Things Folkish in Tucson and Arizona

Being a guide to where things are happening in Tucson and surrounding Arizona for visitors interested in folk dance and music.

WARNING: this page is only updated on whim; use the contact numbers & addresses to get the latest information. Dates in brackets, e.g. [11/02] give the last time I updated or checked the entry.

Contents:

• Tucson
• upcoming
• weekly
• international dance
• contra dance
• clogging
• israeli dance
• english, irish & scottish dance
• Cajun & zydeco
• Squares
• ballroom
• swing & 2-step
• shows, performances
• information sources
• music
• annual events
• classes
• locations
• Bisbee
• Cottonwood contra dance
• Flagstaff
• Phoenix
• Prescott
• Other Connections

TUCSON

Weekly/Monthly Meetings:

• Monday - nothing
• Tuesday
• Acoustic Tune Jams at Rincon Market, 8-10:00 (1&3 Tu of each month)
• Arizona Old Time Fiddlers at Southwest Community Center 7-10
• Israeli Dance at JCC, 7-10
• Beginning IFD class at the Lighthouse YMCA. for info contact Andrew Carney
• Wednesday
• Bluegrass jam at Rincon Market, 8-10
• International Dancing 8-10pm at Muse, 6th st. @ 5th Ave.
• Slow Tune Jams at ???, 8-10. 1st, 3rd, 5th weds only.
• Thursday
• Scottish Dancing at First United Methodist Church, 7:30-
• Swing dance club at Tucson Women's Club, 6:30-9
• Irish Jam (2nd & 4th Thurs of the month only) at the Frog & Firkin, 8-10+
• Friday
• beginning International FD class at U/A: 5-7pm @ Newman Center (NE corner 2nd @ Cherry) . All are Welcome
• Saturday
• Contra Dances 1st & 3rd Saturdays, 8-11
• Sacred Circle Dancing, 2nd Saturdays, 7pm @??? 398-9910
• Tucson Bluegrass Association 4th Saturday each month @ Pizza Hut restaurant, 2943 N. Campbell (near Ft. Lowell )
• Old Time Community Square Dance 7-10pm, 2nd Saturdays @ Armory Park
• Sunday
• Dances of Universal Peace 2nd Saturday of each month @ Quaker Friends Meeting Hall, 931 N. 5th Ave. Contact: Janine Walter, 520/320-5865
• 2nd Sunday of each month: Song Circle, 1-3pm. Location varies; call 745-6262 or 327-1779 for info.
• Tucson Bluegrass Association 3rd sunday each month, 4:00 pm,
  Texas T-Bone Restaurant - 8981 E. Tanque Verde in Bear Canyon Shopping Ctr.

INTERNATIONAL:

• International/Vintage Dance Class at Ballet Arts, 200 S. Tucson. Tues-Thurs 6:30-7:30pm. Info: 623-3373 [11/02]
• TEDE (Tucson Ethnic Dance Ensemble), International performing group. contact: Barbara Whittlesy 795-8107
• German performing group: Edelweiss Folk Dancers
• Greek performing group based at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 1145 E. Ft. Lowell Road
• Swedish Folk Dancing: RosaLee Murray 325-1157 Second and fourth Mondays, 7:30pm @Rosemont Community Church, 5005 E Winsett St
  VASA Dancers: 326-7330, Adult and Children?s classes
• Norwegian Folk Dancing - Loretta Olson 326-7330
  Leikarring Dancers (Norsemen's federation: 297 9503)
• Polish performing group Lajkonik Meets weekly at St. Cyril's Catholic Church. info: jrschmit@earthlink.net
• Ruthenian (aka Rusyn) performing group. Meet at St. Melany's Byzantine Catholic Church.
• Sacred Circle Dancing, 2nd Saturdays, 7pm @??? 398-9910 or 327-6926
• several local "ethnic" halls or clubs for several nationalities, which sometimes manage to put together small groups for performances.
• U/A Balalaika Orchestra has a yearly concert, also performs at festivals. Contact: Mia Bulgarin Gay
  Kalinka Russian Dancers performing group associated with Balalaika orch.
• Beledi: Dance of Arabia, 2900 E. Broadway, Suite 142; 322-9949
• Another Belly Dance instructor is Kathryn Ferguson 881-0883
• Dances of Universal Peace  1st Sunday of each month, 7-9pm.@ St. Francis in the Foothills, (River Rd. W. of Swan Rd) (4-99 through 9-99; may move after that)  Contact: Mumtaz Wilder 321/1006
• African dance classes: Barbea Williams Performing Company: Traditional West African and African-Brazilian Dance. 628-7785. Sixth Street Art Studios, 44 W. Street (N.E. Corner of 6th Street @ 9th Ave.) Classes On-Going.
• Polynesian: Halau Hula O Leina`Ala, Lisa Leina'ala Ibarra, 940 S. Craycroft, Tucson, AZ 85711 360-9458

