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HIFD
is a recreational group that dances a wide variety of ethnic folk
dances from |
-At the age of 18 taught in Paris, France, his first dance class while performing with the Israeli troupe GUILGAL, the Bulgarian/Yugoslavian Troupe "FOLJAN" and the international dance troupe NODESS. -In 1980, Maurice immigrated to Canada, this was the beginning of his career as a professional dancer. -He has choreographed more than 60 Israeli dances including Achat shaalti…Simchat Yerushalayim…Di Goldone Pave, Karavan ba”Midbar…etc. In the new dance competition, his dance Hora Gil was awarded No. 1 in Cesaré, Israel.\ -Between 1980 and 2023, Maurice gave many workshops and taught in many camps in Israel, Europe, and North America including at the Mainwoods International dance camp since 1999, at KEFF, Hillulim, Yad be Yad Boston…Hilulim …..etc -He directed the dance troupe “Harimon Israeli Dancers” from 1982 to 1998, which performed in different TV shows and at the Boston and New York festivals. -Maurice choreographed for different dance troupes, including Hamakor of Boston for the Carmiel festival in Israel, Nitzanim of Calgary for the 1988 Winter Olympics. -Maurice has been seriously involved in International Dance in Quebec since 2019, with AMATP (Montreal Association of Popular and Traditions). He teaches and hosts year-round and in the summer at Beaver Lake in Montreal, in addition to opening his own international dance group two years ago. -During his many dance workshops, Maurice had the privilege of working with talented choreographers such as Théodor Vasilescu, Cristian Florescu, Yves Moreau, Steve Kotanski, Yvonne Hunt, Iliana Bozanova, Alexandru David, Roberto Bagnoli ,Ahmet Luleĉi…etc. -Since 1982, Maurice has led his big Israeli dance evening at the YM-YWHA where 35 to 50 people show up every Wednesday, and 3 years, he opened a new International Folk dancing class. -You
will appreciate Maurice’s personality, his talent, and his
innumerable qualities as a dancer performer, and pedagogue. |
First Lutheran Church at 1311 Holman. No partner needed. Admission is $5 (age 25 and under free). Park on the street or in the lot on the corner of Holman and Austin.
Oddfellows
Hall, 115 E 14th St.
Beginning and intermediate level dances taught. Newcomers
welcome, no partner needed. Admission is $5 donation.
Oddfellows Hall is a two-story brick building; entry is on right side of the building, dancing is on the second floor (may not be handicap accessible). Park on 14th St, Heights or Harvard.
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Afternoon Delight: A
Celebration of Roma and Sephardic Dances with Master Teacher
/Choreographer Maurice Perez |
Other local dances
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Austin International Folk Dancers (AIFD)
Hellenic Professional Society of Texas
Houston
Area Traditional Dance Society
- Contra Dances
every second and fourth Saturday
- English
Country Dances on first and third Thursdays JBE
Texas International Folk Dancers (TIFD)
Dance notes and links to videos
Vintage American dance
Dance Workshop Bulgarian
News Story featuring HIFD Monday Night dancing which aired on Houston Public Radio 88.7 FM
Founded in 1947, HIFD is a not-for-profit (501c3) organization dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of ethnic dance from around the world. Primarily a recreational group that meets twice weekly, HIFD also stages folk dance performances for events and festivals throughout the calendar year.
HIFD membership is open to all, and currently numbers about seventy-five, including a pool of approximately 20 dancers who are active in public performances. The group’s repertoire includes more than 300 dances from 39 countries, with emphasis on those of Europe, the Middle East, and Mediterranean areas. While some performances present a mixture of dances and costumes from various countries, others focus on a single ethnic theme.
Local folk dance teachers well-versed in many ethnic traditions provide teaching at the occasional HIFD folk dance workshops, in which participants can request what they would like to have taught or reviewed. In addition, our statewide counterpart, Texas International Folk Dancers, sponsors a four-day workshop each year during the Thanksgiving holidays, and the weekend-long San Antonio Folk Dance Festival in March at Spring Break. These give HIFD members even more exposure to internationally known folklorists, teachers and musicians.
HIFD welcomes the opportunity to bring song, dance and music from other cultures to interested parties, and hopes that by so doing, we help preserve the uniqueness of the individual cultures as well as promote peace among all ethnicities.