Dick Oakes
Status: Semi-retired
Specialty: Balkan
Range: Balkan, International
   
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Dick Oakes
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   Dick, Elaine Mozygemba, Vyts - VILTIS Party 10/22/77
Dick Oakes, Elaine Mozygemba, Vyts Beliajus, VILTIS Party 22 Oct 1977 Dick Oakes folk danced a few times in 1955 at the International Folkdancers group in his hometown of Richland, Washington (he graduated High School in 1957), but it wasn't until several years later, in 1958, while in the U.S. Navy stationed in San Diego, California, that he really got "hooked." He danced in San Diego at Cabrillo Folk Dancers with Vivian Woll and at the San Diego Folkdancers (learning styles and teaching techniques from Louis & Nancy Denov), and did his first performing there with John Hancock's Dolina Cigany and Vyts Beliajus' Viltis Dancers.

[ Pamela Oakes Goff 2000 ] Following his honorable discharge from the Navy in December, 1960, he moved to Los Angeles, then the major center of folk dancing in the Southland, where he married and fathered a daughter, Pamela (photo, taken September 2000, at right).

In 1960, he received a scholarship to the Santa Barbara Folk Dance Conference. Later that year, he was asked to teach a Federation Workshop in Long Beach, which was the beginning of his folk dance teaching "career." He has also received the Elizabeth Sanders Scholarship, the Gandy Dancers Scholarship, Research and Standardization Committee Scholarship, and the Westwood Co-op Scholarship. He went on to teach Federation Institutes in Long Beach in 1961 and 1962, San Diego in 1964, Garden Grove in 1964, and Los Angeles in 1965.

The following is adapted from an Instruc-Tours brochure

"Dick Oakes is well known internationally as a folk dance instructor. He has taught in more than 75 cities in the United States and Canada and taught Balkan dances to hundreds of Chinese folk dancers in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and mainland China.

Dick's unique teaching style, humorous presentation, ability to accurately convey not only the steps but, more importantly, the style of many varied nationalities, and feeling for the learning process, made him a much sought after teacher for camps, workshops, seminars, and conferences.

Dick Oakes The sound movies and stereo slides he took in Bulgaria, Romania, and Yugoslavia are an entertaining source of folkloric research material--especially those of the Koprivštica Festival during Bulgaria's 1300th anniversary and Romania's Tismana Festival in 1981. Dick's dance notes, maps of various countries, folk dance songs, pronunciation guides, and teaching resources also are helpful tools.

As one of this country's fine folk dance performers, Dick has been seen on television in California, Colorado, and Oklahoma--at times directing his own groups for these shows. Dick appeared as a Greek dancer in the Hollywood film for television "Star Maker." He was a member of the Anthony Shay's Village Dancers and later a performer with Shay's famed AMAN Folk Ensemble, dancing in Croatian, Bulgarian, and Romanian suites. His list of performing credits includes such groups as Betyarok (Hungarian), Dolina Cygany (Polish, Russian, and Serbian), Gandy Dancers (Hungarian, Ukrainian, and Scandinavian), Gitmek Ensemble (Turkish), G.T.E.V. D'Isertal (Bavarian Schuhplattlers), G.T.E.V. D'Oberlandler (Bavarian Schuhplattlers), Kitka Ensemble (Bulgarian), Rocky Mountain Folk Ensemble (Bulgarian, Macedonian), Village Dancers (Persian), Viltis Dancers (Lithuanian), Storm Mountain Folk Dancers (Macedonian), and Westwind International Folk Ensemble (American).

Dick Oakes Dick Oakes 1979 He also has choreographed suites for Betyarok and the Gandy Dancers.