CONTRA DANCE

There are frequently other "special" dances.

Dance in the Desert camp, First Weekend in November. Triangle Y Camp,Oracle, Arizona.
contact: P.O. box 40654, Tucson 85717, or 520/327-1779, or bnankivell@igc.org

CLOGGING:

ISRAELI:

Tuesday eveinigs, @ Jewish Community Ctr
7-8:30 beginners; 8:30-10:00 advanced
3800 E River Rd at Dodge road (5+ Mi NE of U/A) 299 3000

IRISH:

Bracken School of Irish Dance: children's step-dancing & adult ceili-dancing classes Tuesday & Thursday afternoons/evenings at Dance Moves Studio: 2514E. 6th St. For more information or to sign up for classes, contact Rosemary Browne 296-8476 MEAKNEE@aol.com. (Also have classes in Phoenix)
Irish Dance Competition: Feile Rince Tucson

SCOTTISH:

CAJUN, ZYDECO

SQUARES:

Modern (Western) : too many groups to list. Try contacting:
OPSDA (Old Pueblo Square (& Round) Dance Center)
613 E Delano (off 1st Ave, about 2 mi N of U/A)
620-1566
- they seem to have a different club every night of the week.

T-squares. Cornerstone Fellowship Social Hall. 2909 North Geronimo. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered square dance, open to all. 6:30 - 8 p.m. Info: Michael at 884-8320 or Carol at 749-1617.

Fun Squares. Comanche Wells Mobile Home Park Community Room, 775 W. Roger Road. Plus level square dancers. Mondays from 7 to 9 p.m. Single ladies are especially welcome. Info: 326-9284.

BALLROOM:

• Southern Arizona Chapter, U.S. Amateur Ballroom Dance Assn.
  Holds monthly dances; location & times vary. $5. Dress code.
  Contact USABDA at 770-9540; PO Box 26334, Tucson 85726-6334; SoAZBDA@aol.com
• try some of the resorts, or look under "dance instruction" in the yellow pages.
• There are Sr. Citizen Dances at Armory Park Center almost daily at either 12:30pm or 8pm. (call 791-4865 the center for more info.)
• Ballroom Dancing for Seniors: 1:30-3:30 pm, Udall Center, 7200 E. Tanque Verde. $1.50. Dance to live band.
• Salsa: Beginning Salsa/Meringue class, drop-in ok. @ MUSE (516 N. 5th Ave), Room 8, 5:30-6:30, $5/class. Info: 573-7701 [11/02]
• Tango:
  Beginning level tango class, 2-4pm Saturdays (through 12/28/02) at Arizona Ballroom COmpany, 5536 E. Grant Rd. $5/person. info: 290-2990.
  The Shoebox Tango Club. 108 E. Congress Street. 290-2990. Thursday evenings, 8:15: beginners, 9: intermediate. Classes cost $5. Info: Charity or Levi @ 290-2990.
  Also check the Tango Tucson list.
• Bryan's On Broadway (Studio), 7036 E. Broadway at Kolb. 544 9477
  Has drop in classes, $10 per evening, 6-8 PM: Fri: Foxtrot & Swing; Sat: Tango & Waltz; Sunday: ChaCha & Rhumba.
• Let's Dance Club Wednesday evenings at the Tucson Women's Club, $7.
  Class 7pm, Dance 8pm. Contact: Maurice Swinnen, 885-4599
• Latin Dancing 9:30-1 Fridays, Encore-Med Restaurant, 2959 N. Swan Ave. $6. 881-6611

SWING & 2-STEP:

