In a small village of Kassandra, we have created "Once upon a time", with much artistic feeling and love for children and man, tradition, nature and life...
"Once upon a time...
Means holidays and relaxation! Entertainment and action! Daring and adventure! A live fairytale-like reality...
In a ravine where holly, myrtles, arbutuses rove their braches. At a place where nightingales compose their musical symphonies In a valley whose boundaries are set by pine clad mountainsides.
Near the unique natural spring of Kassandra "Patatlaka", where gurgling waters spring from the heart of the mountain...
...at a place with a climate that can be compared to no other. At New Skioni, located at the peninsula of Kassandra in the prefecture of Halkidiki, only 1 km from the northeastern part of the picturesque village. All tradition gathered in this valley which seems as if untouched by time; however you will discover that time here is never enough if you want to see everything.
With the initiative of Dimitra Papachristodoulou - Gogakou, educator by profession, who wanted to give sound principles to her children - pupils and dreamt of a live folklore workshop, we created "Once upon a time..." with much artistic feeling and love for children and man, tradition nature and life.
Children are approximately the same age, forming small groups with an older person us their team leader, stay in small modern houses.
Experienced educators and trainers have prepared special programs concerning entertainment, creative and athletic activities.
Special care to the health of children, offered 24 hours a day by a doctor or a nurse.
OUR AIMS
Because technology has made man arrogant and egocentric.
Because we think that environmental education does not work when man face environment authoritatively.
Because the "Nature-Animals-Man" triptych must retain a balance
Because man can never realize the fact that man and environment are interdependent by means of words but by experience and actions. This is the reason why we created "Once upon a time"
At its live folklore workshops you will see nature, man, animals in an interdependent harmonic and balanced relationship.
At "Once upon a time" you will see no dead exhibition areas.
You will experience live tradition, a fairytale-like reality, a game of tradition and life, of nature, man, animals, in as ideal relationship.
Contact :Mr.Arif Sönmez - turkei_iov@yahoo.com
Web sıte:www.gogakou.gr
The first international folklore danse festival under the name of “Cultural Mosaic”, in which more then 50 folk dance ensembles from Serbia , as well as all over the world will participate, will be held in Belgrade. International Festival organized by SUMADIJSKI OPANAK in Belgrade, Serbia.
Arrival August 1 afternoon, departure August 11 morning.
Programme :
Dancing from 9 to 12 AM and from 6 to 8 PM
Choreographer:Vladimir TANASIJEVIĆ
Artistic director of the Branko Krsmanović Ensemble and Boris DIMITROV, Balkanfolk Bulgaria, with Saša SMREKIĆ accordeonist, director of the traditional music orchestra Abrašević, Čačak
Music lessons: 2 hours in the morning 2 hours in the evening for violin, accordeon, gajda, kaval, tapan, frula (clarinet on demand).
Accommodation :
In the RUDNIK mountain resort situated about 95km from Belgrade in the village RUDNIK.
Full-board accommodation in 3 stars hotel Neda Zamid, full comfort.
Traditional SERBIAN cooking and home made specialities.
Afternoon and evening entertainment :
Afternoon will be free for swimming-pool, or for art-working in studio of weawing carpets and apron, painting technique from Byzantium period – icon painter studio, or for excursions.
Folklore nights with live music, songs and dance, meeting with a local folk group
Tours:
Three excursions: tour of the old village-museum mill, visit to the Oplenac – Church of st.George, mausoleum of the Karadjordjević dinasty, King Petar I, another visit to the traditional fair and famous brass band (trumpet) festival in Guca!
Climate:
During the summer hot days, in that part of year up to 35 C. Altitude of 520m induce very fresh and pleasant nights.
Mountain Rudnik is well known region in Serbia like
“ fresh and clean air spa”.
WELCOME TO SERBIA
In a region rich both in history and traditions. In the village of LEMOS near Prespa Lake (natural border between Albania, Fyrom/ex-Yu. Rep.of Macedonia,and Greece).
Alongside the native Macedonians, live Vlach, Pontic and Sarakatsani families, refugees from Asia Minor and Albanian immigrants. This mixture of ethnic cultures creates a uniquely rich and varied experience for the workshop participants at local festivities ("panegiria") and parties ("glendia"). Traditional dance in this part of Macedonia is still very ALIVE and we have many opportunities to join the residents of the neighbouring villages and share with them the happiness in dancing their OWN dances !
Program : all the facets of Greek dance and music are gathered with participationof teachers native from the region taught and respectful of their traditions : Macedonia, Epirus, Islands and Crete, Thraki, Pondos,Minor Asia, etc ...
Information :
Yannis Konstantinou - yankost@otenet.gr
mobile 0030 6 944 946 227
Maryse Fabre - maryse.fabre3@wanadoo.fr
mobile 0033 6 81 20 73 79
Participants: Folklore groups with main folk dance, music, singing.
Place of event: Poligiros and surrounding towns and villages.
The organizing committee will choose the groups that will participate in the festival. Groups that are interested in participating must send us photos, videos and information about the group. The submitted photo and video material are to the organizers free disposal.
Folklore market: All groups participating in the Festival must offer in various opportunities original and authentic products, like handcrafts, cassettes, compact discs for sale.