Party from Europe Winter Weekend 2025

lliana Bozhanova lives in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. She comes from a family of musicians and singers in Southern Thrace. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from the Academy of Music and Dance Art in Plovdiv. Iliana is the Dance program coordinator for the annual Bulgarian Folk Music and Dance Seminar at the Music Academy in Plovdiv.

Since 2004, she is the Artistic Director and Choreographer of Ensemble “Voivodintsi”- the 165 – person multi-generational folk dance ensemble from the village of Voivodinovo (near Plovdiv). She toured as a principal dancer and singer with Ensemble Ruchenitsa of Plovdiv as a youth; graduated from the National School for Amateur Art Instructors.

Since 1995, Iliana has been teaching Bulgarian folk dances and songs in USA, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium, Israel. She has worked as a choreographer with a number of ensembles, including Bosilek in New York City, Radost in Seattle, Balkanika in Denver, Legacy European Folk Dance Troupe  and  Po Leung Kuk Lee Shing Pik College Alumni Association in Hong Kong, Pojas in Taiwan, Het Internationaal Danstheater, Zarove and Mladost in Holland. She has taught at most major U.S. dance camps, including Stockton, Mendocino, Old World Music & Dance Camp, Beloit, Balkanalia Folk Dance Festival, OR, North South Teachers Seminar, CA, Pinewoods and Mainewoods.

Todor Yankov (accordion) lives in Plovdiv, Bulgaria and grew up in the Rhodopi Mountains. His father was a well-known gaida player in the area. Todor began to play gaida, then he took up kaval at age 10 and accordion at age 16. He is also a noted singer. For many years he played with the Hisar folk orchestra and has been the accordionist for several folk dance ensembles.

In 2004, Iliana and Todor reunited to found Ensemble “Voivodintsi”, a music and dance ensemble based in Voivodinovo, just north of Plovdiv. Iliana and Todor has created the repertoire of 40 dance choreographies for their Ensemble “Voivodintsi”. Since 2007, Iliana and Todor are teaching abroad together.

Here’s a playlist of Iliana’s dances with Todor playing the accordion

Gabriel Frontera , a renowned figure in the preservation and teaching of Mallorcan folk traditions, has spent a lifetime reviving and sharing the joy of Ball de Bot, the traditional dance of Mallorca. Originally from the small village of Ariany, Gabriel took up the mantle of leadership at the Escola de Música i Danses de Mallorca in 2012, following his retirement from a successful career in banking. Under his guidance, the school has become a vibrant hub for cultural preservation, bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds to celebrate the island’s unique heritage.

A passionate advocate for keeping folklore alive and relevant, Gabriel emphasizes that Ball de Bot is more than just a series of steps—it is an expression of joie de vivre and community. His work extends beyond teaching traditional movements; Gabriel has played a pivotal role in reviving nearly forgotten dances, such as the 18th-century Contradansa, through rigorous research and innovative choreography.

Central to his efforts are the Bolero and Jota, cornerstones of Mallorcan dance culture. The Bolero, characterized by its elegant, flowing movements, conveys grace and romance, while the Jota, with its lively footwork and spirited energy, captures the festive essence of the island. Gabriel’s deep understanding and ability to teach these dances have made them accessible to modern audiences while preserving their authenticity.

Gabriel’s influence reaches far beyond the classroom. As an organizer of international folklore festivals, he has shared Mallorcan traditions with audiences worldwide, fostering cultural exchange and mutual appreciation. His approach reflects his belief that folklore is a living, evolving expression of identity, not a relic of the past.

At camp, Gabriel will bring his decades of expertise and contagious enthusiasm to teaching Mallorca’s spirited couple dances, offering a rare and enriching opportunity to connect with the island’s cultural soul.

Eirini “Rena” Karyofyllidou is a dancer and instructor specializing in traditional Greek Macedonian and Thracian dances. Born in the village of Kavallari near Thessaloniki, Greece, she hails from a family with roots in both Greek Macedonia and Eastern Thrace. Her early dance education was deeply influenced by her family and the local community.

In her teenage years, Rena joined the local Kavallari dance ensemble and became active in various dance organizations in Thessaloniki. She earned a degree in Physical Education with a specialization in traditional Greek dances from Aristotle University. Rena was a member and instructor of the “G.K. Fotiadis” dance ensemble for over two decades and currently performs with the Thessaloniki-based “Kyklos” ensemble.

Since 1985, Rena has been teaching Greek dances and has participated in numerous dance events both in Greece and internationally. She has taught for multiple dance groups across Greece and has been a featured instructor at various workshops and conferences, including the East European Folklife Center’s Balkan Music & Dance Workshops.

Rena’s expertise has also been showcased in North America. She was an instructor at the Klironomia Hellenic Folklore Dance Conference in Canada, where she shared her knowledge of Greek dances with participants from across North America.

In addition to her teaching engagements, Rena has collaborated with other renowned dance instructors. For instance, in September 2021, she co-led a dance workshop with Kyriakos Moisidis, focusing on dances from Asia Minor and the Eastern Aegean Islands.

