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EnglishWhich International Folk Traditions Does the Westwind International Folk Ensemble Perform?
Updated
Westwind International Folk Ensemble performs repertoire drawn from Bulgaria, Canada, Hungary, Macedonia, and Mexico, according to the traditions listed on its website. Each tradition is presented as a named suite or dance with its own regional source, and the site organizes the repertoire by country so visitors can see both the specific pieces and where they come from. The descriptions below reflect what the site documents; they are not a complete performance calendar or booking list.
How the repertoire is organized
The site groups material by country heading, and within each country it names individual dances or suites. Each entry typically identifies:
- The region or community the dance comes from
- Who taught, staged, or arranged it for Westwind
- Any costume or music source noted alongside the dance
This structure makes the site useful for understanding the ensemble's range rather than for checking upcoming shows, since no schedule or pricing information appears in the available material.
Bulgaria
The Bulgarian repertoire is the most detailed on the site and includes several distinct pieces:
| Piece | Region / source | Notes from the site |
|---|---|---|
| Women's Cetvorno | Sop region, Western Bulgaria | Fast, intricate steps in a complex rhythm; suite and Sop costumes purchased from Dennis Boxell |
| КУКЛИ (Doll Dance) | Based on Margarita Dikova's "Kukli" | Taught by Dennis Boxell; follows the Philip Koutev Bulgarian National Folk Ensemble version; four dolls danced to a gadulka player |
| Sop Suite | Sop region | Purchased with costumes from Dennis Boxell |
| Thracian Suite | Stara Zagora region, Thrace | Women's songs open it; men dance Cestoto, then a Rucenitsa; taught by Dick Crum, staged by Marcus Moskoff and Allen Nixon, arranged by Marcus Moskoff |
The Doll Dance description is the most narrative: two female dolls quarrel over a Major Domo, and a shepherd doll enters with his kaval to calm them.
Canada
The French Canadian Suite draws on Irish, Scottish, English, French, and Native Canadian traditions. From the Montreal and Saint Lawrence regions, the site lists a solemn Native Canadian clog dance, French children's game dances, a broom dance, and a waltz clog described as the predecessor to the American tap dance time-step. The suite was presented to Westwind by Dennis Boxell.
Hungary
The Hungarian Suite combines what the site calls haunting folk melodies with spirited dances, using women's material collected from the Palóc and Szatmár regions. The Szatmár material was choreographed by Csaba Pálfi, the Palóc karikázó was collected from Andor Czompo, and the suite was staged by Marianne Blackshere.
Macedonia
The Macedonian entry covers Rugovo, a tradition retained by the Albanian minority living in Macedonia. The site notes that this community preserves many national customs and folk traditions, with Rugovo given as an example.
Mexico
Mexico appears as a country heading in the site's navigation, alongside the four traditions above. The available excerpt does not include the Mexican repertoire details, so specific dances or suites for Mexico are not documented here.
What this means if you are deciding whether to look further
If you want to know whether Westwind covers a particular tradition, the country headings give a quick answer for Bulgaria, Canada, Hungary, Macedonia, and Mexico. If you need the exact dances, music sources, or choreographers, the Bulgarian and Hungarian entries are the most fully described, while the Mexican section requires checking the site directly. The recurring credit to Dennis Boxell across Bulgarian and Canadian material, and to Dick Crum, Marcus Moskoff, and Allen Nixon for the Thracian Suite, shows the ensemble documents its sources rather than presenting unattributed arrangements.