Burnaby International Folk Dancers

Come dance with us Wednesday afternoons online
2024-05-01 12:45 - 15:00, 2024-04-24 12:45 - 15:00 (America/Vancouver) | Online
Come join us for this FREE weekly Balkan and International dancing Zoom session. We are open to all who are interested in joining us! Weekly Wednesday afternoon dance sessions 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (Pacific Time). Chat time is a 12:45 pm. Please feel free to stay logged in after the dance program for our friendly meet and greet social time.
We look forward to seeing many of you at our Wednesday afternoon (1:00 – 3:00 pm, Pacific time) Zoom group!
Monthly parties: The last Wednesday of every month is our party from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (Pacific Time). All party dances are led by one of our team members. Please invite your dance friends who prefer Zoom dancing when there is no teaching just someone leading the dances.
To join our Zoom session, click the link below:
https://zoom.us/j/99504932576
ID: 995 0493 2576
Passcode: [REDACTED] (Upper case ‘B’ followed by lower case ‘ifd
For more information and to receive weekly emails with our programs and announcements contact us at bifd@burnabyfolkdance.org.

Tuesday evening end of the month party April 30
2024-04-30 18:45 - 21:15 | Charles Rummel Community Centre, 3630 Lozells Ave, Burnaby, BC, V5A 2Y8, Canada
Tuesday evening we’re having a party and everyone’s invited and welcome to join us. The more the merrier! Please bring a snack treat to share with everyone, good cheer and festival wear is encouraged!
Doors open at 6:45 pm and the dance program starts at 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm. First time is free. Drop-in is $7. We dance at Charles Rummel Hall in Burnaby, 3630 Lozells Avenue.
First time is FREE. No partner or costume required. Drop-in is $7.00.
Happy dancing everyone and see you very soon now!
For more information and to receive our reminder emails and announcements contact us at bifd@burnabyfolkdance.org.

Come dance with us on Tuesday evenings
2024-04-23 18:45 - 21:00 | Charles Rummel Community Centre, 3630 Lozells Ave, Burnaby, BC, V5A 2Y8, Canada
Come dance with us on Tuesday evenings at Charles Rummel Centre in Burnaby. Doors open at 6:45 pm to set up and get ready for the warm-up dances starting at 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm. Drop-in is $7. First time is FREE. No partner or costume required.
For more information and to receive our reminder emails and announcements contact us at bifd@burnabyfolkdance.org.

