Dayton, Ohio

MVFD History

The Miami Valley Folk Dancers was formed from a City of Dayton sponsored folk dance class that started in 1952. It has been a wonderful, fun ride ever since. Here is a historical view of the club.

History article written 6/21/97 for our 45th Anniversary
Timeline of Events BEFORE MVFD
MVFD Historical Timeline
MVFD Past Weekend Workshops
MVFD Past Honor Roll Dancers

Archive of the Miami Valley Folk Dancers - if you want to do your own research about MVFD, this is the place to go

Events Leading up to the formation of the Miami Valley Folk Dancers
(Compiled from articles by Grace Wolff, Ken Steed, notes from Lou Hyll's interviews with Michael Solomon, Miami Valley Dance Council Archives)

*Date*		*Event*
1903		Michael Solomon born in Beirut, Lebanon
1929		Michael Solomon becomes journalist and clerical worker for City of Dayton Recreation Department
?		Michael Solomon becomes Director of Special Activities for City of Dayton Recreation Department
		Michael Solomon becomes interested in recreational activities including dancing in the late WWII years as a result of programs at the YMCA
late 40’s		Michael Solomon attends many local square dance halls
1947		Michael Solomon introduced to international folk dancing by new neighbors (Miriam Robinson) from CA
1947		Michael Solomon discovers Lloyd Shaw’s Cowboy Dances book on trip to New Mexico
1947		Dayton Folk Dance Club Formed
1950	Feb	Michael Solomon teaches first city sponsored dance class for group leaders
1950	Apr	Michael Solomon teaches first city sponsored square dance class
1950	late	Dayton Square Dance Club formed from city sponsored square dance class
1952		Michael Solomon teaches first city sponsored round dance class
1952		Dayton Round Dance Club formed from city sponsored class

Miami Valley Folk Dancers - Historical Timeline
(Compiled from MVFD Secretary Notes, articles by Grace Wolff, Ken Steed, notes from Lou Hyll's interviews with Michael Solomon, Miami Valley Dance Council Archives)

