35th Folk Ball Festival 

Live and in person

 January 24-26, 2025

Memorial Union

800 Langdon St  53715


Folk Ball 2026 will be January 23-25, 2026

Pre-Registration is closed.  Please Register at the info table.

Online dinner reservations are now closed, but a limited number of dinners are still available. If you'd like to purchase a meal ticket at Folk Ball, please visit the information table upon arrival. Meals will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. If meals sell out, you’ll also have the opportunity to put your name on a waitlist.

Also connect with us on Facebook.

Send inquires to info@madfolkball.org or call (608) 571-4389.

 

Featured Teacher Creature is Balkan dance instructor and musician Michael Ginsburg.

Michael was featured teacher at the 2020 Folk Ball.

  

FRIDAY DANCE PARTY: 7:30-Midnight in Great Hall

  DB Polka Express, Orkestar Sloboda, Yid Vicious Klezmer Ensemble


WORKSHOPS – Saturday, January 25


10:00am-12:00n BALKAN DANCE WORKSHOP, Great Hall 

  Michael Ginsburg

12:00n-1:00pm BROWN BAG TALK, Old Madison Room 

  John Uhlemann, Intrepid Music Adventurer (interview & sound samples)

1:00-3:00pm BALKAN AND CARPATHIAN DANCE, Great Hall

  Music by Szaszka, teach/lead Dan Talmo & Paula White

1:00-3:00pm RUEDA DANCE WORKSHOP, Festival Room

  Cuban called-figure genre.

1:15-3:00pm BULGARIAN SINGING, Old Madison Room 

  Donka Koleva - vocalist of Bulgarika, Cherven Traktor

3:00-5:00pm BALKAN DANCE WORKSHOP, Great Hall

  Michael Ginsburg

3:00-5:00pm TANCHAZ, Festival Room 

  Music by Szaszka, teach/lead Dan Talmo & Paula White

3:00-5:00pm DANCE WORKSHOP "Folk Ball 101", Old Madison Room

  Quickstart intro to line dances with Michael Kuharski

 

FOLK BALL DINNER – 5:00-7:00 Saturday, January 25 in Tripp Commons

Online dinner reservations are now closed, but a limited number of dinners are still available. If you'd like to purchase a meal ticket at Folk Ball, please visit the information table upon arrival. Meals will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. If meals sell out, you’ll also have the opportunity to put your name on a waitlist.

   $15 per person.

Grilled chicken breast, wooded mushroom sauce, roasted potatoes, seasonal vegetables.

Cheese ravioli, tomato vodka sauce, seasonal vegetables.

   Advance reservation required via Festival pre-registation

   Atmospheric Bulgarian na trapeza music by Nikolay Kolev at the end.


THE LEGENDARY FOLK BALL DANCE PARTY: 7:00-Midnight in Great Hall

  Orkestar Bez Ime, Cherven Traktor, Black Bear Combo, Izvor Orchestra


BALKAN DANCE REVIEW:

  10:30-noon SUNDAY in Festival Room - Michael Ginsburg

Folk Ball is funded entirely by your generous donations.  Come and go freely, but please give as you can.  Help keep this an open celebration for everyone!  Make one full-weekend donation or give at each event you attend.  We suggest the following levels:


Full weekend             $ 125.00

Evening parties         $ 30.00 each

Workshops                $ 20.00 each

Brown Bag talk         $ 10.00


The Information Table in Great Hall will accept accept cash, checks, or credit cards.  Checks can be made out to the Madison Folk Dance Club, or for a tax deduction, the Wisconsin Folk Arts Association.  Thank you!

Audio Engineering by Lonya Nenashev of Red Square Audio

 

SPONSORSHIP & SUPPORT

Organization:  Wisconsin Folk Arts Association

                      Madison Folk Dance Club

Academic:   UW Center for Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures

Financial:     Nancy Yugo Memorial Fund

Promotion: WORT 89.9 Community-Sponsored Radio