Tucson Swing Club (primarily west-coast) meets 7-10pm Thursdays at the Tucson Women's Club. $5.00 for non-members. Contact: Rose Marie Burrell - 745-0255

Tucson Lindy Hop

A number of bars have dancing every night of the week, usually no cover charge during the weekdays, often special cheap dinner buffets during the week, and sometimes free lessons. The best known (largest floors and most likely to have dancers on them) are:

Cactus Moon Cafe

5470 E. Broadway (4 mi SE of U/A)
748-0049
- Lessons as of 3/97 (call for current schedule), 6:30-7:30 pm on:
Wednesday: couple dances; Thursday: line dances; Saturday: line dance; Sunday: Couples (usually swing or 2-step, usually mobbed)

Round-Up

1527 E Bensen (4-5 mi S of U/A)
294-4662
Had a drop-in class ($5) in pony swing on Sundays at 3:00. Call to be sure it's happening. (Pony swing is like a cross beteween contra-dance swing and jitterbug).
Dance classes many evenings. Thursday Swing class (7/98), 7-8:15pm $20/person Call Eileen 797-9975.

The Bum Steer

?? - may have classes on Monday nights

Studio West
6061 E. Broadway (E. of Craycroft, ~5 mi E of U/A)
747 9464

SHOWS, PERFORMANCES:

Some of the restaurants have Mariachi orchestras (usually weekends) and occasionally Flamenco or Folklorico dancers. Check papers, yellow pages. In particular:

• El Mariachi, 106 W. Drachman, 791-7793
• La Fuente, 1749 N. Oracle Rd, 623-8659
• Sometimes there's a belly dancer at Kazba Restaurant, 6350 E. Broadway, 750-8070

EVENTS INFORMATION:

• Tucson Citizen: publishes a Weekend section on Thursdays which covers the entire following week
• Arizona Star: publishes a weekend ("Starlight") section on Fridays, and some info about events for the week on Sundays
• Tucson Weekly: (free alternative paper, available in many stores, record shops, etc.) has a weekly happenings section, but the information is sometimes inaccurate(!). Calling to confirm the date, time & location is advisable. Comes out Thursdays.
• Entertainment Magazine: Another freebie, available at record shops and some other outlets, comes out at the beginning of the month (all copies usually gone by mid-month). Good list of concerts of all types, plus coverage of local groups (including blues, alternative rock, and country). Mostly Tucson, but covers some events in other cities.
• Radio: KXCI Community Radio ( 91.3 fm) is the folk/alternative station. Very wide variety of programming. International music program on Sunday mornings at ? am. KJZZ (? fm - Phoenix station, may not come in clearly) Jazz & Blues. Excellent blues show on Sunday nights.
• Info phones:

In Concert! -Don Gest usually lists current "In Concert" (TFTM) concerts on his answering maching: 327 4809
- Tucson Blues Society events hotline (recorded) 570-7955
• CDs, LPs: Hear's Music (2508 North Campbell, 795-4494) has excellent international, folk & blues CDs

MUSIC:

Borderlands Klezmer Band. Contact: Jay Vosk, 621 1331

Mzekala: women's singing ensemble, balkan + international material.
contact: Barbara Whittlesy, 795-8107

U/A Balalaika Orchestra. Contact: Mia Bulgarin Gay

For anglo / celtic / american:

• 1st & 3rd Tuesday each month, 8-10pm: American & Keltic instrumental Jam, @ Rincon Market, 6th St @ Tucson Blvd.
• Wednesdays 7:30-9pm: "Slow" Jam - location moved, I dunno where to!
• Wednesdays, 8-10 pm: Bluegrass Jam @Rincon Market, 6th St @ Tucson Blvd.
• 2nd Thursday of the month: Bluegrass Jam @ ??? (may be defunct? )
• Irish Jam, 2nd & 4th Thursdays of each month, @Upper Crust Pizza, 1909 E. Grant (E. of Campbell), 8-10+pm [12/15/02]
  Contact: Sharon 298-3014
• Arizona Old Time Fiddlers Tuesdays 7-10 at Southwest Community Ctr,
  Cardinal Rd. 1 Mi S. of Valencia (~8 Mi SW of Downtown)
  Contact: Jack Childs, 883-4029 or Laura Barry, 743-9491
• Bentley's (Speedway W. of Campbell) - open mike Friday Evenings
• TFTM - Tucson Friends of Traditional Music sponsers concerts. Call: Becky Nankivel, 293-3783
• Tucson Bluegrass Association. - contact: Dan Liebler, 577 7354, Bonnie Lohman 296-1231
• Cushing Street Bar 343 S Meyer Ave (1/2 Mi S of downtown)
  Often has acoustic entertainers, sometimes has concerts (folk, blues, etc.) in the courtyard. Call to check. 622-7984

