about in this section costs money. This can really add up, so it’s worth creating a budget to figure out how much you’ll need to cover and how much to charge for the class or club meeting. I try to be flexible with the members of my club; I know that some of them are low-income and can’t necessarily pay the full rate (or anything at all in some cases). Philosophically, I prefer to let dancers come, even if they cannot pay. I sometimes suggest that those who can’t afford the fee can help me by arriving early or staying late to help set up or clean the hall. As such, I personally run the club with a “suggested donation” amount rather than a fixed fee. I encourage people who can afford more to throw in a little extra to offset the shortfall for those who can’t donate. I also try to be as flexible as possible on how the fee is paid. I do it entirely on the honor system, and I allow people to make their contribution weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly as suits their own finances. I also accept cash, checks, electronic transfers, PayPal, Venmo, etc., to make it as easy as possible. Tracking this person by person would be very difficult, but I try to keep an eye on the overall amounts going in and out and to give gentle reminders about the club’s financial support every few months.

3.2. Working with Schools, Universities, and Other Youth-Oriented Organizations

If your primary goal is to introduce children or high school and university-aged students to folk dance, then my strong suggestion is to first see if you can partner with an educational institution or club (such as church groups or scouting) that already brings together students and will create an age-specific cohort that will be appealing to such students. People of those ages want to socialize with other folks of their own age. Affiliating with organizations like this will also help solve many of the logistical problems associated with starting a club, as discussed above in section 3.1. They often come with gymnasiums and dance facilities, and they may already have a sound system. They have liability insurance and pay the music rights fees.

Of course, these organizations come with their own challenges. Teaching a class may require alignment with school standards or university curriculum rules. If you are lucky, the school system you are working with may already have a music/cultural appreciation or physical education curriculum, and folk dance can easily piggyback on these. But IFD can also supplement classes in history, sociology, literature, and languages. The curricula should use IFD as a tool to address other learning goals (e.g., teaching diversity and inclusion, teaching physicality and music appreciation, teaching world cultures, math, history, etc.). Typically, this goes beyond teaching dances to connecting the dances to larger ideas. Teachers and school administrators spend a lot of time addressing the learning goals and outcomes that are imposed on them by school boards and state education requirements. So, if you want to add folk dancing to your local school, it’s your responsibility to provide them with material that they can advocate for integrating into their school or district teaching curricula. These materials must be consistent with educational learning outcomes and standards of the relevant regulatory authority.

Higher education throws up similar challenges. Folk dance classes are an excellent vehicle for addressing the goals of general education curricula, which are common in postsecondary institutions. International Folk dance can teach students about the values of diversity, cultural theory (e.g., notions of cultural appropriation), history and geography, and math and musicality. Many universities and colleges are also looking to integrate new learning styles, and folk dance provides an accessible way to incorporate kinesthetic learning into the curriculum. But again, the administrative processes behind curriculum proposals at universities can be daunting. Partnering with an interested faculty member can help ease the burden, but be prepared to jump through many hoops to get such a class approved.^[3]

4. Tips for Running a Successful Folk Dance Event

Skill level, age appropriateness, and energy level are all important factors to consider when choosing a repertoire for your class or club. The material that works for one community may not work for another. For example, the repertoire of my recreational club – which largely serves seniors who are experienced dancers – consists of relatively slow, pretty line and circle dances, mainly from Eastern Europe. In my university class, by contrast, the younger dancers prefer energetic, fast-paced couple dances from Western Europe. Another important consideration in programming an evening of folk dances is skill level. You want your program to be fun and appealing to new dancers while still being interesting and challenging for more experienced dancers. What this means for you as a dance teacher or leader is that careful thought must be given to choosing the material done in an evening’s dance program.

Great music is an obvious factor in making the experience enjoyable to dancers. The quality of the recording is important. Scratchy older recordings can be off-putting. Some instrumentation used in folk dance music (such as deliberate dissonance or harsh-sounding instruments like the zurna) may not be the best choice until students become more acclimated to unusual rhythms, unfamiliar instruments, and new musical scales. So, the careful choice of recordings can make a significant difference in how appealing folk dancing is to both new and experienced dancers. Many folk dance recordings, both old and new, are already available on services such as iTunes (now Apple Music), YouTube, and Spotify.

There are many ways to structure a program for an evening or a dance class. In some dance communities, you may need to teach every dance. For others, you may want to teach only a few new dances each evening and fill the rest of the program with request dances or dances from previous sessions. You may want to intersperse your teaching with requests and reviews, or set aside dedicated time at the beginning for teaching only.

