Dick Oakes

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Retired
Balkan
Balkan, international
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Dick Oakes

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Oakes Coat of Arms Dick Oakes grew up in Washington state, where he excelled in trampoline and diving. Dick folk danced a few times at the International Folk Dancers of Richland, his hometown, but it wasn't until several years later, 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 Folk Dancers, 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.

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, San Diego, Garden Grove, and Los Angeles.

Following his honorable discharge from the Navy, he moved to Los Angeles, then the major center of folk dancing in the Southland, to join the Gandy Dancers and where he married and fathered a daughter.

Dick taught at many folk dance coffee houses in both Northern and Southern California, such as:

[ Dick Oakes teaching at the Intersection in 1970 ]
  • Aitos
  • Ashkenaz
  • Athens by Night
  • Café AMAN
  • Café Ami
  • Cafe Danssa
  • Cafe Shalom
  • Calliópe'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
  • Veselo Selo
  • Zorbas

Dick and Vilma Matchette contributed to a show titled "A Decade in Retrospect" for The UCLA Museum of Cultural History in Los Angeles at the Frederick S. Wright Art Gallery, where works from Asia, Europe, The Near East, Africa, North and South America, and Indonesia and Oceania were drawn mostly from museum collections.


Some of the many instructors from whom Dick has learned dances are

  • Frances Ajoian
  • Don Allen
  • George and Irina Arabagi
  • Don Armstrong
  • Pece Atanasovski
  • Ed Austin
  • Schlomo Bachar
  • Roberto Bagnoli
  • Glen Bannerman
  • Vyts Beliajus
  • René Besné
  • Louise Bilman
  • Sunni Bloland
  • František Bonuš
  • Jitka Bonušova
  • Dennis Boxell
  • Iliana Bozhanova
  • Tom Bozigian
  • Vonnie Brown
  • Billy Burke
  • Chang Ching-shan
  • Hazel Chung
  • Eugene Ciejka
  • Gary Coyne
  • Dick Crum
  • Andor Czompo
  • Dani Dassa
  • Alexandru David
  • Mihai David
  • Ciga Despotović
  • Sonia Dion
  • Jimmy Drury
  • Nelda Drury
  • Jerry Duke
  • Elsie Dunin
  • Gretel Dunsing
  • Richard Duree
  • Ada Dziewanowska
  • Jaś Dziewanowski
  • Peter Eccles
  • Ya'akov Eden
  • Gordon Engler
  • Fred and Mary Enholm
  • Moshe Eskayo
  • Robin Evanchuk
  • Vincent Evanchuk
  • Fay Feree
  • John Filcich
  • Christian and Sonia Florescu
  • Joan Friedberg
  • Ghanima Gaditana
  • Bora Gajicki
  • Ned and Marion Gault
  • Morry and Nancy Gelman
  • Merilyn Gentry
  • Michael Ginsburg
  • Barry Glass
  • Ed and Carol Goller
  • Jim Graham
  • Joe Graziosi
  • Madelynne Greene
  • Moshiko Halevy
  • John Hancock
  • Alma Hawkins
  • Germain and Louise Hébert
  • Jerry Helt
  • Graham Hempel
  • David Henry
  • Mary Ann Herman
  • Shalom Hermon
  • Nicholaas Hilferink
  • Rickey Holden
  • Ron Houston
  • Thea Huijgen
  • Dale Hyde
  • Stan Isaacs
  • Anthony Ivancich
  • Daniela Ivanova-Vayan
  • Per and Margareta Jennische
  • Željko Jergan
  • Bruce Johnson
  • Nick Jordanoff
  • Anatol Joukowsky
  • Gurit Kadman
  • Cavit Karagöz
  • Athan Karras
  • Chris Kermiet
  • Paul and Pauline Kermiet
  • Ercüment Kılıç
  • Martin Koenig
  • Atanas Kolarovski
  • Steve Kotansky
  • Ed Kremers
  • Jaap Leegwater
  • Monique Legaré
  • Bob Leibman
  • Lisa Lekis
  • Roo Lester
  • Morley Leyton
  • Jerry Joris Lindsay
  • Dean Linscott
  • James Lomath
  • Sanna Longden
  • Laris Lucaci
  • Ahmet Lüleci
  • Paula Luv
  • Kálmán Magyar
  • Vicki Maheu
  • Miraslav "Bata" Marčetić
  • Tom Masterson
  • Vilma Matchette
  • Carolyn Mitchill
  • Yves Moreau
  • Marcus Holt Moskoff
  • Sonny Newman
  • Sean and Una O'Farrell
  • Lee Otterholt
  • Margalit Oved
  • Bora Özkök
  • David Paletz
  • Csaba Pálfi
  • John Pappas
  • Rene'e Park
  • Bernardo T. Pedere
  • Ted Petrides
  • Albert Pill
  • Bill Pillich
  • Eugenia Popescu-Judetz
  • Richard Powers
  • Emilio Pulido
  • Mikki Revenaugh
  • Dave Rosenberg
  • Nikos Savvidis
  • Jim Schlesinger
  • Anthony Shay
  • Paul Sheldon
  • Diki Shields
  • Katina Shields
  • David Shochat
  • John Skow
  • Dave and Fran Slater
  • C. Stewart Smith
  • Alison Snow
  • Ingvar Sodal
  • John Sofios
  • Ted Sofios
  • Nena Šokčić
  • Rivka Sturman
  • Chris Tasulis
  • Bonnie (B.J.) Thomas
  • John Tiffany
  • Tibor Toghia
  • George Tomov
  • Gordon Tracie
  • Donna Tripp
  • Rudy Ulibarrí
  • Elizabeth Ullrich
  • Richard Unciano
  • Theodor and Lia Vasilescu
  • Millie von Konsky
  • Rubi Vučeta
  • Larry Weiner
  • Alex Wilson
  • Ron Wixman
  • Lucy Wnuk
  • Vivian Woll
  • Israel Yakovee

