SNOPA Folkdance Weekends, Inc. is a MN nonprofit carrying on the tradition of midwinter folk dance workshop weekends, drawing people from the Upper Midwest and beyond for education, fun and community through participation in international folk dance and music.
SNOPA! International Folkdance Weekend 2026:
U Šest Side Story
Something’s coming, and we promise it will be pretty cool, cool, boy!
Welcome to SNOPA 2026! We are delighted to invite you to our annual international dance weekend on February 20-22, 2026, at Camp St. Croix in Hudson, WI!
This Twin Cities-sponsored weekend will again include dancing, teaching, music, singing, and connecting with old and new friends from across the midwest and beyond.
This year’s theme, U Šest Side Story, will set the stage for a jet-setting range of costumes for the Saturday evening party. Be prepared for a tough competition, as some of the participants are real sharks!
And that night, that night, won’t be like any night
for on Saturday night we are featuring the dynamic six-person international ensemble, Orkestar Bez Ime! https://orkestarbezime.com/
And, and, and… this year, we’ll have a Silent Auction and Sale Fundraiser all day Saturday. See below for information on items. Your donated items or services for the sale are welcome!
● Dance workshops featuring three terrific teachers (Dan Garvin, Paul Wagner, and Elena Momtcheva), with opportunities to cement your learning
● Dance party Friday evening, to recorded music
● Social hour/group sing/instrument jam on Saturday afternoon (see below for download information)
● Dance party Saturday evening featuring Orkestar Bez Ime; wear a theme-related or favorite folk dance outfit if you wish! Request dancing follows OBI, as late as you dare!
● A Silent Auction and Fundraising Sale all day Saturday
● Sunday dance reviews
● Meals and lodging
● And lots of singing, dancing, playing, and just general SNOPA silliness
For details on teachers, the schedule, what to bring, directions, etc., see the Details section below.
Attendance is by pre-registration only! See Fees below.
Registration deadline: Tuesday Feb 3, 2026
** Discount for registering by Tuesday Jan 20, 2025!
Register online (each person in a household/group must fill out separately)! HERE
Or, download the printable flier and form HERE
No email registrations! Please contact Terry McGibbon at hyebar@yahoo.com with questions.
Payment details HERE – pay online, or simply mail a check.
Please see the refund policy below.
Download the weekend dance syllabus HERE (not yet available - check back in late January). We’re asking people to print their own syllabi ahead of time.
And see all the weekend details below: schedule, what to bring, and more.
SNOPA Folkdance Weekends is now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization! Keeping SNOPA alive depends not just on your fees, but your donations, whether at a fundraiser, when registering, or during the weekend. Please also consider bringing items for the Silent Auction/Sale. (We are still putting together a list of items HERE – we’ll keep you posted! Questions? – please contact Jim Kiehne at kiehnejim@gmail.com ). Volunteers make SNOPA run. So, thanks also for your help during the weekend!
● A work scholarship of $150 is available. Contact Terry McGibbon, hyebar@yahoo.com or 651-639-9346 with questions and to apply.
● Full Weekend (food, 2 nights lodging, 6 meals, workshops, reviews, and dance parties): $255 on or before Jan. 20; $270 if after Jan. 20
● Saturday Only (lunch, dinner, workshops, Social Hour, dance party): $124
● Saturday Social (social hour, dinner, dance party): $28
● Saturday Party Only (can pay at the event): $16
● Combo package: music and review videos: $20; download (or your flash drive)
● T-shirts, Royal Blue with white design: $14 ($16 long-sleeve, cotton only) – AND/OR…
● Tote Bag – NEW this year; $18 ($20 during the weekend) – see both the tote bag and t-shirt designs HERE
Children are welcome as registered participants. (Parents must supervise their children's behavior. No youth activities are planned.)
We want to make SNOPA! as accessible as we can for dancers of all physical abilities. If you have questions or would like to request accommodations, please contact Terry McGibbon, hyebar@yahoo.com or 651-639-9346, by January 10, 2025.
Our teachers this year will be Elena Momtcheva, Dan Garvin and Paul Wagner
Elena Momtcheva was born and raised in Sliven, a town nestled in the historic Northern Thrace region of Bulgaria. She grew up in a family of musicians, singers, and dancers, where she discovered a deep love for the cultural traditions of her homeland. Following this passion, Elena danced with the local ensemble in her hometown and performed at cultural events and festivals across the country, captivating audiences with the artistry and spirit of Bulgarian folklore.
Since 2011, Elena has been sharing this heritage in the United States, teaching Bulgarian folk dance to children and adults at the Bulgarian School of Minnesota. As both an educator and cultural ambassador, she is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the vibrant rhythms, steps, and stories of Bulgarian tradition. Through her teaching, Elena not only keeps these customs alive for future generations but also creates meaningful connections that unite people through the universal language of music and dance.