Lyrids Folk Dance Festival April 19-21, 2024
2024-04-19 - 2024-04-21 | Pitt Meadows Heritage Hall, 12460 Harris Road, Pitt Meadows, BC, V3Y 2J5, Canada
Our tenth Lyrids Folk Dance Festival will happen April 19-21, 2024 at Pitt Meadows Heritage Hall an hour drive east of Vancouver, BC, Canada. Our guest teachers are Cristian Florescu & Sonia Dion presenting Romanian dances and Tom Bozigian & Sheree King presenting Armenian dances. We hope you’ll join us for any part of the festival that suits your schedule. The dances taught will be engaging and accessible. The parties will have familiar dances. Note registration that includes meals is no longer available. But you can still come for a teaching session or a party on Friday or Saturday nights.
The Saturday night party with band Zakuska from Seattle, WA will be broadcasted on Zoom starting at 6:45 pm. Zoom attendees will be able to order Tom Bozigian’s music and/or review videos if you first donate at least $50 to the festival. Fees collected for music and videos will go to Tom Bozigian.
To register for either in person session or online for the Saturday evening party via Zoom go to https://lyridsfolkdancefestival.org/register/. We hope you will donate to support the festival and the presenters! https://lyridsfolkdancefestival.org/donate
LYRIDS SHOP: Check your closet! We are taking donations for selling at the shop – any ethnic or ethnic-style clothing, cool souvenirs etc. We would be grateful. Consignment: if you wish to sell any special costumes by consignment please also bring them on hangers with a written description and the price you wish to receive. The shop will display and sell them while retaining a 15% commission. You can go to Lyrids website for more shop info and forms at https://lyridsfolkdancefestival.org/shop/.
An interview with Tom Bozigian March 13, 2024
Tom was interviewed and the article below was written by Bev Neilson.
Tom is looking forward to returning to see the dancers he met at Salt Spring Festival in 2008. “It’s been a long time”.
Some of his popular dances have been loved around the world for many years: Sweet Girl and Garoon were created for contests in the Armenian Church Youth Organization, in California, where he won ‘the trophy’ for his ‘Armenian’ dance creations. They have remained in many folk dance repertoires. Teen (Khumkhuma) was a traditional dance revived by Tom in his youth, by using Turkish music, and since done to traditional Armenian music.
But that was from his youth; now Tom is focused on featuring dances brought by his grandparents’ generation when they escaped Armenia to settle elsewhere. “These dances need to be preserved. They are hundreds of years old.” Passing on what his research has shown him, he will present dances from different areas of Armenia to Lyrids Festival goers. He will be able to show us on the map, and tell the lore that brings meaning to these very old dances.
At the Salt Spring Island Folk Dance Festival, in 2008, he taught Garoon, Hayr oo Mamoogner and Lorge, Khumkhuma (Teen), Kocharee, Loorke, Sev Acherov Aghcheek and the long celebrated Sweet Girl (Sirun Aghcheek). You may find these in your club’s collection of favourite dances.
Come to the Festival this year to learn from this energetic 86 year old!! He started dancing at Armenian day school at 5 years old. The dances done then were ‘village dances’ presented at his school concerts from 1943 to 1949. Tom’s passion is passing on and preserving dances from his heritage. The dance material Tom presents is exciting and applicable to all levels of dancers.
Tom relates that his great grandfather danced the dances, Agar Magar, Kochari, Pompouri, and Tamzara in Armenia, dances Tom has proudly taught to the folk-dance communities of today. For many years, Tom has represented Armenia and her people through his music, language, and dance. Teaching tours have taken him to several parts of the world where he has been very well received.
Tom is especially pleased to be connecting with the Vancouver area Armenian community, at a workshop to be held during the week before the Festival.
Tom and his wife, Sheree King, also a dancer and choreographer and director of the dance department at Long Beach City College, live in the Los Angeles, California, area, where now the largest concentration of Armenians reside outside of Armenia.
Lyrids Folk Dance Festival is a project of Burnaby International Folk Dancers.

Wednesday afternoon dancing online
2024-04-17 12:45 - 15:00, 2024-04-03 12:45 - 15:00, 2024-01-24 13:00 - 15:00, 2024-01-17 13:00 - 15:00 | Online

Come dance with us Tuesday evenings
2024-04-16 18:45 - 21:15 | Charles Rummel Community Centre, 3630 Lozells Ave, Burnaby, BC, V5A 2Y8, Canada

Wednesday afternoons dancing online and Lyrids Folk Dance Festival April 19-21, 2024
2024-04-10 12:45 - 15:00 | Online
Come join us for this FREE weekly Balkan and International dancing Zoom session. We are open to all who are interested in joining us! Weekly Wednesday afternoon dance sessions 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (Pacific Time). Chat time is a 12:45 pm. Please feel free to stay logged in after the dance program for our friendly meet and greet social time.
We look forward to seeing many of you at our Wednesday afternoon (1:00 – 3:00 pm, Pacific time) Zoom group!
Monthly parties: The last Wednesday of every month is our party from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (Pacific Time). All party dances are led by one of our team members. Please invite your dance friends who prefer Zoom dancing when there is no teaching just someone leading the dances.
To join our Wednesday afternoon Zoom sessions, click the link below:
https://zoom.us/j/99504932576
ID: 995 0493 2576
Passcode: [REDACTED] (Upper case ‘B’ followed by lower case ‘ifd
For those of you coming to our tenth Lyrids Folk Dance Festival in Pitt Meadows near Vancouver, BC on April 19-21, 2024. Note that any registration that includes a lunch or dinner must be made by April 10. But you can still come at the last minute – for a teaching session or a party on Friday or Saturday nights. To register https://lyridsfolkdancefestival.org.
LYRIDS SHOP: Check your closet! We are taking donations for selling at the shop – any ethnic or ethnic-style clothing, cool souvenirs etc.
Consignment: if you wish to sell any special costumes by consignment please also bring them on hangers with a written description and the price you wish to receive. The shop will display and sell them while retaining a 15% commission. Downloadable forms are on the Lyrids website:
Consignment forms: https://lyridsfolkdancefestival.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2018-Shop-Consignment-forms.pdf
Price tag forms: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GOcQp-ZMtKtBvxW-kDo_tl4cpK1cm6T9/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=113482593893502845435&rtpof=true&sd=true
For more information and to receive weekly emails with our programs and announcements contact us at bifd@burnabyfolkdance.org.