Rena Karyofyllidou’s dedication to preserving and promoting traditional Greek dance has made her a respected figure in the field, inspiring dancers and enthusiasts worldwide.

Yannis and Simos Konstantinou are highly regarded educators, researchers, and practitioners of Greek traditional dance and music, with deep roots in the cultural traditions of west Macedonia. Both are dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich heritage of their homeland, the Florina and Prespa regions of Greece, through teaching, research, and performance.

Yannis is an internationally recognized teacher and researcher of traditional dance, music, and costumes. With a Master’s degree focusing on the costumes of the Florina region, Yannis explores how historical events, local customs, and the migration of ethnic groups have shaped the evolution of dance and music in west Macedonia.

A lifelong dancer, Yannis honed his skills growing up in the villages of Florina, surrounded by family and community traditions. His teaching style reflects his deep connection to these customs. He frequently teaches and lectures across the United States and Europe, sharing his expertise at renowned events such as the Mendocino Balkan and Folklore Camps, California Kolo Festival, and the Greek Orthodox Folk Dance Festival (FDF). Yannis also serves as a judge for Greek dance competitions and participates in international conferences and seminars.

Yannis is the founder, artistic director, and master instructor of the cultural association “Lygkistes,” which has over 200 members in Florina and Athens. Under his leadership since 1994, “Lygkistes” has performed extensively throughout Europe and the Balkans, earning accolades, including second place at the prestigious Llangollen International Dance Competition. Yannis also organizes the annual “Seminar of Traditional Dance” in Prespa, Greece, attracting dancers from around the world.

Simos, Yannis’s son, is a graduate of the Department of History and Ethnology at Democritus University of Thrace and a postgraduate student in Folklore and Cultural Management at the National Kapodistrian University of Athens. His academic background encompasses social anthropology, ethnography, and folklore, with a research focus on the Florina and Prespa regions.

Since the age of 18, Simos has been teaching traditional Greek dance, working with children and students in the Association of Greek Traditional Dances “Lygistes.” He has also taught workshops in various European countries and the United States, sharing his expertise with diverse audiences. In addition to dance, Simos is an accomplished percussionist specializing in traditional Greek music. He has performed at festivals across Greece, Europe, and the United States since 2014.

Together, Yannis and Simos Konstantinou continue to inspire and educate through their unwavering commitment to the preservation and dissemination of Greek traditional dance, music, and culture. Their contributions resonate not only within Greece but also across the global folk dance community.

Kyriakos Moisidis was born in 1968 in Prohoma, Thessaloniki. He has been studying traditional dances since 1975 and teaching since 1989.

In 1983 he formed a dancing team and in 1985 he taught dances to the smaller children of the team. In 1986, his study of the traditional dances of Greece became more intense. He became a member of the dancing team that drew their material from various parts of Greece, such as Crete. This dance team gave many presentations in Greece and abroad.

He studied Business Administration at the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki, graduating in 1991. In 1991, he served in the military in Sparta and in Nicosia (Cyprus). In both of these cities, he taught Pontic dances. In Nicosia he organized a dance team in his battalion and formed Eldyk. This group participated in events and feasts in Cyprus and was on public television in Cyprus. He took Physical Education and Athletics with a major in traditional Greek dance at the Aristotle University in Thessaloniki.

In 1992, he was released from the army and from then until 1997 he worked as an importer of electric appliances, being responsible for marketing in Northern Greece. In 1997 he abandoned marketing to dedicate his time to the research of traditional dance. The Association of Native of the Pont (Goymenissas), the Association of Pont’s Inhabitants (Chalkidiki), the Club Naoussa (Eyxeinos), the Cultural Association of New Agionerioy (Misti), the Cultural Association (Xirochorioy), the Cultural Association (Kryonerioy), and the Association of Natives of the Pont and Friends (Oraiokastroy) are a few of the institutions that have asked him to teach dances in their dancing departments.

In 1999, he graduated from the Department of Science of Physics Education and Sports of the Aristotelian University in Thessaloniki.

In the summer of 2000, he organized his first ten-day seminar of Greek dances with individuals participating from many countries. Each year since, he has successfully put on this seminar.

In 2003, he received his degree with speciality in traditional dance. Simultaneously, he taught seminars in Canada, Germany, Israel, Italy, Switzerland, the United States, and of course in Greece.

In September 2005, with fifty other people, he founded the Centre of Study of Traditional Dances. During the same period, he taught traditional dances at the Department of Music and Arts of the University Macedonia in Thessaloniki.

Kyriakos tries to increase his knowledge by attending many seminars taking courses. His big passion, of course, remains the primary research in which he has invested a lot of time. He possesses an important file of music, videos, and books that are related to traditional dance.

Kyriakos teaches many seminars both in Greece and abroad. He resides in Thessaloniki, and speaks both English and German.

This link is Kyriakos’ YouTube channel.