Dan Garvin has been involved in folkdancing for over 47 years. He started when he was attending the University of Wisconsin in Madison, including performing with Madison Folkdance Ensemble. He then danced for 10 years in NJ and NY. He was on the dance committee of the folkdance group at Earle Hall at Columbia University in New York City. He moved to the Twin Cities in 1991 and has been active with Tapestry Folkdance Center in Minneapolis as a teacher, programmer and organizer of their annual Fall International Folkdance weekend. He has taught many times at SNOPA! He has also taught at Door County Folk Festival and Madison Folk Ball as well as workshops in Appleton (WI), Omaha (NE), Indianapolis (IN) and Halifax (Nova Scotia). He is a member of Tri Bratovchedki, a Balkan/Eastern European singing trio based in Madison.
Paul Wagner has been dancing for about fifty-two years and teaching for fifty of those years. Teaching folk dancing is a natural extension of folk dancing for him - he enjoys the passing on of dances learned and the opportunity to learn more about dancing that teaching brings. He started folk dancing at Folklore Village in the early 1970's, danced for about 7 years with the Madison group, and then moved to Eau Claire. He’s been a teacher and leader in the Eau Claire International Folk Dancers since 1979 when the group started, was part of the Eau Claire performing group Bistra Voda, and played keyboards in the Bistra Voda band. Paul has danced in Bulgaria, Croatia, Turkey, Norway and New Zealand, and has led workshops in various places around the Midwest as well as in New Zealand.
FRIDAY(2/20)
● 5:30pm Registration opens
● 6:00-6:30pm Dinner and socializing
● 7:30pm Request dancing to recorded music
SATURDAY(2/21)
● 8:00 Breakfast
● Silent Auction & Sale all day; lower level of Weyerhauser
● 8:45 Warm-ups, Joan Guilfoyle
● 9:00-10:30 Session 1
● 10:30-12:00 Session 2
● 12:00 Lunch
● 12:45 Warmups, Joan Guilfoyle
● 1:00-2:30 Session 3
● 2:30-4:00 Open time
● 4:00-5:30 Social hour/Singing session/Instrument jam (links to jam sheet music and singing lyrics will be provided later – stay tuned!)
● 5:30 Dinner
● 6:15 Rest up and prepare for party
● 7:15 Parade to party
● 7:30 Dance party with OBI, followed by request dancing
SUNDAY(2/22)
● 8:00 Breakfast
● Out of cabins by ???
● 8:45 Warmups, Joan Guilfoyle
● 9:00-12:00 Review sessions
● 12:00 Lunch
● 1:00 Clean up and check out
All of our main meals, including Friday night, will be supplied by the Camp St. Croix staff. If you have special food needs, please indicate them on the registration form. (Please make sure to make your food requests ahead of time. We want you to be comfortable and satisfied and can only do that if the staff knows your preferences before camp begins.)
We won’t have exclusive use of the camp, so mealtimes are non-negotiable and we cannot “hold” your food. If you can’t make a meal for whatever reason, Camp St. Croix is quite close to downtown Hudson, WI, and its array of stores and restaurants. Please note that any food you bring to camp must be stored in mouse-proof containers (not because there is a mouse problem, but to ensure that there is not).
Sleeping accommodations are in bunk houses that generally hold 3-5 people per room. We will try to assign a maximum of 2 per room if possible. Depending on attendance, we may need to make use of some upper bunks, so please note your preferences on the registration form. Bunk houses have some inside bathrooms with additional bath houses nearby for the brave or impatient. One of the dorms will probably have some late-night gathering with attendant noise kept to a minimum.
● There is no linen package option, so bring bedding, pillow, towels, blanket or sleeping bag sufficient for a twin sized bed in a heated cabin in the Upper Midwest in February. (Just sayin’.)
● Comfortable shoes for dancing
● Easy-on/off outdoor shoes
● Favorite mp3s for parties
● Snowshoes or skis if you and the weather are so inclined
● Flashlight or headlamp
● Reading light (lighting is sufficient for finding your bed, but not for the fine print)
● Snacks and beverages of choice for potluck social hour and breaks
● Your favorite musical instrument, if you are inclined to jam with others
See the maps and information under the web page tab About Camp
Please recognize that SNOPA is organized by a small group of volunteers and any cancellations may affect the event's viability. Our goal is to keep fees low, but remain financially sound. If after registering you find that you are unable to attend, your reservation may be transferred to another individual. That option would be preferred - pay it forward, and share the love. Please contact Terry McGibbon, hyebar@yahoo.com or 651-639-9346, about transfers or cancellations.
● Cancellations within 24 hours of registering (but before February 3, 2025) will receive a full refund.
● Cancellations prior to 5pm, January 20, 2025 will receive a full refund less a $15 processing fee.
● Cancellations after 5pm, January 20, 2025 are potentially subject to cancellation fees amounting to $155 for full weekend reservations and $75 for Saturday-only reservations.
If you believe extenuating circumstances force you to cancel after those dates, the SNOPA Finance Committee will consider those requests on a case-by-case basis.
We look forward to getting your registration. Once you’re registered and paid up, you’ll be set! And remember, when you’re set…