Come dance with us on Tuesday evenings and Lyrids Folk Dance Festival
2024-04-09 18:45 - 21:15 | Charles Rummel Community Centre, 3630 Lozells Ave, Burnaby, BC, V5A 2Y8, Canada
Come dance with us on Tuesday evenings at Charles Rummel Centre in Burnaby. Doors open at 6:45 pm to set up and get ready for the warm-up dances starting at 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm. Drop-in is $7. First time is FREE. No partner or costume required.
Our tenth Lyrids Folk Dance Festival will happen April 19-21, 2024 at Pitt Meadows Heritage Hall an hour drive east of Vancouver, BC, Canada. Our guest teachers are Cristian Florescu & Sonia Dion presenting Romanian dances and Tom Bozigian & Sheree King presenting Armenian dances. Saturday evening will have live music with Zakuska from Seattle, WA and on Friday evening we’ll dance your favourite dances.
Note that any registration that includes a lunch or dinner must be made by April 10th. But you can still come at the last minute – for a teaching session or a party on Friday or Saturday nights. For more info and to register https://lyridsfolkdancefestival.org/
LYRIDS SHOP: Check your closet! We are taking donations for selling at the shop – any ethnic or ethnic-style clothing, cool souvenirs etc. We would be grateful. There will be a bin to receive donations at Tuesday dancing.
Consignment: if you wish to sell any special costumes by consignment please also bring them on hangers with a written description and the price you wish to receive. The shop will display and sell them while retaining a 15% commission. Downloadable forms are on the Lyrids website:
Consignment forms: https://lyridsfolkdancefestival.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2018-Shop-Consignment-forms.pdf
Price tag forms: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GOcQp-ZMtKtBvxW-kDo_tl4cpK1cm6T9/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=113482593893502845435&rtpof=true&sd=true

Come dance with us Tuesday evening and Lyrids Folk Dance Festival
2024-04-02 18:45 - 21:15 | Charles Rummel Community Centre, 3630 Lozells Ave, Burnaby, BC, V5A 2Y8, Canada
Come dance with us on Tuesday evenings at Charles Rummel Centre in Burnaby. Doors open at 6:45 pm to set up and get ready for the warm-up dances starting at 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm. Drop-in is $7. First time is FREE. No partner or costume required.
Our tenth Lyrids Folk Dance Festival will happen April 19-21, 2024 at Pitt Meadows Heritage Hall an hour drive east of Vancouver, BC, Canada. Our guest teachers are Cristian Florescu & Sonia Dion presenting Romanian dances and Tom Bozigian & Sheree King presenting Armenian dances. Saturday evening will have live music with Zakuska from Seattle, WA and on Friday evening we’ll dance your favourite dances. For more info and to register https://lyridsfolkdancefestival.org/
For more information and to receive our reminder emails and announcements contact us at bifd@burnabyfolkdance.org.

Wednesday afternoon dance party online
2024-03-27 12:45 - 15:00 | Online
It’s the last Wednesday of the month, meaning it’s party time! We have a great program for you and hope you all can tune in this week! Please let your folk dance friends know about our party, as some folks prefer joining us for our monthly parties where there’s no teaching, just our team leading the dances for you all to enjoy with us.
We have chat time at 12:45 pm and dance from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (Pacific Time).
Use this link and password to join our Zoom session.
https://zoom.us/j/99504932576
ID: 995 0493 2576
Passcode: [REDACTED] (Upper case B followed by lower case ifd)
Happy dancing everyone and see you very soon now!
For more information and to receive weekly emails with our programs and announcements contact us at bifd@burnabyfolkdance.org.