*Date*		*Event*	*Instructor*
1952		Miami Valley Folk Dance Club Formed from city sponsored class
		First leader was Michael Solomon
		Danced at ?Winter at Burkhardt Center ?Summer at M.S. Pavilion
		Membership fee $1.00/month, non-members .50/session
		Original Schedule: ??? Thursday: 7-9 program, 9-9:30 teaching, 9:30 - 10 program, 10-11 requests 2nd Sunday: 2:30 - 7 teaching with ethnic theme
		Charter Members: Grace Wolff, ?John & Adele Nellis ?Kaye Merrill ?Ken & Jewel Steed ?Frank & Madge Hart
		What was the relationship between MVFD and Dayton Folk Dancers?
1953	Oct	First Workshop - International sponsored by the City not the club	Vyts Beliajus
1954		Grace Wolff becomes leader of club
1954	Mar	International Workshop sponsored by the City not the club	Jane Farwell
1955	Feb	Miami Valley Dance Council is formed with MVFD as charter member
1955	Mar	Scottish & Irish Workshop	John Williams, Maire McGranahan
1955	Oct	International Workshop	Jane Farwell
1956	Jan	Scottish Workshop	Lillian Ross
1956	Apr	Balkan Workshop	Dick Crum
1957	Jan	Earliest edition of Rules and Regulations?
1957	Mar	German Workshop	The Dunsings
1957	Oct	Last Night I Dreamed We Were In Dayton, International Workshop	David Rosenberg, Nancy Kane
1957-1961		Open Dayton Art Institute winter Sunday Music Series each year
1958	Feb	Scottish Workshop	Bruce McClure
1958	Oct	Balkan Workshop	Dick Crum
1959	Jan	Scottish Workshop	Bobby Watson
1959	Apr	English Workshop	Phil Merrill
1959	Dec	International Workshop	Jane Farwell
1960	Mar	International Workshop	Mary Ann Herman
1960	Dec	Ye Old Contra Workshop	Ralph Page
1961	Nov	Scottish Bill Wolff negotiates saving of M.S. Pavilion from demolition	Mary Branigan
1962	Mar	Balkan Workshop	Dick Crum
1963	Feb	German Workshop	The Dunsings
1963	Fall	First Tri-City Workshop held in Cincinnati
1963	Nov	International Workshop M.S. Pavilion renovated and winterized	Jerry Joris Lindsay
1964	Jan	International Workshop	Jane Farwell
1964	Fall	Tri-City Workshop hosted by Dayton (MVFD) for first time
1964	Nov	Michael Solomon Pavilion dedicated
1964	Nov	Contra Workshop Club moves to M.S. Pavilion for whole year, permanently	Ralph Page
1965	Mar	Scottish Workshop with music by Stan Hamilton & the Clansmen	Iain MacFarland
1965	Nov	Polish Workshop	Jan Sejda
1966	Feb	International Workshop	Jane Farwell
1966		Present Duquesne University Tamburitzans concert; Mary Wolff, daughter of Grace Wolff, was a member
1966	Nov	Balkan Workshop	Dick Crum
1967	Feb	Scandinavian Workshop	Gordon Tracie
1967		Present Duquesne University Tamburitzans concert; Mary Wolff, daughter of Grace Wolff, was a member
1967		Grace Wolff resigns as leader of club to devote more time to her career as a nurse
1967		Host Tri-City
1968		Thursday evening programs now led by a different member each week.
1968	Oct	English, Danish Workshop	M.G. "Kars" Karsner
1970	Apr	International Workshop	Mary Ann Herman
1970	Oct	German Workshop	Paul & Gretel Dunsing
1971		Host Tri-City
1971	Oct	International Workshop	Vyts Beliajus
1972	Mar	Scottish Workshop	"Nora" Kindness
1972		Balkan Workshop	David Henry
1973	Jan	Method of Operations Guidelines updated
1973	Nov	Israeli Workshop	Ya’akov Eden
early 70’s		Thursday Beginners Class from 7-8 started
1974	Spr	Host Tri-City
1975	Feb	International Workshop	Mae Fraley
1975	May	English Workshop	Sibyl Clark
1975	Nov	International Workshop	M. G. Karsner
1976	Feb	Colonial Dance Workshop	James Morrison
1976	Nov	Balkan Workshop	George Tomov
1977		Rules and Regulations updated from ????
1977	Spr	Host Tri-City
1977	May	International Workshop	Jane Farwell
1977	Fall	Hungarian Workshop	Andor Czompo
1978	Apr	Greek Workshop	David Henry
1978	Nov	Scottish Workshop	C. Stewart Smith
1979	Apr	Israeli Workshop	Ya’akov Eden
1979	Nov	International Workshop	Mary Ann Herman
1980	Mar	French-Canadian Workshop	Yves Moreau
1980	Spr	Host Tri-City
