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North American Federation of German Folk Dance Groups |
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1996 Seminar: Dances of ThüringenHaide Kriwitzki of Erfurt, Germany July 1994 |
The focus of her training with its corresponding state examination was on German and International Folklore. After receiving her dance training at the Pallucca School in Dresden, she was a professional member of the State Folklore Ensemble of the German Democratic Republic and of the Erfurt Opera for 16 years.
After being an active performer, she finished a course of studies in Cultural History and worked until 1986 as director of the Department of Artisitc Folklore of Erfurt County.
Because of her work with amateur folklore ensembles and the successes of these groups, she was given the opportunity to establish the Thüringer Folklore Ensemble in the capitol city of Erfurt and work with it full time. Since the reunification of Germany, she has lead this ensemble on a voluntary basis.
In 1990, the Thüringer Dance Association was founded, of which, she became president. At the same time, she became vice-president of the German section of IOV (International Organization of Folklore)
She has been married for 37 years to a very active folkdancer. They have three children and four grandchildren who are all more or less active folk dancers. Their daughter has stepped into her mother's shoes. After earning a degree in ethnography from Humbold University in Berlin, she founded the Tanzhaus Erfurt and leads it with great success.
"Since my childhood, folk dance has been the content of my life," she says. "It was a very fortunate circumstance that allowed me to combine hobby and profesion.
The workshop included a costume display and a costume (not Tracht) workshop Dance Costumes on a Budget and other folklore crafts and demostrations.