Web pages for Folkish Tucson Bands

• Black Leather Zydeco - cajun dance
• Round The House - Keltic & American dance & instrumentals
• Finnegan's Break - Keltic & American dance & instrumentals

ANNUAL & SPECIAL FOLKLORIC EVENTS:

• Tucson Meet Yourself annual: [Oct 10-12, 2003] - international/ethnic. Good food. @ El Presidio Park (downtown across from main library)
• Tucson Folk Festival annual: May 6-7 2000 @El Presidio Park - anglo/kelto/american; singer/songwriters
• European Fair (EMAT) @ El Con Mall (Broadway, E. of COuntry Club), [Nov 2, 2002]
• Serbian Festival annual: April ?
• Waila Festival annual: [May 20 2000], 5-11pm, U/A Bear Down Field
• Western/Cowboy Music Festival annual: [Nov 4-8 1998] @ Old Tucson Studios, 201 S. Kinney Rd. Info: Michelle Sundin, 743-9794
• Greek festival, semiannual:(Spring: May 12-13 2000, Fall: Sept 21-23 2000)
  @ St. Demetrios Hellenic Center, 1145 E. Ft Lowell (888-0505)
• 55th Southern Arizona Dance Festival January 16-18, 2003, @ Tucson Convention Center, 260 Church Street. Square Dancing; Round Dancing; Clogging.
• Festival De San Augustin, [Aug 24-25 1996], Arizona Historical Soc. 628 5774
• Tucson Celtic games; 1st Saturday in November at Rillito Park Raceway @ First & River. Info: Tucson Celtic Festival Assn or call 888-1058 or 743-9291.
• Halloween, Xmas, New Years: Contra & Int'l usually have parties. Call to check for time & place
• Cinco De Mayo annual: May x-5, 199*, Kennedy Park.
• Norteno Festival annual: Aug 28-29 1998
• Tucson Mariachi Festival annual: April 24-29 1999 (downtown) 888-9920 x243
• Tucson Blues Festival annual: Oct 18 1998, Reid Park. 791-4079

CLASSES:

• There are a bunch of small dance studios around town offering classes in this'n'that; check the yellow pages.
• Umbrella groups, which sometimes have interesting varieties of dance offerings (Flamenco, Beledi, African ...):
• Tucson Parks & Recreation
• The Open University
• Pima Community College
• Instrument classes:
• The Folk Shop (Discontinued, but check the bulletin board!)
• check the ads in the TFTM & TKMA newsletters.
• Odds & Ends:
• Denise Hawthorn Bey: W. African, Afro-cuban & Brazilian dance, 884-0811
• Conga Drumming (Afro-Carribean): Barbara Bird @ Casa Tambores, 321-2701
• Tango classes : Mara Carlson, 791 3073.

LOCATIONS:

The Folk Shop

2525 N. Campbell, N. of Grant Rd. (1+ Mi N of U/A)
881-7147
instruments of all varieties; books; occasional workshops

Armory Park Seniors Center

220 S. 5th Ave (S.E. corner of Downtown, between 12th & 13th streets)

791-4865

also for seniors: Ballroom, "Country Western Plus Dances", and dance classes.

Randolph Park Recreation Center

S. Alvernon (S. of Broadway, 2 1/2 mi SE of U/A)

Also tap, ballet, etc. classes

Zuzi "Move It" Dance Lab, in the Historic YWCA

738 N. 5th Avenue (SE corner of University Blvd). 520/629-0237

offers Modern, Jazz, Tap, Skinner Releasing, etc., also hosts TIFD, Capoiera, Pilates.

MUSE, Tucson's Home for the Arts

516 N. 5th Ave, @6th st.

offers Salsa, swing, etc.

