About Us
Barb Gillespie ~ Dance Leader
My name is Barb Gillespie. I’m an Evansville native and I have danced with the Evansville International Folk Dancers since 1977. I have no professional credentials, other than that I have loved International Folk Dancing from the start (not really a credential is it!). I was in college and my parents, Bud and Sally Elsner, were dancing with the group. I went to their performance at a downtown festival, got pulled into “audience participation”, and got hooked. I took a beginner class at the YWCA and have been dancing ever since. Somewhere around the year 2000, I became the default leader and “keeper of the stuff” when a previous leader left to follow other pursuits. Over the years, group members have attended dance workshops and camps in Mendocino, Chicago, Indianapolis, St Louis, Louisville, Nashville and the Kentucky Dance Institute (KDI). There are fabulous master teachers to learn from and a wide variety of dances and styles to try. There are live workshops as well as You Tube videos, and classes via Zoom. The goal of our group is to enjoy movement and one another, have fun, learn about other cultures through music and dance, and do what we can to preserve a bit of folk heritage. Folk Dancing is something you can enjoy for a lifetime and we invite you to join us. It’s good for the body, mind, and soul.
Barb
Mary Engelland ~ Assistant Dance Leader
"My adult folk dancing experiences began with a full week folk dancing camp in Mendocino, California in 1993. I went with a girlfriend who had been dancing with groups in the area regularly. What a way to start! Luckily, the dancers and instructors were very kind - and the food and woodland setting were marvelous. One of the dancers traveled a lot on his job, and told me that there was a folk dance group in Evansville, Indiana. Eventually, I looked it up and began participating in Thursday evening sessions at the Old Courthouse.
A year later, in 1994, I participated in another full-week camp: KDI, or Kentucky Dance Institute, a little closer to home. Over these years, I've attended weekend workshops in Indianapolis, Chicago, Louisville, Evansville, and Nashville, Tennessee as well as danced with groups in Bloomington, Indianapolis, and Louisville. There are many opportunities for international dancing.
I like a wide variety of international dances, although my preference leans towards the energetic dances from many different countries, probably because of my "second" job as an aerobic/step fitness instructor at the YMCA. International dance is better than exercise, however, because we get not only the physical workout but also some mental exercise and the spiritual lift from the music and camaraderie. Plus, the added benefit of learning about other countries' history and culture.
Helping Barb as an assistant leader for our group has been a great way for me to remember more dances than I did as a "follower". I encourage everyone to pick a favorite dance and learn it well enough to lead and/or teach it to others. We all benefit from having more leaders!"
Mary