I hope you dance!

You want to bring folk dancing to your school, Scouts group, party, celebration,  ... CLICK HERE.
You want to know where folk dancing is already happening in Ottawa...CLICK HERE... OR HERE.
You want to bring folk dancing to your retirement facility, senior centre, or group home...CLICK HERE.
joiedevivrefolkdancers.pdf
File Size: 7594 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Top reasons to be a folk dancer:
  1. Folk dancing builds community.  
  2. Dancing helps build all the "intelligences".
  3. Folk dancing is great exercise for people of all ages.
  4. Folk dance is rooted in important traditions that identify who we are.
  5. Folk dancing is an opportunity to cooperate, trust, and help others.
  6. Folk dancing is celebratory.
  7. Folk dancing is fun-raising!
  8. Folk dancing keeps cultural heritage alive.
  9. Folk dancing is participatory.
  10. Folk dancing fosters inter-cultural awareness and understanding.
  11. Folk dancing is sustainable and has a low carbon footprint.
  12. Folk dance is intergenerational.
  13. People smile while folk dancing.
  14. Folk dancers hold hands.
  15. No partner necessary. [And partners have been found while folk dancing!]
  16. Folk dancing expands one's experiences when travelling.
  17. Folk dancing exposes us to diverse musical rhythms and traditions.
  18. Opportunities for gentility and chivalry abound!
Picture
Susan Barker (in orange blouse at right) leading Klezmer dancing at a Kosher food bank fundraiser, 2013, Ottawa.
"If you can't dance you aren't educated." ~ Plato

“We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once.” ~
Friedrich Nietzsche

The one thing that can solve most of our problems is dancing.   ~Irish Saying

Comment by 5 year old BOY after his first 5 minutes of folk dancing in Susan's class: "I LOVE it!"
Comment by mother of 4 year old girl in Susan's class: "I want a role model of dancers other than ballerinas for my daughter."

Joie de Vivre Folk Dancers is based in Ottawa, Ontario. Contact Susan:  415susan at gmail.com
Brochure here.
Testimonial for Susan Barker, Folk Dance Instructor:

“I first met Susan when I joined one of her classes with a resident of mine who has middle stage dementia and wanted to dance. I must admit, I ended up having just as much fun as she did! Susan is enthusiastic, outgoing, fun and a fabulous instructor. Her music is so varied, with dances from around the world and steps that we all catch onto right away. Our relationship continued when she brought “Chair Folk Dance” to our Dementia Day Away Program - our clients loved the music, were able to follow the steps very well and everyone had a fun filled time! In fact, in both experiences I had dancing with seniors, it brought back so many memories and inspired lots of reminiscing! One of our clients, who was a dance instructor himself, even demonstrated a Russian Folk dance while holding onto two chairs to kick up his legs!! Any organization or agency would benefit greatly by adding Susan and her folk dance classes to their program!

Jennifer Dare
Program Facilitator
Day Away Program
Abbotsford at The Glebe
----------------------------------------------
"Now I consider myself a folk dancer, but when another student of yours first tried to convince me to go to your folk dance classes, so many things popped up in my mind - from the lack of confidence in my two left feet to my doubtful ability to learn a move. I was unaware of the utter joy of moving. Your classes have really made a difference for me. I truly do love them!"

~Linda Bucher, dancer in Abbotsford Recreation Centre Folk Dance Class