(**subject to change**)
Fusae Carroll | NORTHERN MACEDONIA
Fusae was born in Oita, Japan. She began folkdancing as a college student in Tokyo, engaging in a broad array of international
dances. In the mid-1970's, after her graduation, her interest focused on Balkan dancing. She began traveling abroad to learn
more about the dances and their cultures.
She has studied dance in Romania and Macedonia and has taken additional classes in Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey.
For the last thirty five years, fusae has regularly taken foreign dance teachers on tour in Japan where they have taught workshops
and weekend camps throughout the country. She moved to Sacramento in 1984, but returns to Japan three or four times
a year for the tours. She was invited to camps throughout Canada and United States to teach as an assistant to Atanas Kolarovski,
the now-legendary Macedonian dancer and choreographer.
TO CONTACT FUSAE CARROLL : fusaec@gmail.com
Fusae was born in Oita, Japan. She began folkdancing as a college student in Tokyo, engaging in a broad array of international
dances. In the mid-1970's, after her graduation, her interest focused on Balkan dancing. She began traveling abroad to learn
more about the dances and their cultures.
She has studied dance in Romania and Macedonia and has taken additional classes in Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey.
For the last thirty five years, fusae has regularly taken foreign dance teachers on tour in Japan where they have taught workshops
and weekend camps throughout the country. She moved to Sacramento in 1984, but returns to Japan three or four times
a year for the tours. She was invited to camps throughout Canada and United States to teach as an assistant to Atanas Kolarovski,
the now-legendary Macedonian dancer and choreographer.
TO CONTACT FUSAE CARROLL : fusaec@gmail.com
Anna Angelova | BULGARIA
Anna grew up in a small town in Northern Bulgaria where the lively local festivities (sabors)
and traditional ceremonies kindled her interest in folklore at an early age. Anna’s dance adventures started when she joined the town’s
folk dance ensemble where she learned from esteemed choreographers and performed along experienced dancers throughout her youth years.
Upon coming to Boston to further her education, Anna got introduced to the internationally acclaimed Ahmet Luleci’s Collage Dance Ensemble.
A unique experience that unlocked passion and appreciation for the greater Balkan magic, and beyond. The 8 years Anna spent performing with Collage on local and national stages were instrumental for her growth as a dancer - from professional attitude to stage presence to
polished style to authentic connection with our ancestors through Ahmet’s vibrant choreographies.
With the start of her own family in Boston, Anna felt the need to be more involved in the local Bulgarian community. This is when she joined Ludo Mlado, a Bulgarian folk ensemble led by Pepi Petrov and Marieta Mircheva. Anna connected with Ludo Mlado’s mission to preserve the rich dance traditions of Bulgaria. An outstanding moment with Ludo Mlado was the opportunity to participate in the Chicago Folk Festival VEREA.
TO CONTACT ANNA ANGELOVA: anniangelova@gmail.com
Anna grew up in a small town in Northern Bulgaria where the lively local festivities (sabors)
and traditional ceremonies kindled her interest in folklore at an early age. Anna’s dance adventures started when she joined the town’s
folk dance ensemble where she learned from esteemed choreographers and performed along experienced dancers throughout her youth years.
Upon coming to Boston to further her education, Anna got introduced to the internationally acclaimed Ahmet Luleci’s Collage Dance Ensemble.
A unique experience that unlocked passion and appreciation for the greater Balkan magic, and beyond. The 8 years Anna spent performing with Collage on local and national stages were instrumental for her growth as a dancer - from professional attitude to stage presence to
polished style to authentic connection with our ancestors through Ahmet’s vibrant choreographies.
With the start of her own family in Boston, Anna felt the need to be more involved in the local Bulgarian community. This is when she joined Ludo Mlado, a Bulgarian folk ensemble led by Pepi Petrov and Marieta Mircheva. Anna connected with Ludo Mlado’s mission to preserve the rich dance traditions of Bulgaria. An outstanding moment with Ludo Mlado was the opportunity to participate in the Chicago Folk Festival VEREA.
TO CONTACT ANNA ANGELOVA: anniangelova@gmail.com
Joe Graziosi | GREECE
Joe was raised in the Greek American Community in Boston, Massachusetts. His roots derive, on his mother's side, from
Eastern Thrace. He received a B.A. (cum laude) Degree in Eastern History from Brandeis University. In 1975,
he conducted dance research in villages in Greece with the noted folklorist Ted Petrides.
Since that time he has done extensive independent research in folk music and dance in Greece, the former
Greek areas of theAnatolian Peninsula, and the Greek-American communities in New England and New York.
He has compiled an exhaustive library of scholarly research as well as a comprehensive video library and musical archive.
TO CONTACT JOE GRAZIOSI : horoswithjoe@yahoo.com
Joe was raised in the Greek American Community in Boston, Massachusetts. His roots derive, on his mother's side, from
Eastern Thrace. He received a B.A. (cum laude) Degree in Eastern History from Brandeis University. In 1975,
he conducted dance research in villages in Greece with the noted folklorist Ted Petrides.
