Come dance with us on Tuesday evenings and Lyrids Folk Dance Festival
2024-04-09 18:45 - 21:15 (America/Vancouver) | 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

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 Tuesday evenings
2024-04-16 18:45 - 21:15, 2024-05-21 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.

Wednesday afternoon dancing online
2024-04-17 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 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.

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.

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 Wednesday afternoons online
2024-04-24 12:45 - 15:00, 2024-05-01 12:45 - 15:00 | Online

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.

Two workshops with guest teacher Dale Adamson
2024-05-07 18:45 - 21:15, 2024-05-14 18:45 - 21:15 | Charles Rummel Community Centre, 3630 Lozells Ave, Burnaby, BC, V5A 2Y8, Canada
We are excited to have guest teacher Dale Adamson teach two workshops on May 7 and 14. Everyone is welcome. The more the merrier.
Doors open at 6:45 pm and we dance until 9:00 pm at Charles Rummel Centre in Burnaby. Drop-in is $7.00. We encourage everyone to bring a friend and their first time is free. First time is FREE. No partner or costume required. Drop-in is $7.00.
Happy dancing! For more information and to receive our reminder emails and announcements contact us at bifd@burnabyfolkdance.org.

Wednesday afternoon dancing online Zoom group
2024-05-08 12:45 - 15:00 | Online

Wednesday afternoon dancing Zoom group
2024-05-15 12:45 - 15:00, 2024-06-05 12:45 - 15:00, 2024-06-26 12:45 - 15:00, 2024-07-03 12:45 - 15:00, 2024-07-10 12:45 - 15:00, 2024-07-17 12:45 - 15:00, 2024-07-24 12:45 - 15:00 | Online

Wednesday afternoons dancing Zoom group
2024-05-22 12:45 - 15:00 | Online

Come dance with us on Tuesday evenings
2024-05-28 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.
June 4th is our end of the season party. It will be a special evening with The Pirates, our house band, playing for us to enjoy and dance to. Please bring a finger food snack to share and festive or ethnic wear is encouraged. We’re looking forward to seeing many of you there!
For more information and to receive our reminder emails and announcements contact us at bifd@burnabyfolkdance.org.

Wednesday afternoon dancing only month end party!
2024-05-29 12:45 - 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).

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
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.

BIFD performing at Serbian Days
2024-06-02 12:30 - 17:00 | St. Archangel Michael’s School, 7837 Canada Way, Burnaby, British Columbia, V3N 3K8, Canada
Serbian Days 2024 is on June 1st and 2nd at St. Archangel Michael’s School 7837 Canada Way in Burnaby and admission is free. Our performance group will be performing on Sunday at 1:30ish, and it’s a day filled with an array of folk dance performances starting at 12:30 pm. Come out and support our performers!

Tuesday evening year-end party with the Pirates
2024-06-04 18:45 - 21:00 | Charles Rummel Community Centre, 3630 Lozells Ave, Burnaby, BC, V5A 2Y8, Canada
We’re having our year-end party and everyone’s invited and welcome to join us. The more the merrier! It will be a special evening with The Pirates, our house band, playing for us to enjoy and dance to. 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 and no partner is required. Drop-in is $7. We dance at Charles Rummel Hall in Burnaby at 3630 Lozells Avenue.
We are planning two BIFD picnics this summer at Confederation Park and will let you know the dates and details soon.
We will return to dancing at Charles Rummel on September 10, 2024 and will confirm sometime in August.
For more information and to be on our email list contact us at bifd@burnabyfolkdance.org. Happy dancing!

Wednesday Zoom group party in honour of Jacques Dallaire
2024-06-19 12:45 - 15:00 | Online
We are changing our Zoom party from the last Wednesday of the month in June, to this coming Wednesday, June 19th. We are excited to announce that we’re having a Zoom party in honor of Jacques Dallaire. Jacques is taking the summer off as he’s been dancing, teaching and leading dances with us for 3 years! And though Jacques will be back in September to rejoin us, we wanted to have a party in his honour!
Many of you, including our own team, love doing the dances Jacques has taught and danced with us over the past 3 years and so have made dance requests for Jacques to lead at the party as well as requests for Bev, Debbie and Lori to lead. We think you’ll really enjoy this variety of dances for our Zoom party program!
Join us for chat time at 12:45 pm.
Subsequent Zoom parties will continue to be on the last Wednesday of the month 1:00 – 3:00 pm (Pacific Time)
To join our Zoom session, click on 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 be on our weekly email list contact us at bifd@burnabyfolkdance.org.

Stanley Park dancing
2024-07-09 19:00 - 21:00, 2024-07-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Ceperley Park, 8701 Stanley Park Drive, Vancouver, British Columbia
Stanley Park dancing starts Tuesday, July 9th and ending on August 20th from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm. Join us at Ceperley Park blacktop area/basketball court in Stanley Park. There are several parking areas in the park, but the one closest to Ceperley Park is just up the small hill from Ceperley Park, where the blacktop area/basketball court area is.
Parking is $4.25/hour. We encourage everyone to carpool, bike, or walk if possible.
Feel free to invite your friends to join us. Everyone is welcome and the more the merrier!

Stanley Park dancing tonight
2024-07-23 19:00 - 21:00 | Ceperley Park, 8701 Stanley Park Drive, Vancouver, British Columbia
Stanley Park dancing starts Tuesday, July 9th and ending on August 20th from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm (weather permitting). Join us at Ceperley Park blacktop area/basketball court in Stanley Park. There are several parking areas in the park, but the one closest to Ceperley Park is just up the small hill from Ceperley Park, where the blacktop area/basketball court area is.
Parking is $4.25/hour. We encourage everyone to carpool, bike, or walk if possible.
Feel free to invite your friends to join us. Everyone is welcome and the more the merrier!

Summer picnic and dancing with live band
2024-07-25 11:00 - 16:00 | Confederation Park, 250 Willingdon Avenue, Burnaby, BC, V5C 5J9, Canada
Summer picnic and dancing with house band The Pirates on Thursday, August 17th from 11:00ish am – 4:00 pm. Everyone is welcome to join us at Confederation Park in Burnaby – 250 Willingdon Avenue. One block north of Hastings. We meet at the Cenotaph. Bring your picnic lunch, sunglasses, sunscreen, hat, water, and chair or blanket. The band will start playing at 12:30 and afterwards there will be recorded music. It’s weather permitting and if need to cancel, we will announce and if there is alternate date.