Tucson Women's Club

6245 E Belleview (at Wilmot) (NW of Speedway & Wilmot; 5 mi E of U/A)

Tucson Swing dance club; Ballroom Dance Club

Berger Performing Arts Center

at Arizona State Schools for the Deaf & Blind

Speedway Blvd. (N side) west of I-10 (use west parking lot). Concerts.

ORGANIZATIONS

TFTM - Tucson Friends of Traditional Music

Sponsors Contra dances, jams, concerts and camps
Contact: Becky Nankivel 293-3783; TFTM, PO Box 40654, Tucson, AZ 85717; e-mail office@tftm.org

Tucson Kitchen Musicians Association

Performers & Songwriters Assn. Sponsers Concerts, Jams, annual Tucson Folk Festival, weekly Acoustic Showcase

Tucson Blues Society

P.O. Box 30672, Tucson 85751 Promotes blues: workshops, yearly festival, newsletter: "Blues Beat" Contact: (hotline) 579-7955;

Desert Bluegrass Association:

DesertBluegrass Association

7878 East Cloud Road, Tucson 85715 Sponsors: Monday meetings, workshops, (concerts?)
contact: Bonnie Lohman 761-8384; Dan Liebler, 577 7354

Tucson Old Time Fiddlers:

Old Time, Country & Contest Fiddle; Meets weekly on Tuesdays; Yearly Festivals/contests.
Contact: Jack Childs, 883-4029 or Laura Barry, 743-9491

Tucson Meet Yourself

Sponsors yearly Tucson Meet Yourself festival
Contact: Rose Marie Huerta 888-8816; Dennis Evans

Tucson Swing Club

Meets Thursday evenings 7-9:30. classes & open dances, $3. Mostly "West Coast" style.
Contact: 326-4841; Rose Marie Burrell - 325-9436; Randy McNellis - 1332 E. Hendrick Dr - 323 2703

Tucson Jazz Society

sponsors concerts. Hot line for happenings & clubs: 743 3399

Senior Citizens Club #1, Tucson Parks & Rec

220 S. FIfth Ave, Tucson; 791-4685
Sponsors: Daily classes and dances of various kinds (ballroom, country, square)
at Armory Senior Center

Western Music Association, Inc.

P.O. Box 34008, Tucson 85740; 825-5521 (fax: 825-3704
sponsors: yearly Western Music Festival

European Multi-Ethnic Alliance of Tucson (EMAT)

Umbrella for ethnic/national clubs. Sponsors semi-annual ethnic festivals in malls (location changes) in November & March.
Meets: 7:30 pm on 2nd tuesday of each month @ Double Tree Hotel
Contact: Loretta Olson, Nosloal@aol.com, or 745-2173 or PO Box 44301, Tucson, AZ
Associated Clubs:

• Daughters of the British Empire 745-2173
• Tucson Celtic Festival Association 885 9221
• Croatian Fraternal Union 624-7645
• Czech & Slovak Club 747-1077
• Danish Club of Tucson 325 2024
• Neerlandia Dutch Club 743 4896
• Finnish Americal Club 794 4674
• French American Club 296 5457
• German Heritage Club 624 2130
• Tucson German American Club 722 6381
• St. Demetrios Greek Community 888 0505
• Hungarian American Club 327 8811
• Irish American Gaelic Society 296 9518
• Italian American Club 623 7154
• Order of the Sons of Italy 747 1760
• Norsemen's Federation 297 9503
• Sons of Norway, Trolldalen Lodge #6-139 293-2913 (eves), 724-7726 (days)
• The Chopin Association (Polish) 325-5028
• Russian American Club 579-7781
• Seven Pipers Scottish Society Pipes, Drums, Highland Dancers)798-6980
• Southern Arizona Scottish Society 325-3438, or phone Melba Mitchell
• American Slavic Social Club 624-5526
• Club Espania de Tucson (Spanish) 747-2715
• VASA Order of America 326-7330
• Ukranian American Club 296-0085
• Tucson Council for Int'l Visitory 795-0330 ext 105

Arizona Irish Music Society

SPICMACAY (Society for Promotion of Indial Classical Music & Culture Among Youth)

Puts on Concerts. Other programs?
Contact: Deepa Wadhwani 544-2355; Preeti Pande 321-0963; Nanda Ramanujam 621-8261 Email: spicmacy@clubs.arizona.edu

Other Places in the Arizona

[ I can hunt up more info about most of the following, but am not tracking to keep any of it up to date.]