His other activities and accomplishments are numerous. Active in a leadership roll, Dick has held office in several folk dance groups, such as Treasurer of Dolina Cigany, Vice President of Westwood Co-op, and Treasurer of the Gandy Dancers, as well as in the Folk Dance Federation of California (South) as President (1987), Director of Extension (1965 and 1977) and Director of Membership (1986), Parliamentarian (1988), and chairperson of several committees, including Costume (1986), Directory (1977), Finance (1976), Nominating (1988), Special Publications (1986), and Standard Operating Procedures (1987, 1988). He was active on the Santa Barbara and San Diego State College Folk Dance Conference Committees, the Beginner Class Committee, the Beginner Festival Committee, the Costume Committee, and the Research and Standardization Committee of the Federation. Dick was the first editor of Folk Dance Scene, Southern California's folk dance news magazine and was a staff artist for the Viltis Folklore Magazine (he designed the 1964 cover page header and other graphics). He also edited the California Folk Dance Directory and the Rocky Mountain Folk Dance Directory. He wrote the chapter on Yugoslav folk dancing in the book from Doubleday, International Folk Dancing U.S.A., compiled by Betty Casey. Dick organized several folk dance functions and was co-director, with Diki Shields, of the successful Holiday Camp folk dance conference in the San Bernardino mountains of Southern California. (In 1984, Dick and Diki also collaborated by producing the Holiday Weekend of folk dancing in Idylwild, California.) In addition, he served on judging committees for the Greek Orthodox Folk Dance Festival for the Western Diocese of the Greek Orthodox Church of America. Dick was also elected to the position of Membership Chairman of the Colorado Folk Arts Council, serving with Vyts Beliajus and was on the Advisory Board of the California Traditional Music Society (CTMS). Dick was a contributor to the UCLA Museum of Ethnic Arts Gallery Showing of "The Balkans, Costume and Folk Art" in the fall of 1969. He also was director of the Simi Valley Folk Dancers (Simi Valley, California) and the Fort Collins Folk Dancers (Fort Collins, Colorado).

Dick taught at many camps and conferences, among them Camp Hess Kramer, Holiday Camp, Hoolyeh Festival, Idyllwild Folk Dance Camp, Lighted Lantern Folk Dance Camp, New Mexico August Camp, Oglebay Fall Folk Dance Camp, Roberson Folk Dancers Fall Weekend, San Diego University Folk Dance Conference, Santa Barbara Folk Dance Conference, Seattle Folk Dance Camp, Texas Camp, and VCJCC Family Camp.

Some of the Southern California clubs at which Dick taught are Balkan Co-op, Betyarok, Cabrillo Folk Dancers, Caltech International Folk Dancers, China Lake Desert Dancers, Compton Folk Dance Co-op, Conejo Valley Folk Dancers, Folk Dance Center, The Gandy Dancers, Garden Grove Folk Dancers, International Folk Dance Club, Interteen Folk Dancers, Laguna Folk Dancers, Long Beach Folk Dance Co-op, Monday Night Kolo Class (Alphabet Dancers), Ojai Folk Dancers, Pasadena Folk Dance Co-op, Riverside Folk Dancers, San Diego Folk Dancers, San Pedro Balkan Folk Dancers, Santa Barbara Folk Dance Club, Santa Monica College Folk Dancers, South Bay Folk Dancers, and Westwood Co-op.

Dick taught at many folk dance coffee houses in both Northern and Southern California, such as Aitos, Ashkenaz, Cafe Ami, Cafe Danssa, Cafe Shalom, Calliope's, Finjan, Gypsy Camp (Sunset Blvd.), Gypsy Camp (Motor Avenue), Horo, The Intersection, Mandala, The Museum, New Hadarim, The Plaka, The Open Circle, Red Mill House, Scorpio's, The Source, O Theos, The Threshing Floor, Red Mill House, Veselo Selo, and Zorbas."

Dick Oakes 2002 Traveling with his wife, Carol, Dick also taught folk dances on one of Rae Tauber's OPA! Folklore Tours through Bulgaria (during its 1,300th anniversary celebration), Romania, and Yugoslavia, and on one of Mel Mann's Dance on the Water cruises to Alaska. Dick and Carol moved from Southern California to Colorado's front range in the mid-1990s where they currently make their home.

Dick dropped out of the teaching and eventually the dancing scene in the late 1980s, after his left knee gave out. He had surgery to replace his left knee in December of 2004 and his right one in January of 2008.

Dick Oakes and Rickey Holden 2005                
Dick Oakes and Rickey Holden, 11 December 2005

Among Dick's publications and articles are:

