The International Dance Party was the first celebration organized by the Greater Victoria Folk Festival Society for the dance groups and cultural organizations that participated in our inaugural event on July 8 2018 to get to know each other “off stage.”
The Greater Victoria Folk Festival Society (GVFFS) was founded to produce a multicultural event called Folktoria, involving multiple dance and cultural organizations, to revive and improve upon the former Folk Festival, a 30-year long annual festival started in the 1970’s. It is also an extension of the Canada 150 celebrations of 2017.
It is a day for everyone to come together for one day a year, and share one’s culture with the community. We aim to promote the cultures these groups and organizations represent and involve youth by keeping the cultural dances alive. We explore diversity through conversation, observation, and listening to each other’s perspectives.
GVFFS’s second annual event will be held on Saturday, June 8, 2019 from 12 pm-9 pm and Sunday, June 9, 2019 from 12 pm-8 pm. We are always looking for volunteers. Contact us here.
Founding Board of Directors for GVFFS: Daisy Breuer (Vice-President, Victoria Filipino Canadian Association Sampaguita Dance Group), Melvin Klaassen (Treasurer, Sons of Norway), Rosemary Garnet (Secretary, Morris Dancers),Sheila Blake (Director at Large, Founder – Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival) and Sonia Grewal (President, Founder, Shan-e-Punjab Dance Performing Arts and Heritage School),Lilia Peterson (Lilia’s Polynesian Dance Company)