1980		International Workshop	Toni Francis
1981		Rules and Regulations updated from 1977
1981		Dance Listings computerized for the first time
1981	Mar	Balkan Workshop	Dennis Boxell
1981	Aug	Member Leslie Kay Hyll receives scholarship to Kentucky Dance Institute (one week camp)
1981	Nov	International Workshop	Bea Montross
1982		Changed format of Thursday evenings from requests after 10 pm to requests throughout the evening
1982		Macedonian Mini-Workshop	Pece Atanasovski
1982	Apr	Italian Workshop	Mae Fraley
1982	Sept	Armenian Workshop	Tom Bozigian
1983		Host Tri-City at Camp Kern
1983	Apr	English Country Dance Workshop	John Owen, Allison Thompson
1983	Sept	Romanian Workshop	James M. Roncevic
1984		Program Committee members become responsible for closing Pavilion each Thursday
1984		Party to honor Michael Solomon
1984	May	Bavarian-Austrian Workshop	Morry & Nancy Gelman
1984		Club decides to only do 1 weekend workshop a year instead of 2.
1985	Jan	Bill and Grace Wolff named 1985 MVFD Honor Roll Couple and 1985 Miami Valley Dance Council Honor Roll Couple
1985	Feb	Russian Mini-Workshop	Alexandru David
1985	Mar	Michael Solomon dies
1985	Jul	Turkish/Azerbaizhani Mini-Workshop	Ercument Kilic
1985	Sept	Contra Mini-Workshop	Jerry Helt
1985	Nov	Bulgarian Workshop	Yves Moreau
1985		Club buys first variable speed tape player
1986	Mar	Host Tri-City
1986	Apr	North German Mini-Workshop	Wilfried Knorr
1986	May	Romanian Mini-Workshop	Nicholas Hilferink
1986	Aug	Turkish Mini-Workshop	Ercument Kilic
1986	Oct	Welcome Back Day for old members
1986	Nov	Israeli Workshop	Ya’akov Eden
1987	Nov	35th Anniversary International Workshop	Jane Farwell, Dick Crum
1988	Jan	Frank and Madge Hart named 1988 MVFD Honor Roll Couple
1988		Celebrate 40th Anniversary of Israel
1988	Nov	English Country Dance Workshop live music by Ten-Strike	Genny Shimer
1989	Jan	Sam and Ann Ballinger named 1989 MVFD Honor Roll Couple
1989	Mar	Irish Mini-Workshop	Ann Richens
1989	Apr	Host Tri-City
1989	Apr	Soviet Spring dance co-sponsored by Crosscurrents International Institute
1989	Oct	20th Anniversary of Waynesville Sauerkraut Festival and MVFD performing at it
1989	Nov	Hungarian Workshop	Andor Czompo
1990	Jan	Adele and John (posthumously) Nellis named 1990 MFVD Honor Roll Couple
1990	Jan	Scandinavian Mini-Workshop	Roo Lester
1990		Rules & Regulations updated from 1981
1990	Jul	Greek Workshop	John S. Pappas of CA
1990		Slovenian Mini-Workshop co-sponsored by Yugoslav Club	Keith Atteck
1990		Club Mailing list computerized for the first time
1991		Rules & Regulations and Method of Operations updated from 1981
1991	Jan	Charles and Zora Krainz named 1991 MVFD Honor Roll Couple
1991	May	80th Birthday Party for Grace Wolff including performance by Zivio!	Bob Howell
1991	Nov	Scottish Workshop	Vickie Goodloe
1992		Method of Operations updated from 1990
1992	Jan	Ann and Sam Ballinger named 1992 MVFD Honor Roll Couple and 1992 Miami Valley Dance Council Honor Roll Couple
1992	Feb	Mini-Workshop and Community Dance co-sponsored by Kettering Division of Parks, Dayton’s Community Dance Partners, Wright State University Artist Series	Aman Folk Ensemble (Barry Glass)
1992	Feb	Bulgarian Workshop	Petur Iliev
1992	Spr	Host Tri-City
1992	Oct	Croatian Mini-Workshop co-sponsored by Yugoslav Club	Keith Atteck
1992	Nov	40th Anniversary Balkan Workshop including Costume Fashion Show	Dick Crum
1993	Jan	Jewel and Kenneth (posthumously) Steed named 1993 MVFD Honor Roll Couple
1993	Feb	African Mini-Workshop co-sponsored by Cityfolk	Muntu African Dance Theatre of Chicago
1993	May	Beginner Classes with Rhythm-in-Shoes co-sponsored by Cityfolk	Sharon Leahy
1993	Nov	Polish Workshop	Ada Dziewanowska
1994	Jan	John and Carole Pappas named 1994 MVFD Honor Roll Couple
1994	Feb	World Champion Irish Step-Dancer visits and performs	John Timm