Dick Oakes

He taught a dance conference in Seattle, Washington, at Camp Long called the "Summer Dance Camp" (July 26-31, 1971), teaching along with Sonny Newman, who directed the camp, and Joan Englander.

Along with his friend Alex Wilson, Dick put on two Floating kolo Party sessions in Boulder, Colorado in 1972 and 1973.

Dick Oakes, Myrtle Hoppe, and Vyts Beliajus, VILTIS Party 22 Oct 1977 Dick completed two national / international teaching tours in 1976 and 1977 through Instructours, which was coordinated by Diki Shields. 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, make him a much sought after teacher for camps, workshops, institutes, seminars, and conferences.

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. 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 Anthony Shay's Village Dancers and later a performer with Shay's famed AMAN Folk Ensemble, performing in Croatian, Bulgarian, and Romanian suites.

His list of performing credits includes such groups as

  • AMAN (Croatian, Bulgarian, Romanian)
  • Betyárok (Hungarian)
  • Boulder International Folk Dancers (Macedonian - Dick played the dumbek and tŭpan)
  • Dolina Cygany (Polish, Russian, and Serbian)
  • Gandy Dancers (Hungarian, Ukrainian, and Scandinavian)
  • Gitmek Ensemble (Turkish)
  • G.T.E.V. D'Isartaler (Bavarian Schuhplattlers)
  • G.T.E.V. D'Oberlandler (Bavarian Schuhplattlers)
  • Village Dancers (Persian)
  • Viltis Dancers (Lithuanian)
  • Westwind International Folk Ensemble - Los Angeles (American Breakdown)

Dick also has choreographed suites for the Hungarian performing group Betyárok and the Gandy Dancers.

[ International Folk Dancing USA ] His other activities and accomplishments were numerous. Active in a leadership role, Dick hheld 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, Director of Extension, Director of Membership, Parliamentarian, and chairperson of several committees, including Costume, Directory, Finance, Nominating, Special Publications, and Standard Operating Procedures. He was active on the Santa Greek Orthodox Church, Western Dioces Annual Youth Folk Dance Festival Barbara Folk Dance Conference, San Diego State University Folk Dance Conference, and Idylllwild Folk Dance Camp 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 co-editor of Folk Dance Scene (soon joined by Paul Pritchard), Southern California's folk dance news magazine and was a staff artist for the Viltis Folklore Magazine (he designed a cover page header, some other graphics, and the cover of Vyts Beliajus' Ave Maria titled "Sveika Marija). He was a a part of the management of Veselo Selo coffeehouse with Bora and Marge Gajicki. He also edited the California Folk Dance Directory and the Rocky Mountain Folk Dance Directory. He wrote the chapter on Yugoslavian 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 Idyllwild, California.) In addition, he served on judging committees for the Greek Orthodox Youth 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, was on the Advisory Board of the California Traditional Music Society (CTMS), and the advisory board of the AMAN Folk Ensemble. Dick was a contributor to the UCLA Museum of Ethnic Arts Gallery Showing of "The Balkans, Costume and Folk Art." He also was director of the Simi Valley Folk Dancers (Simi Valley, California), the Fort Collins Folk Dancers (Fort Collins, Colorado), and co-directed the Hungarian Ídiom Dancers with Sandy Wodicka.