Green Valley

PHOENIX MEGALOCTOPUS

contra dances:

international:
Phoenix International Folk Dancers
Thursdays (except holidays) @ Encanto Park Clubhouse (15th Ave N. of Encanto Blvd), free
Teaching 7:30-8:30pm, Open dancing 8:30-10pm;
Contact: Lois Postel 480/968-0573
Annual Folkdance Festival 1-4pm in March @ Los Olivos Senior Center, 2802 E. Devonshire, Phx

Annual Slavic Festival in March [3/8-10/96] at St. Sava's Church, 4525 E. McKinley St., Tempe. Contact 598-5705, 641-8023, 502-5060

other dancing:

• Israeli: Weds 7:30-10:45; Let's Dance Studio, Scottsdale Road @ Shea, Scottsdale. contact: Shlomit Sholem, 602/285-1302
• Bedlam Bells Morris contact: PaulNicolaides Rehearse Tuesday nights 7:30-10, outside the library at Scottdale Civic Center
• Byelaroza Eastern European Folk Dance & Music Ensemble
  Russian, Ashkenazi(Eastern European Jewish), Sephardi(Judeo-Spanish), some Near & Middle Eastern folk dance/music.
  rehearse Mondays, 7:00 pm. New members welcome. Contact: Tish Dvorkin - (480)986-6016;
• Scottish Country: Wednesday Nights @ Scottsdale Senior Center. Info: Archie at 602-938-7239 or Phx RSCDS
• West Coast Swing: Meet Sunday Nights at (?), lessons for an hour or two, then a couple of hours of dancing to live bands. They also offer lessons on Monday nights, and maybe other nights. Contact: George Callas (Pres), P.O. Box 5730, Glendale, AZ 85312; 602/941-0531
• I know there is also a Western Two Step scene up there, but have no info about it.

• Phoenix Friends of Old Time Music - contact the contra dance folks (above)
• Southwest Acoustic Music Assoc, 925 W Baseline, Suite 105-G6, Tempe, AZ 85283. 390-7780.
  -- puts out "The Acoustic Scene" monthly, listing pxh area action.
• Arizona Bluegrass Association, P.O. Box 34123, Phoenix Az 85706-4123
• Annual Phoenix Folk Traditions Acoustic Music Festival, March 16-17 1966, Encanto Park Clubhouse: 2605 N 15th Ave. 495-5458 for info

PRESCOTT

IFD: Jack Yule 778-4416. Meets Tues Eves, also classes other evenings

Dances of Universal Peace: 3nd Saturday of each month, 7-9 pm @ Prescott College Chapel. $5 donation. contact Janine Walter 520/717-2379

Annual:

• May Madness ContraFest weekend, May 17-19, 2004
• Sharlot Hall Folk Music Festival, First weekend each October. [Oct 6-7 2001], 10am-5pm At Sharlot Hall Museum
  concerts, storytellers, crafts, etc, Contra dance on Saturday evening.

FLAGSTAFF

contra: Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music 1st Saturday of each month, 7:30-11pm, $5
Marshall School: 850 N. Bonito; info: 774 7261 or 522-8802 or Deb Comly

Annual Mountain Dawn Dance [9/1/01] AZ We Dance

English Country Dance - monthly, but no contact info yet

Flagstaff Swing Dance Club: contact H. Leon Raper
520/525-1054; P.O. Box 23429; Flagstaff, AZ 86002

BISBEE

Other Forms:

• Cochise Dance Umbrella. non-profit corporation supporting dance in Southeastern Arizona. Pres: Joan Reichel P.O. Box 752, Bisbee AZ 85603. 520-432-7920
• African Dance Class, T & Th 7pm @ Border Fitness Plus. (Dance cooperative with live drumers on Th) Contact: PO box 752, Bisbee 85603, or Jean (432-7920) or Carol (432 4292)
• DJEMBORI DANCE & DRUM TROUPE, African Music and Dance performing gp. PO Box 752, Bisbee AZ 85603. Contact: Jean (432-7920)

COTTONWOOD

other events

Other Connections

Tucson info

dance & folk music

Library of Congress: