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SAN DIEGO: The much acclaimed Greek Orthodox Folk Dance Festival (FDF), an annual four-day dance extravaganza, will celebrate its twenty-first birthday on Presidents¹ Weekend, February 13 to 16, 1997. A youth ministry of the Greek Orthodox Church of America and the Diocese of San Francisco under His Grace Bishop Anthony, the Festival is a folk dance competition involving thousands of participants and nearly 100 dance groups of all ages from seven western states. It will mark its "coming of age" at the Red Lion Inn in Ontario, California with special events, including a visit by His Eminence Archibishop Spyridon of the United States of America, and future plans to export its competition concept to new regions of the country.

Rooted in one man's vision to connect Greek-American youth to their cultural heritage, FDF is a movement that has literally transformed the Greek folk dance scene in America. First conceived in the mid '70s by Peter Preovolos, a San Diego businessman and Archon in the Church, as a means to give back to the community and to acknowledge early mentors for their wisdom, FDF soon became a lifelong passion. According to Preovolos, "when I was growing up in San Francisco there were several individuals who got me involved with my church, my heritage and my peers. I felt blessed to have discovered the joys of working with young people and I wanted to find a way to get others involved." Preovolos relocated to San Diego in 1974 where he soon became a member of the St. Spyridon Parish and selected to direct all youth activities. "It became immediately apparent that if you want to do something, you go for it," he remembers. He found that young adults in the church and in the community were excited about leading groups and teaching kids to dance. "They put on a variety show which included Greek dancing and the show was so successful that they wanted to invite other dance groups to participate as well," says Preovolos. Based on the concept of sports and band competitions which always generate huge turnouts and participation, the idea of a "dance competition" was formulated.

While some of the Junior Parish Council Members were skeptical and quite apprehensive about a dance competition, the kids were convinced‹it could work! A business plan was developed. Preovolos, a detail-oriented financial counselor, guided the Parish youths: "Your plan must look first class‹professional, complete with pert charts, schedules, budgets, etc." The young people rolled up their sleeves, created brochures, registration packets and by-laws. Heading the Western Diocese at that time was His Grace Bishop Meletios who gave the project his generous blessing. Instrumental in the formation of FDF were Marilyn Kromydas and George Scarvelas, early presidents of the movement, and Elaine Pepares, currently serving as Executive Director of the FDF Council. With the assistance of a small legion of young adults who made up the St. Spyridon Junior Parish Council, FDF was born in 1975. When Preovolos speaks of these young adults, it is with great reverence and love for he is quick to tell you: "they are the ones who made it happen."

Preovolos recruited two dear friends, local international dance teachers Don and Ellie Hiatt, to set up the panel of judges for the competition. Invitations were mailed out to Greek youths elsewhere in the Western Diocese to come and participate. The first FDF comprised five competing teams‹39 dancers in total‹and was held in the church hall, with judges positioned on the stage and surrounding audience on rented bleachers. The results were astounding. "The enthusiasm was palpable, the level of energy incredible," remembers Don Hiatt. The FDF competition was held in San Diego for three years in a row. By 1980, transported to San Jose, it had grown to over 300 participants. Such results were soon recognized by the Western Diocese as an instrument to bring young Greek-Americans back to the Church. In fact, the success of the FDF movement stimulated and spawned young adults from Northern California who competed in the Festival to develop what has become a major Archdiocese Church program and now referred to as the YAL Conference.

Newly appointed to the Bishopric in 1980, His Grace Bishop Anthony quickly realized the power and potential of FDF and encouraged the competition to include some religious workshops in its four-day schedule. Over the years these workshops have been cleverly woven into the annual Festival tapestry of events and the sparkling presence of His Grace has become a focal point and one of the driving forces behind the competition. Indeed, Preovolos is quick to assess that "if it wasn¹t for His Grace Bishop Anthony, we still would be a small program without much impact."

Over the last twenty-one years the Festival has grown in size and stature, involving hosts of distinguished visitors and thousands of enthusiastic participants from the Western Diocese and occasionally from elsewhere in the United States and abroad. For those who have been regular attendees at the colorful competition, the evolution and increasing sophistication of the dances presented has been remarkable. Some of the credit for this evolution goes to the increased availability of dance, music and costume information. In the last few decades Greece has spawned dozens of dance troupes and a wealth of new regional dance material based on original research. Two of these troupes, the Lykeion Ellinidon of Athens and the Dora Stratou Dance Theatre, put out a variety of recorded dance material, often serving as role models for American FDF dance groups.

But more of the credit for the evolution of FDF goes to the interest and dedication of its youthful dancers and seasoned dance directors who have taken the time to read, study, take field trips to Greek villages, watch countless videos and attend workshops on regional dance presented by American and Greek-born dance maestros. The cumulative expertise amassed by these directors is staggering in scope and breadth. When dancers and directors choose a theme or region to present at the competition, they do their homework (videos, music, etc.) and invite an expert to consult on styling and presentation. Dancers will learn as many as eight dances for a regional suite, order special costumes, learn accompanying songs and vocal styling, and often work with folk musicians who will accompany them on authentic instruments at the competition. Some directors and dancers even go beyond dance and music and become immersed in the history and folk culture of the regions or islands selected. Accordingly, the additional benefits of education bear results in the final dance interpretations. Indeed, "FDF judges, some of the best authorities in Greek dance and ethnography in America," say the Hiatts who are responsible for organizing the judging each year, "have been known to comment that the performances by all age groups, and particularly by advanced seniors (young adults) compare favorably and sometimes surpass similar dance groups within Greece."

There are four divisions of dancers at FDF. Two are non-competing‹one for those under eight years of age, the other for those over age 21 who elect not to compete. The two competing divisions range in age from approximately eight to 30 and dance groups in each present two suites of dances over three days of competition to panels of judges who rate them on orientation/staging, ethnicity, style, precision, kefi, costuming and overall degree of difficulty. The judges¹ scores are tallied and analyzed by computer software specially designed for the competition. There are many categories and opportunities to win or be recognized. Medals (first through fourth) are awarded to different age classifications in each division‹from primary to advanced senior‹and for other categories such as costumes, choral, musical instruments, and special achievement. Two grand awards‹Sweepstakes‹are conferred on the best overall group in each division. Sweepstakes winners are asked to return to FDF the following year and bring back a special presentation to the competition‹something totally new and not previously showcased. FDF also confers many humanitarian and special awards at the annual Sunday evening awards banquet where His Grace, dancers, parents, directors, council members and many loyal FDF followers gather to celebrate their remarkable heritage."

FDF also has programs and services that go beyond the Festival competition," notes Charlie Kyriacou, a long-time FDF veteran and Operations Officer of the FDF Board of Trustees who is responsible for development and administration of educational programs. "Since 1990 we have also sponsored symposia. These are folk dance weekends where dancers and directors come together and share their enthusiasm for their culture and learn new dance material from qualified dance instructors." Featured are workshops on dance, instruments, costume and songs. Kyriacou adds that one of his personal goals has been the creation of the FDF Resource Center where participants can purchase books, records, CDs, videos and other material on the entire folk dance spectrum as well as history of Greek folk culture. "In addition to these activities," Kyriacou adds, "FDF also offers dance scholarships for study in Greece to qualified directors who have participated in past Festivals."

"Beyond dance FDF serves young people and the community in many ways." Preovolos adds. "The Festival is a vehicle for learning business and money management skills," he says, referring to youthful FDF Council members who get a chance to learn to plan their own Festival each year. "FDF is also a way to bring members of the opposite sex together, providing sources of future marriage partners. It is a way to preserve our heritage, to rejuvenate our identity, to strengthen the Church, to give to the community and to inspire others, and finally to add meaning to life." "Moreover," comments Pepares, "the FDF competition has been a catalyst in elevating the overall quality of Greek dance performance in America. Being an educator myself, I feel we are extremely blessed to have in our possession a magnificent mousetrap."

A lot has happened since 1975. FDF is well into its second generation: There are FDF dancers who met through the Festival, got married and now have their own children participating in the competition. On its twenty-first birthday, the Festival is poised to move forward with its mission. During a trip to Greece last summer, His Grace Bishop Anthony, Preovolos and Pepares met with the Ministry of Culture to discuss the creation of a college program in Athens where FDF directors could earn academic credentials in dance, ethnography, anthropology, history, etc. (A proposal for curriculum development is in the works currently, spearheaded by Pepares.) His Grace and Preovolos also met with His All Holiness Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople and Ecumenical Patriarch, to brief him on FDF activities and to extend an invitation to a young group of Constantinople artisans to attend a future competition.

For its Festival this year FDF is bringing two groups from abroad, a Pontian dance troupe from Thessaloniki, and a troupe from Cyprus. Also planning to attend are George Melikis, renowned Greek ethnographer, and Lefteris Drandakis, artistic director of the Lykeion Ellinidon of Athens. "But more than programs and visitors from Greece," says Preovolos, "we want to expand our efforts at home. In the next year we plan to create the framework for a Festival which can serve as a model for other regions in the country," Preovolos elaborates, "and of course, we would like to create an endowment and build a museum for folk cultureŠ"

Judging by the enormous success FDF had during its first 21 years, it is entirely likely that all the devoted Trustees, Council Members, directors, dancers, parents and the Greek-American community at large will realize their dreams. Is there a cultural heritage more vibrant than Greece¹s? Just watch all those passionate dancers in Ontario, California and judge for yourself. For information about the Folk Dance Festival, or about this year¹s competition, call the FDF Hotline, 888-FDF-9701. You can also visit their Web page: www.Greece.org/FDF.

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