Tuesday evening month end party
2024-03-26 18:45 - 21:15 | Charles Rummel Community Centre, 3630 Lozells Ave, Burnaby, BC, V5A 2Y8, Canada
It’s the last Tuesday of the month and we’re having a party! And there are lots of great dances that many of you requested with many of people’s favorite dances on the program. Feel free to wear something festive and bring a finger food snack to share with everyone! Doors open at 6:45 pm and dancing starts at 7:00 pm – 9:15 pm. We look forward to seeing many of you at the party.
First time is FREE. No partner or costume required. Drop-in is $7.00.

Happy dancing everyone and see you very soon now!
For more information and to receive weekly emails with our programs and announcements contact us at bifd@burnabyfolkdance.org.

Turkish workshop Tuesday evening
2024-03-19 18:45 - 21:15, 2024-03-12 18:45 - 21:15 | Charles Rummel Community Centre, 3630 Lozells Ave, Burnaby, BC, V5A 2Y8, Canada
We are excited to have one of our members from Turkey give Turkish workshops on March 12th and 19th from 7:00 pm – 9:15 pm (doors open at 6:45 pm) at Charles Rummel Centre in Burnaby. Everyone is welcome. Drop-in is $7.00 and first time is free.
For more information and to receive weekly emails with our programs and announcements contact us at bifd@burnabyfolkdance.org.

Wednesday afternoons dancing online
2024-03-06 12:45 - 15:00 | Online

Come dance with us Tuesday evenings
2024-03-05 18:45 - 21:00, 2024-02-06 18:45 - 21:00 | Charles Rummel Community Centre, 3630 Lozells Ave, Burnaby, BC, V5A 2Y8, Canada
Come dance with us on Tuesday evenings at Charles Rummel Centre in Burnaby. Doors open at 6:45 pm to set up and get ready for the warm-up dances starting at 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm. Drop-in is $7. First time is FREE. No partner or costume required.
COVID-19 protocol
There are no restrictions. We do require everyone to follow these guidelines.
1. All participants must sign in.
2. Vaccination recommended but not required. Rapid testing is not required.
3. Masks, holding hands and social distancing are optional.
4. We encourage everyone to wash hands or sanitize frequently. (Sanitizer will be available at the club).
5. If you feel unwell, please stay home.
For more information and to receive our reminder emails and announcements contact us at bifd@burnabyfolkdance.org.

Wednesday afternoon dance party online
2024-02-28 12:45 - 15:00 | Online
It’s the last Wednesday of the month, meaning it’s party time! We have a great program for you and hope you all can tune in this week! We’ve included some video links to some of the dances. Please let your folk dance friends know about our party, as some folks prefer joining us for our monthly parties where there’s no teaching, just our team leading the dances for you all to enjoy with us.
We have chat time at 12:45 pm and dance from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (Pacific Time).
Use this link and password to join our Zoom session.
https://zoom.us/j/99504932576
ID: 995 0493 2576
Passcode: [REDACTED] (Upper case B followed by lower case ifd)
Happy dancing everyone and see you very soon now!
For more information and to receive weekly emails with our programs and announcements contact us at bifd@burnabyfolkdance.org.

Feb 27th CANCELLED dancing at Charles Rummel due to snow
2024-02-27 18:45 - 21:15 | Charles Rummel Community Centre, 3630 Lozells Ave, Burnaby, BC, V5A 2Y8, Canada
CANCELLED folk dancing at Charles Rummel tonight. Weather forecast says it will snow until later on this evening.
We are excited to have one of our members from Turkey give a Turkish workshop on March 5th and 12th from 7:00 pm – 9:15 pm (doors open at 6:45 pm). Everyone is welcome. Drop-in is $7.00 and first time is free.
For more information and to receive our reminder emails and announcements contact us at bifd@burnabyfolkdance.org.

