Joanna Bonnell
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Dance experience:
Joanna started dancing in performing groups in 1963 with the Balkan Dancers
from the Balkan Village in Mountain View, Calif. This group grew and changed
their name to Balkanci. She danced with them until 1978, the year
before she started dancing with the Hellenic Dancers and the Greek
Village Dancers of the Monterey Peninsula.
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She has also taught international folk dancing at the Balkan Village, Zorba's
restaurant in San Jose, Kalisa's Restaurant in Monterey, and Asilomar,
and now helps out frequently with the Village Dancers.
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Favorite dances:
Tamsara and
Pentozali.
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Other Dance Forms:
Israelli
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Costume seen here:
The traditional bridal, or Karagouna, costume worn in the plains of
Thessaly has a chemise (the linomaniko poukamiso) edged with a thick
black fringe on the hem and sleeves. Two cotton dresses are worn over the
chemise, along with a short waistcoat (the yileki). The costume
includes a felt apron, and is accompanied by a great many ornaments. The
outfit worn here was made in Greece. |
Non-dance hobbies:
Clowning. |
Quote:
"Dancing has given me a passion for living life to the fullest." | |
Here, Joanna models the Amalia costume, created by Greece's first
queen, Queen Amalia (Skirt by Mary Jane Skopos)!
This costume is from north eastern Thrace and was worn in the Kavaki
region. A fellow dancer picked up parts of the costume in the 60's. The
chemise is the oldest part - almost 100 years old with delicate embroidery
showing the status of a woman. The apron is varied according to her age:
married or unmarried.
