The Fayetteville International Folk Dancers

FIFD was founded in April of 1978 and, in the early days, we became affiliated with the University of Arkansas as a student activity group. As such, we were able to meet at campus locations such as the Greek Theatre, Old Main and Carnall Hall. The group has since evolved into a weekly recreational dance group meeting at the Mt. Comfort Presbyterian Church on Mt. Comfort Road in Fayetteville, AR.

In the years following its inception, the group has gathered a collection of more than 1,000 dance recordings representing over 50 countries and regions in the world. The repertoire includes a combination of personal dance collections and materials learned at workshops and dance camps. These workshops are taught by both world-renowned instructors from the U.S., who have traveled and studied extensively in their country or countries of interest, and instructors from the actual countries whose dances they share, often having been featured performers in their state-sponsored dance ensembles.

FIFD’s instructors have attended workshops in the dances of Bulgaria, Hungary, Scotland, Macedonia, Turkey, Israel, Armenia, Mexico and others. These camps can last anywhere from a day to a week and are a great way to receive expert instruction and meet dancers from across the United States and the world. We encourage all of our members to attend any in which they may be interested.

1. Come early and often. The easiest dances are taught early in the evening and what really counts is muscle memory – doing the same movements over and over again.
2. If you really enjoy a dance, learn its name, then you can request it again in the following weeks.
3. If an experienced dancer says they can “talk you through it” – they can! Just join the line or circle and begin.
4. If a dance is not being taught, it can often be learned from behind the line. It is a tried and true method. If you get in a circle and look across to the other side to see what to do, you’ll be watching a reversed image – confusing!
5. Don’t be intimidated by speed or stamps. A fast dance is often easier than it looks.
6. Don’t forget to have fun!