Since that time he has done extensive independent research in folk music and dance in Greece, the former
Greek areas of theAnatolian Peninsula, and the Greek-American communities in New England and New York.
He has compiled an exhaustive library of scholarly research as well as a comprehensive video library and musical archive.
TO CONTACT JOE GRAZIOSI : horoswithjoe@yahoo.com
Eirini "Rena" Karyofyllidou | GREECE
Rena is a dance teacher and also a dancer of traditional Greek dances. She was born in 1968 in the village Kavallari,
near Thessaloniki city. Her family is originally from Greek Macedonia and Eastern Thrace. She has been teaching
Greek dances since 1985. She has participated in hundreds of dance events in Greece and abroad and she has
taught in more than 10 dance groups in Greece.
She learned dancing as a child from her family and the villagers. Later as a teenager She has been a member of the local
dance group and as a student she was active in many dance organizations in Thessaloniki. She finished her studies
on Physical Education at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 1990 with a degree on traditional Greek dances.
For 21 years she was a member of the "G. K. Fotiadis" folk dance group as a dancer and dance teacher.
Now days she is dancing in C.S.T.D. "KYKLOS" and I also teach several dance groups in Thessaloniki area.
She has been invited to teach Greek traditional dances in numerous seminars all over Greece and also Germany, USA, Canada.
TO CONTACT RENA KARYOFYLLIDOU : rena-811@hotmail.com
Steve Kotansky | BALKAN
Steve Kotansky, known widely as a versatile dancer and teacher, has made many research trips to Bulgaria, the former Yugoslavia, Romania, Hungary, Greece, and Albania. He has been a regular on our teaching staff for many years, has taught at major folk dance camps all over North America and Europe and has performed and choreographed for many performing ensembles throughout the U.S. and Europe.
Steve is active as a teacher and researcher of dance in North American Albanian and Macedonian Roma communities.
He also conducts world dance programs for grades K-12 in New York-area public and private schools.
Steve brings a lively, in-depth knowledge to his teaching, and an intense joy to his dancing. He lives in the New York City area.
TO CONTACT STEVE KOTANSKY : stephenkotansky@gmail.com
Steve Kotansky, known widely as a versatile dancer and teacher, has made many research trips to Bulgaria, the former Yugoslavia, Romania, Hungary, Greece, and Albania. He has been a regular on our teaching staff for many years, has taught at major folk dance camps all over North America and Europe and has performed and choreographed for many performing ensembles throughout the U.S. and Europe.
Steve is active as a teacher and researcher of dance in North American Albanian and Macedonian Roma communities.
He also conducts world dance programs for grades K-12 in New York-area public and private schools.
Steve brings a lively, in-depth knowledge to his teaching, and an intense joy to his dancing. He lives in the New York City area.
TO CONTACT STEVE KOTANSKY : stephenkotansky@gmail.com
Ahmet Lüleci | TURKEY
A native of Turkey, Ahmet taught several excellent ensembles in Turkey. Since arriving in North America,
he has taught at the major camps throughout the U.S. as well as in Asia, Europe, Australia and South America.
He is the founder and artistic director of award winning Collage Dance Ensembe of Boston.
His college major was music. Ahmet's fascination with dance and music led him to conduct scholarly research
into the historical, social and cultural background of the costumes and spoon dances from Turkey's Mediterranean coast.
His efforts resulted in an exhaustive, 400 page study for which he was awarded First Place in the 1985 national competition
in research on the folkdances of Turkey by the Turkish ministry of Youth, Sports, and Education. In 1997 Ahmet completed a second
degree in Fine Arts. Ahmet organize cultural tours to Turkey (and Japan with Fusae Carroll)) every year, please contact him for more info.
TO CONTACT AHMET LULECI : www.luleci.com | ahmet.luleci@gmail.com | www.danstur.com
A native of Turkey, Ahmet taught several excellent ensembles in Turkey. Since arriving in North America,
he has taught at the major camps throughout the U.S. as well as in Asia, Europe, Australia and South America.
He is the founder and artistic director of award winning Collage Dance Ensembe of Boston.
His college major was music. Ahmet's fascination with dance and music led him to conduct scholarly research
into the historical, social and cultural background of the costumes and spoon dances from Turkey's Mediterranean coast.
His efforts resulted in an exhaustive, 400 page study for which he was awarded First Place in the 1985 national competition
in research on the folkdances of Turkey by the Turkish ministry of Youth, Sports, and Education. In 1997 Ahmet completed a second
degree in Fine Arts. Ahmet organize cultural tours to Turkey (and Japan with Fusae Carroll)) every year, please contact him for more info.
TO CONTACT AHMET LULECI : www.luleci.com | ahmet.luleci@gmail.com | www.danstur.com