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About Us
Balfolk is a revival of traditional European folk dances – both partner and group dances – that focuses on making these dances accessible to as wide a range of participants as possible.
What is Balfolk?
Balfolk is a revival of traditional European folk dances – both partner and group dances – that focuses on making these dances accessible to as wide a range of participants as possible.
Dances are simplified and re-imagined with contemporary musical sensibilities and the experiential and participatory dimension is prioritized over performance of complex choreographies.
Simple repeating patterns encourage the participation in inclusive group dances and basic structures become the basis for improvisation and individual creativity thus encouraging conversations about tradition, freedom and innovation.
Meet our Team!
Director
Michael Parmenter
Michael Parmenter (Balfolk Auckland) has a long background in contemporary dance, having choreographed over 50 significant works for his own and other major companies.
He has developed the Partner Improvisation technique Piloting/TACTICS, has been dancing tango for 15 years and has recently been researching partner-dance history and promoting Balfolk dance in New Zealand.
He was the 2022 Caroline Plummer Fellow in Community Dance at the University of Otago.
Director
Kate Grace
Kate Grace (Balfolk Dunedin) hails originally from France where her early encounters with dance included African dance and Contact Improvisation.
Upon moving to New Zealand in 1995 she taught African dance and drumming in Dunedin.
During a three year visit to France from 2005 she reconnected with dancers and musicians interested in the folk revival and upon returning to Dunedin, she ran classes teaching traditional French and European dances as well as historical dances from various time periods.
She has organised several French bals and Jane Austen Regency balls.
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