Dick has taught at many venues, among them are:

  • Akron Folk Dance Workshop
  • AMAN 100 Reunion
  • Annual New Year's Folk Music & Dance Residency Camp
  • Cabrillo College Folk Dance Weekend
  • Camp Hess Kramer
  • Cleveland Folk Dancers
  • Columbus Folk Dancers
  • Corvallis Hoolyeh Festival
  • Detroit Folk Dance Club Workshop
  • Edmonton Interntional Folk Dancers Workshop
  • Evansville International Folk Dancers
  • Five Cities Folk Dance Teacher's Dance Workshop
  • Hillel Extension Folk Dance Weekend
  • Holiday Camp
  • IDIMO Folk Dance Festival
  • Idyllwild Folk Dance Workshop
  • Kansas Folk Dance Workshop
  • Lighted Lantern Folk Dance Camp
  • Mad Hatter Weekend (Santa Cruz)
  • Miami Valley Folk Dancers
  • New Mexico August Camp
  • Oglebay Fall Folk Dance Camp
  • Ojai Folk Dance Festival
  • OSU Folk Dance Camp
  • Richland Festival and Workshop
  • Roberson Folk Dancers Fall Weekend
  • San Buenaventura Folk Dance Festival
  • San Diego State University Folk Dance Conference
  • Santa Barbara Folk Dance Conference
  • Seattle Summer Dance Camp
  • Stockton Folk Dance Camp ("Dances for All Ages")
  • Summer Solstice Annual Dulcimer & Traditional Music and Dance Festival
  • Tchaika Folk Dance Weekend
  • Texas Camp
  • University of California (Riverside)
  • VCJCC Family Camp
  • Viltis 36 Founding Party

Some of the Southern California folk dance clubs at which Dick taught are:

  • Balkan Co-op
  • Betyárok
  • Cabrillo Folk Dancers
  • Caltech International Folk Dancers
  • China Lake Desert Dancers
  • Compton Folk Dance Co-op
  • Conejo Valley Folk Dancers
  • Folk Dance Center
  • Gandy Dancers
  • Garden Grove Folk Dancers
  • Haverim
  • International Folk Dance Club
  • Interteen Folk Dancers
  • Laguna Folk Dancers
  • Long Beach Folk Dance Co-op
  • Merhaba Folk Dance Club
  • Monday Night kolo Class (Alphabet Dancers)
  • NFO Annual Conference
  • 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
  • Veselo Selo Folk Dancers
  • Westwood Co-op




Dick Oakes dancing Schuhplattler c1971





Dick Oakes

He has taught in nearly 100 cities in the United States and Canada and taught Balkan dances to hundreds of Chinese folk dancers in Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Among these cities are

Dick Oakes, 2002

ARIZONA

  • Phoenix
  • Tucson

CALIFORNIA

  • Anaheim
  • Berkeley
  • China Lake
  • Claremont
  • Conejo Valley
  • Crestline
  • Hollywood
  • Irvine
  • Laguna Beach
  • Long Beach
  • Los Angeles
  • Malibu
  • Oak Glen
  • Oakland
  • Ojai
  • Palo Alto
  • Palm Springs
  • Palos Verdes
  • Pasadena
  • Reseda
  • Ridgecrest
  • Riverside
  • San Bernardino
  • San Diego
  • San Francisco
  • San Jose
  • San Luis Obispo
  • San Pedro
  • Santa Barbara
  • Santa Cruz
  • Santa Maria
  • Santa Monica
  • South Bay
  • Stockton
  • Ventura
  • West Los Angeles
  • Yucaipa
  