The sequencing of your program can also be structured in various ways to provide a rich experience for the different kinds of dancers you might attract to your group. Back 30 years ago, the MIT Folk Dance Club had a precise and complex formula for constructing dance programs. First, there was a 5-dance matrix based on difficulty: easy, medium, hard, easy, medium. This was overlaid with a 3-dance matrix of line or circle, line or circle, couple. This was then, in turn, overlaid with a fast, not-fast alternating sequence. Finally, there was a general rule of not doing two dances in a row from the same country/region. I wouldn’t recommend anything this rigid, but you have to remember that the MIT Folk Dance Club was run by mathematicians and engineers! A totally different system was used at the Old World Dance Co-op in Detroit. They would do ethnically homogeneous sets of dances. So, there’d be a Greek set of 3 or 4 dances, then an Israeli set of 3 or 4, then a Bulgarian set, etc. They’d try to have a variety of speeds and dance formations within each set when possible. In my recreational group now, I don’t have a strict system. I judge the difficulty level of dances based on who is attending on any given evening, making sure that beginners have plenty of opportunities to join in, while experienced dancers get to do some of their favorites too. I rarely do two dances from the same ethnicity in a row. My group isn’t very keen on couple dances or set dances, so we often do only two or three of them in an evening. Because I have a lot of seniors, the energy level tends to be lower, and we don’t do many really fast dances, but I make sure there are a few in there. In my university class, by contrast, the energy level is very high, and I do a lot more fast dances, as well as mixers, couple dances, and set dances.

5. Special Notes for Running an Online or Hybrid Event

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the world of folk dancing, like everything else, came to a crashing halt. Groups had to cancel their classes and events. Not long after the lockdowns began, many groups began holding online meetings just to socialize and check in on each other. Around the world, these social groups often began adding some dancing to their meetings, with everyone dancing in their own living rooms. Because physical location was no longer a limiting factor, many of these groups attracted dancers from other cities and regions, expanding dancers’ social networks. In the summer of 2020, a group of dancers from the Bay Area in California organized a “Global Folk Dance Party”, where people from all over the world tuned in to dance together online. It was probably one of the largest International Folk dance events in recent history. Over 700 people tuned in and participated from their own homes. The Global Folk Dance Party has continued to this day, meeting monthly with hundreds of participants sharing dances from their homes. From these kinds of events, new networks of dancers and dance leaders have been developed, creating lasting friendships. During this time, we also saw the emergence of online workshops, where master teachers were invited to introduce themselves to new communities of folk dancers. Although they are rarer now, these virtual workshops still provide an accessible injection of new material for dance teachers around the world. As restrictions were lifted, many groups continue to offer virtual and hybrid sessions to their communities. Hybrid sessions, in particular, offer people with health conditions that prevent them from participating in person, as well as those who live far from the dance studio, opportunities to still participate. A calendar of existing online-only and hybrid dance events is available at https://nfo-usa.com/virtual-events-calendar/.

Running an online or hybrid dance event brings its own special challenges that don’t exist in traditional in-person-only groups. Obviously, there’s the additional technology required: Zoom software or equivalent, a webcam, mics for the teachers, and a strong internet connection. There is a wide variety of opinions about the best setup and software settings for running a hybrid or online class. In my hybrid session, I use the following equipment:

• A MacBook Air computer for hosting Zoom and running music
• A portable Bose speaker for playing music in the room
• A Bluetooth-connected lapel mic (SabineTek Smartmike+)
• A Spedal 4K UHD 120° wide-angle webcam, connected to the computer with an extra-long USB-C cable
• A 9-foot-tall tripod (LINCO Zenith), upon which the webcam is mounted
• The hall where I currently run the group does not have Wi-Fi, so I also have a hotspot and cell phone antenna to provide internet access. This hotspot is directly connected to my computer via a wired configuration.

A few notes about the above equipment. 1) I strongly recommend mounting an external camera on a tall tripod and pointing it slightly downwards into the center of the room. This way, when a dancer steps in front of the camera, the view for the Zoom attendees is not blocked. 2) I use a dedicated high-speed hotspot to run in the evening rather than trying to run it through my phone. I find that the hotspot capabilities of cell phones are typically not strong enough to broadcast high-quality video and music to the remote attendees. A hotspot works, but it is not ideal. The best internet configurations for hybrid dancing are wired and high-speed, and not broadcast over the cellular network.

The Zoom settings I use are equally important. Personally, I prefer the following:

• I share my computer audio (this is under the advanced settings tab, when you press the share button).
• On the rare occasions when I have live music, I make sure “Original audio for musicians” is turned on.
• I spotlight the camera for the main hall.

This configuration won’t work for everyone. There are challenges in ensuring that the music played over Zoom is in sync with the dancers while also providing clear, high-quality audio. Depending on your system, you may want to turn off sharing computer audio and instead emphasize using “original audio” paired with a very high-quality mic. Sherry Cochrane hosted an NFO-sponsored workshop on running hybrid events in 2023. Different leaders from around the country detailed their setups and settings for running such events.

Programming a hybrid session is very similar to programming an in-person session, except that I solicit requests from both my Zoom participants and those in the room. This is because all the teachers are physically in the room and there is only one computer system managing the music, camera, and program.

