Teachers – San Antonio Folklife and Dance Festival (SAFDF)

Andy Taylor-Blenis (international dances and dance stretches)

We are delighted to welcome back a beloved SAFDF legend and friend! Andy holds a B.F.A. in dance with a minor in social anthropology. She is well versed in modern, jazz, and folk dances of Portuguese, Scottish, French, Hungarian, Armenian, Mexican, and Balkan origins. She holds a teaching certificate in Scottish Country Dance and is registered in St. Andrews in Scotland. Andy is also currently artistic director at the Boston branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society. She is also a former performer of the modern dance company Prometheus. Andy has contributed endless teaching, choreography, and inspiration to SAFDF over many years. This year she again brings us her one-of-a-kind stretches between teaching sessions!

Miroslav “Bata” Marčetić (Serbian dances)

Bata was a leading performer, soloist, and choreographer with the Serbian National Folk Ensemble “Kolo” in Belgrade for 17 years. He has received numerous awards for his artistic work. In 2004, in Toronto, Miroslav established his own dance school, Academy of Serbian Folk Dancing, comprising a folk band and more than 350 dancers of all ages. He simultaneously works with the international folk dance community, where he teaches Serbian and East European dances. We hosted Bata at SAFDF in 2014 and 2017, and we are delighted to welcome him back.

Željko Jergan (Croatian dances)

Željko is a renowned choreographer and teacher of Croatian folk dance throughout the world. A native of Varaždin, Croatia, Željko was a leading performer with the Croatian National Folk Ensemble LADO for twelve years. He also performed with the Zagreb National Ballet and Modern Dance companies for several years. Since moving to the United States in 1986, he has choreographed for 95 different performing ensembles and serves as artistic director for many groups all over North America. Željko continually strives to elevate the level of authenticity and presentation of these ensembles, which showcase their culture at the highest level among amateur ensembles.