How the Festival Started

The Israel Folkdance Festival of Boston is based on a special idea. This idea has its roots in the Israeli folk dance session at MIT and has been passed down through several generations of folk dancers,. This idea sprouted into our first Festival in 1977, and continues to evolve today.

The central tenant of the Festival is our ability to create great things by sharing. Our Festival is organized on a volunteer basis, both the efforts of the Committee and the performers. We reap the rewards of producing a marvelous show without overburdening any one person. The Festival is enjoyed tremendously by the performers as well as the entire Jewish and the folk dance community. The Festival is sponsored by Campus Activities Complex at MIT.

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Members of the Festival Committee share work together in a cooperative fashion, drawing on the skills each person brings to the table. By bringing groups of all ages together, we hope to increase communication among the dancers and generate a "cross-fertilization" of ideas. Many of the younger groups are exposed to higher levels of dancing and choreographic skill at the show. All of the performing groups have the chance to inspire a new generation of young people in the audience. 

​The Festival idea is powerful. The desire of folk dancers to participate in our annual effort these many years testifies to its ability to motivate. We contribute our talents, orchestrate them together, and reap the rewards. We continue to teach, to learn, and to have a blast every time. Hope to see you next year.