Programming for an all-online event is different, however. In such cases, while there is a host computer for the event, the dance leaders/teachers are often in different parts of the country, at home, with their own computer systems, sound systems, and varying levels of computer sophistication. Because each change of dance leader entails a bit of technological turnover (adjusting volumes, ensuring music sharing is on, adjusting camera angles, ensuring people aren’t muted, spotlighting the teacher, etc.), it often works best to do a “set” with each leader/teacher doing a few dances together to minimize changeovers. To make this flow well, it’s often helpful to preplan the program before the event even starts. This means there is typically no request dancing (unless requests are sent in advance) and far fewer on-the-fly dance choices. It’s also the case that some dances are not well-suited to online-only events. Mixers and set dances are very hard to do if there are only a few people in the leader’s space. Dances that travel a lot and are fast and jumpy also don’t always work in someone’s small space, and dances with intricate footwork are sometimes difficult to follow online, especially if the music and video are slightly out of sync.

Adjustments have to be made to teaching styles so that people watching through their small computer screens can see what’s being done. For example, it is much more important to have very clear spoken cues and for the dance teacher to turn their back to the camera so that the viewer can see what’s being done. The teacher may also have to wear clothing that makes their legs easy to see. When a teacher wears black pants against a dark background, the student may not be able to see what’s actually being done on the screen. Some teachers have taken to wearing differently colored shoes or socks so viewers can tell what’s being done with the left foot and what’s being done with the right.

When running an online or hybrid event, it’s important to avoid fostering what I call the “spectator syndrome”. There’s a tendency for people sitting at their computers to just watch and listen rather than participate and dance. As a participant, I’ve done this for sure. I’ve put on a virtual dance event in the background and then done other things like cooking dinner or doing laundry. There’s something about the screen that makes it feel like you are watching an asynchronously created TV show rather than a live participatory event. You are less engaged and participate less. So, if you’re a dance organizer, it’s important to find ways to engage with your online participants. In online-only events, this means monitoring the chat window, typing in the program, addressing participants’ technology issues, engaging with each dance leader, and making the event feel more like a social function.

Doing this is much harder in a hybrid event, where you have two groups to engage: those in the room and those joining over Zoom. Some groups are lucky enough to have multiple people who can help monitor the chat, enter dance names, and deal with tech issues while the primary programmer, teacher, or organizer monitors the in-person participants. I do my hybrid session by myself, so I find I have to pay attention to both groups of people as much as I can. I try very hard to make sure that the people joining over Zoom feel welcomed and part of the event. I introduce them to the people in the room at the break. Everyone in the room is asked to wave at them and say goodbye to the camera at the end of the evening. I also make sure to check the chat as often as possible and monitor for tech issues while I’m working with the people in the room. It is challenging to ensure that both audiences feel satisfied and that Zoom audiences don’t feel like spectators.

6. Conclusions

This chapter has been quite different from the others in the book. I have tried to offer some helpful suggestions on effective pedagogical techniques, on how to set up a club or class for different audiences, on how to run a smooth program, and on how to address hybrid and online audiences. My thoughts here are hardly complete, and many other experienced dance leaders will have different experiences, so I’ve attached some further links below. I also strongly encourage new teachers and dance organizers to engage with a mentor who can provide experience and advice. As mentioned above, the National Folk Organization can help connect you with an experienced dance leader to serve in this role.

Further Reading

• Teaching tips from Jerry Duke
• Dick Oakes article on teaching folk dance
• Slater article on teaching beginners
• National Folk Organization article on dance teaching
• Cultivating and Sustaining Future Generations article
• Burke, Billy (2024). A Celebration of Diversity: Multicultural Experience Through the Art of Dance. Self-Published.

Resources for Teachers and Organizers

Dance Descriptions:

• Andrew Carnie’s Folk Dance Musings site
• California Folk Dance Federation (South) dance descriptions
• Stockton Folk Dance Camp syllabus collection
• Folk Dance Footnotes website
• Dancilla website
• Israelidances.com website

Organizations:

• National Folk Organization
• Society of Folk Dance Historians
• Folk Dance Federation of California (North)
• Folk Dance Federation of California (South)
• Folk Arts Center of New England
• Society for International Folk Dancing (UK)
• Folk Dance Australia
• Country Dance and Song Society
• CALLERLAB (Square dancing)
• English Folk Dance and Song Society
• Royal Scottish Country Dance Society

Music Software:

• MIT Player for folk dancing
• Ceder Square Dance System
• SquareView
• Djay
• Amazing Slow Downer

Discussion Question

Everyone has their own reasons for taking a class in folk dance. What different reasons can you think of for a new dancer to take your class or attend your club? Then discuss how you might directly address those needs in your teaching or in the way you structure your club or dance event. If you are a new teacher or organizer, how might these needs shape your class or event? If you are an experienced teacher, reflect on how the needs of different dancers might require a change in how you run your class.