Dick Oakes, 5 September 2005 Dances that Dick has taught at camps, workshops, seminars, and conferences include 16-Count Tsamikos, A Ja Zo Šariša, Ais Giorgis, Alunelul ca la Sadova, Alunelul de la Cerna, Ampuieţii, Appalachian Big Circle Clog, Apat-Apat, Bakmes från Transtrand, Balta, Băltăreasca, Bashana Haba'a, Bat Tsurim, Bătrîneasca din Vicov, Bătută, Bavno Oro, Bela Rada, Biserka-Bojerka, Brâul lui Ioşca, Brâul lui Zbîrcea, Brâul Oltenesc, Brâul pe Opt, Brâul Românesc, Bre Devojče, Bučimiš, Ca la Uşa Cortului, Čačak, Čarlama, Čerešna, Čerešničky, Čérni Potök, Chicken Dance, Chindia, Ciganski Orijent, Cimpoi, Ciocârlanul, Cioful de la Vatra Dornei, Cîrligul, Ciuleandra, Cotton-Eyed Joe, Čukaričko Kokonješte, Dabka Baalbakia, Dajčovo Horo, Davoljike Dajke, Denjovo Horo, Der Schlederer, Divčibarsko Kolo, Dobrudjanska Pandela, Dobrudjanska Rŭka, Dorčolka Kolo, Doudlebská Polka, Dramskoto Horo, Drmeš iz Zdenčine, Dunda Kolo, Dura, Džangurica, El Ginat Egoz, Familijevalsen, Fatiše Kolo, Fjäskern, Floricica Oltenească, Gammalhambo, Gammalpolska, Gammalschottis, Gjuševska Râčenica, Glamoć, Ha'eer Beafor, Hambopolska, Hasapiko, Hasaposerviko, Highlife, Hora Boerească, Hora de la Însurăţei, Hora de la Medgidia, Hora din Goicesti, Hora Fetelor, Hora Olteneasca, Hora Ploii, Hora Spoitorilor, Învârtita din Luna Turda, Iţele, Jianul, Joc de Leagăne, Joshua, Jovinata, Kačerac, Kalamatianos, Kalendara, Karsilamas, Katerena, Katia, Kiša Pada, Kjustendilska Râčenica, Kokonješte, Kopačka, Kostursko Oro, Kriči Kriči Tiček I, Krumovo Horo, Kūbilas, La Bastringue, Lach Yerushalayim, Lesnoto Oro, Ličko Kolo, Lipa ma Marýca, Makazice, Makedonikos Horos, Malo Kolo, Maloj Mome, Maričensko Pravo Horo, Mayim, Milanovo Kolo, Misirlou, Miteritsa, Mureşanca, Nama Drmeš Medley, Našlys, Neda Grivne, Niška Banja, Noriu Miego, Novozagorsko Horo, Oee Naze, Oláhos, Orlovskaya, Ovčepolsko Oro, Păhărelul, Pajduška, Palóc Csárdás II, Pandalaš, Pasarelska, Pentozali (Two-Figure), Pentozali (Six-Figure), Pidhichtos Tsamikos, Pinosavka, Pinosavka II, Piperana, Plovdivska Râčenica, Pokupski Plesovi, Politiko Syrto, Polka Wengierka, Pongauer Waltzer, Pookie, Posavski Drmeš I, Pravo Horo, Prekid Kolo, Preplet, Prorupta, Râčenica, Radomirsko Horo, Reit im Winkl Schuhplattler, Roata din Bihor, Robin Ddiog, Rokoko Kolo, Rørospols, Rustemul, Sandansko Horo, Sarajevka, Sârba pe Bătaie, Sârba pe Loc, Savila se Bela Loza, Sedi Donka, Šestorka from Bela Palanka, Šetnja, Sev Acherov Aghcheek, Šilovačko, Sitna Zborenka, Skudrinka, Skuizkâ Râčenica, Slängpolska från Skåne, Slavjanka, Snoa, Sojanca, Šokuc, Sønderhoning, Šopsko Horo, Srbijanka, Staro Planinsko, Staro Ratarsko, Strandžansko Horo, Strumička Petorka, Sukačica, Suktinis, Svrljiški Čačak, Syrtaki, Syrtos, Széki-Lassú, Szökkenós, Talima, Ţărăncuţa, Ţărînă de la Abrud, Teško Oro, Tetovsko Oro, Tin Tin, Tokyo Dontaku, To Ting, Trâgnala Rumjana, Trakijska Râčenica, Trava Trava, Trei Păzeşte din Bîrca, Tresenica, Trite Pâti, Trojanac, Tsamikos, U Šest Koraka, Vari Hasapiko, Vėdaras, Vetter Michel, Virginia Reel, Vlaško Oro, Vossarull, Vranjanka, Vranjsko Kolo, Vrni se Vrni, Western Trio Mixer, Wrth Fynd Hefo Deio i Dydyn, Yehoshua, Žabarka, Zaječarka, Zajko Kokorajko, Zdroboleanca, Zeybekiko, Žiogelis, Zizaj Nane, Zonaradikos, and Zwiefacher.

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