Come dance with us on Tuesday evenings
2024-02-20 18:45 - 21:15, 2024-01-23 18:45 - 21:15 | Charles Rummel Community Centre, 3630 Lozells Ave, Burnaby, BC, V5A 2Y8, Canada

Wednesday afternoon Zoom dancing - Valentine's Day and honoring Theodor Vasilescu
2024-02-14 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Wednesday, February 14th is Valentine’s and so although we aren’t having a Valentine’s Day party, we are encouraging participants and dance teachers to wear something to do with Valentine’s day. As well, sadly, Theodor Vasilescu, renowned Romanian dance teacher and choreographer passed away last week and so we are honoring him by including several of the dances he choreographed in our program.

We have chat time at 12:45 pm and dance from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (Pacific Time).
Use this link and password to join our Zoom session.
https://zoom.us/j/99504932576
ID: 995 0493 2576
Passcode: [REDACTED] (Upper case B followed by lower case ifd)
Happy dancing everyone and see you very soon now!
For more information and to receive weekly emails with our programs and announcements contact us at bifd@burnabyfolkdance.org.

Tuesday evening party celebrating Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year
2024-02-13 18:45 - 21:00 | Charles Rummel Community Centre, 3630 Lozells Ave, Burnaby, BC, V5A 2Y8, Canada
We’re having a party on Tuesday evening and everyone’s invited. We’re celebrating Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year! And there are lots of great dances that many of you requested with many of people’s favorite dances on the program. Feel free to wear something festive or ethnic wear and bring a finger food snack to share with everyone! Doors open at 6:45 pm and dancing starts at 7:00 pm – 9:15 pm. We look forward to seeing many of you at the party.
First time is FREE. No partner or costume required. Drop-in is $7.00.

Happy dancing everyone and see you very soon now!
For more information and to receive weekly emails with our programs and announcements contact us at bifd@burnabyfolkdance.org.

Balkan and International dancing Wednesday afternoons online
2024-02-07 12:45 - 15:00 | Online

Wednesday afternoon dancing online party!
2024-01-31 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
It’s the last Wednesday of the month, meaning it’s party time! Come join us and enjoy dancing to a lovely program with over half the dances requested by our participants and several from our own team. At our monthly Zoom parties, there’s no teaching. Our team will lead the dances for everyone to dance along with and enjoy. We have chat time at 12:45 pm and dance from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (Pacific Time).

Use this link and password to join our Zoom session.
https://zoom.us/j/99504932576
ID: 995 0493 2576
Passcode: [REDACTED] (Upper case B followed by lower case ifd)

Happy dancing everyone and see you very soon now!

For more information and to receive weekly emails with our programs and announcements contact us at bifd@burnabyfolkdance.org.

Tuesday evening month end party!
2024-01-30 18:45 - 21:15 | Charles Rummel Community Centre, 3630 Lozells Ave, Burnaby, BC, V5A 2Y8, Canada
It’s the last Tuesday of the month and we’re having a party! We’re excited that one of our dancers will review the two contra dances she taught us earlier in the season! And there are lots of other great dances that many of you requested with many of people’s favorite dances on the program. Feel free to wear something festive and bring a finger food snack to share with everyone! Doors open at 6:45 pm and dancing starts at 7:00 pm – 9:15 pm. We look forward to seeing many of you at the party.
First time is FREE. No partner or costume required. Drop-in is $7.00.

Happy dancing everyone and see you very soon now!
For more information and to receive weekly emails with our programs and announcements contact us at bifd@burnabyfolkdance.org.

Cancelled due to snow forecast January 16th dancing in Burnaby
2024-01-16 18:45 - 21:15 | Charles Rummel Community Centre, 3630 Lozells Ave, Burnaby, BC, V5A 2Y8, Canada
Cancelled folk dancing tomorrow evening January 16th due to snow forecast late afternoon and evening and advise everyone to stay home. See everyone next Tuesday.