1994	Mar	International Mini-Workshop co-sponsored by Dayton’s Community Dance Partners, Wright State University Artist Series	Aman Folk Ensemble (Istvan Szabo, Rosina Didyk)
1994	Nov	Romanian Workshop	Nicholas Hilferink
1995	Jan	Adele Nellis named 1995 MVFD Honor Roll Dancer
1995	Mar	Romanian & Russian Mini-Workshop	Mihai David
1995	Apr	Host 32nd Tri-City
1995	Sept	French Music & Dance Workshop, co-sponsored by Cityfolk, Le Club Francais, Dayton Dance Partners	Ad Vielle Que Pourra Marilyn Smith Wathen Benoit Bourque
1996	Jan	Charles Castellano named 1996 MVFD Honor Roll Dancer
1996	July	International and Dutch Mini-Workshop	Wim Bekooy
1996	Sum	Leslie Hyll creates the first World Wide Web Page for MVFD.
1996	Oct	International Mini-Workshop	Sandy Starkman
1996	Oct	Bicentennial Ball to celebrate the Bicentennial of Dayton	Lou Hyll Iolian Consort (band)
1996	Nov	Israeli Folk Dance Workshop	Sheila Sharpe
1997	Jan	Louis & Nancy Hyll named 1997 MVFD Honor Roll Dancers
1997	Jan	After 44 years, the club raises its dues and guest fees for the first time, in response to rising Pavilion rental costs and losses on 1996 events. New rates: membership - $2.00/month; guests - $1.00 each visit
1997	Jan	Method of Operations and Rules and Regulations updated from 1981
1997	July	Ethnic Sunday hours change to 2:15 - 6:00 pm (dinner at 5:00 pm) to avoid paying additional rent fees on those days
1997	Nov	45th Anniversary International Workshop	Wim Bekooy
1998	Jan	Club raises dues and guest fees again. New rates: membership - $2.50/month; guests - $1.50 each visit
1998	Jan	Dot Santi named 1998 MVFD Honor Roll Dancer
1998	Mar	Host 35th Tri-City Tri-City clubs decide that Dayton will host future Tri-Cities and the emphasis will be on dancing instead of teaching.
1998	Oct	Member Eddie Cordray becomes Chair of the Michael Solomon Support Committee
1999	Jan	Carolyn Stovall named 1999 MVFD Honor Roll Dancer
1999	Apr	Host 36th Tri-City Folk Dance Festival	Mixed Bag (band)
1999	Jul	Dancing with live music!	Dona Hyll, Marnie Squire, Mary ?
1999	Aug	Rebirth of the Folk Dance Picnic, Delco Park
1999	Oct	German and Swiss Dance Workshop Honoring Sam and Ann Ballinger	Karin Gottier
2000	Jan	Leslie Hyll and Eddie Cordray named 2000 MVFD Honor Roll Dancers
2000	Mar	Host 37th Tri-City Folk Dance Festival	Mixed Bag (band)
2000	Aug	Folk Dance Picnic, Possum Creek MetroPark
2000	Nov	Macedonian Folk Dance Workshop	Larry Weiner, Hajde
2001	Jan	Joanne Dombrowski named 2001 MVFD Honor Roll Dancer
2001	Mar	38th Tri-City Folk Dance Festival - groups decided to continue holding Tri-City in Dayton	Mixed Bag
2001	Apr	French-Canadian Mini Workhshop & Dance, co-sponsored by Cityfolk	Benoit Bourque, Matapat
2001	May	MVFD has its own dance hall at the 2001 Buckeye Dance Convention at the Dayton Convention Center, sponsored by the Miami Valley Dance Council
2001	Jun	College Graduation Party for Ed Cordray	Vatra Ziva
2001	Jul	Grace Wolff throws herself a 90th Birthday Party - Grace was the first lead of MVFD
2001	Aug	Folk Dance Picnic, Delco Park
2001	Sep	Israeli Folk Dance Workshop	Ya'akov Eden
2001	Oct	MVFD Co-sponsors Cityfolk Dance Parties at Pavilion prior to Cifyfolk becoming a member of the Miami Valley Dance Council
2002	Jan	Winter Tea Dance (Scottish) co-sponsored with the Flying Ghillies	Maxwell Tuse
2002	Jan	Carole and John Pappas named named 2002 MVFD Honor Roll Dancers
2002	Mar	In Scandinavian tradition, Harry Khamis throws himself a 50th Birthday Party
2002	Jun	Greek Mini-Workshop	Joe Graziosi
2002	Jul	College Graduation Party for Patty Gehring
2002	Aug	Folk Dance Picnic, Delco Park
2002	Nov	39th Tri-City Folk Dance Festival - Kicks off MVFD's 50th year of dancing! Cincinnati Folk Dancers and Columbus Folk Dancers are also turning 50!	Nicolass Hilferink, Mixed Bag

Dates unknown:

Chalkboard purchased for request dances and teaching (70’s)

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