COLORADO

  • Boulder
  • Denver
  • Durango
  • Fort Collins
  • Golden
  • Pueblo

FLORIDA

  • Miami

HAWAII

  • Honolulu

INDIANA

  • Evansville

IOWA

  • Des Moines

KANSAS

  • Kansas City
  • Lawrence

LOUISIANA

  • Baton Rouge

MASSACHUSETTS

  • Boston

MARYLAND

  • Baltimore
  • Columbia

MICHIGAN

  • Detroit
  

MISSOURI

  • Kansas City

NEW JERSEY

  • Paramus

NEW MEXICO

  • Albuquerque
  • Los Alamos
  • Montezuma

NEW YORK

  • Binghamton
  • Buffalo
  • Manhattan
  • New York City
  • Queens

OHIO

  • Akron
  • Cleveland
  • Columbus
  • Dayton

OKLAHOMA

  • Lawrence
  • Tulsa

OREGON

  • Corvallis
  • Eugene
  • Portland

TENNESSEE

  • Nashville
  

TEXAS

  • Arlington
  • Austin
  • Comfort
  • Dallas
  • El Campo
  • Houston
  • Kernville
  • Midlothian
  • San Antonio
  • Waco

PENNSYLVANIA

  • Philadelphia
  • Pittsburgh

UTAH

  • Salt Lake City

VIRGINIA

  • Harrisonburg
  • Virginia Beach

WASHINGTON

  • Richland
  • Seattle
  • Tacoma

WEST VIRGINIA

  • Wheeling

WYOMING

  • Laramie
  

BRITISH COLUMBIA

  • Edmonton

ONTARIO

  • Kitchener
  • Ottawa
  • Toronto

TAIWAN

  • Kaoshiung
  • Taichung
  • Taipei

HONG KONG

  • Hong Kong
  • Kowloon

Dick holds two awards, 2014 Traveling with his wife, Carol, Dick also taught folk dances on one of Rae Tauber's OPA! Folklore Tours through Bulgaria, Romania, and Yugoslavia, and on one of Mel Mann's Dance on the Water cruises to Alaska. Dick and Carol later moved from Southern California to Colorado's front range.

In 2008, Dick donated hundreds of his folk dance records and most of his folk dance notes and books to the Society of Folk Dance Historians in Austin, Texas, founded in 1987 by Ron Houston.

Dick received the National Folk Dance Organization U.S.A. "Preserving Our Heritage Award" for a lifetime of achievement in folk dance and folk arts, and also the San Antonio Folk Dance Festival "National Dance Award" in recognition of contributions to folk dancing in Texas and in the United States, both in 2014. Also, in 2014, he taught a "Dances for All Ages" class at the Stockton Folk Dance Camp.

In 2017, Marshall Cates, outgoing president of the Folk Dance Federation of California, South, Inc., presented Dick with a Service Award "in appreciation of decades of dedication and service."

In 2020, Dick received the Southern California Lifetime Achievement Award at the Laguna Folk Dance Festival for his "significant contribution to the International Folk Dance community."

Dick dropped out of the teaching and dancing scene in the late 1980s after his left knee gave out. He had surgery to replace his left and right knees and resumed teaching again until January of 2019, at which time he hung up his teaching opanci because of severe osteoarthritis in both feet.

In 2021, Dick moved to Maui, Hawaii.


Among Dick's publications and articles are: Dick Oakes, 5 September 2005

  • "Chain Dance Positions." By Dick Oakes, self-published.
  • "Checklist for Folk Dance Teachers." By Dick Oakes, self-published.
  • "Club Organization." By Dick Oakes, self-published.
  • "Control in Ukrainian Dance." By Dick Oakes, self-published.
  • "Couple Dance Positions." By Dick Oakes, self-published.
  • "Folk Dance Bibliography." By Dick Oakes, self-published.
  • "Folk Dance Etiquette." By Dick Oakes, self-published.
  • "Folk Dance Movement." By Dick Oakes, self-published.
  • "Folk Dance Rhythms." By Dick Oakes, self-published.
  • "Forms of Dance Notation." Compiled by Dick Oakes, self-published.
  • "Hobbies." By Dick Oakes, The Westerner, a publication of the IBM Club, May 1964.
  • "Improving Your Club's Business Meeting." By Dick Oakes.
  • "Improving Your Folk Dancing." By Dick Oakes.
  • "Pronunciation Guides." By Dick Oakes, self-published.
  • "Some Hungarian Dance Terms." By Dick Oakes, self-published.
  • "Special Characters for International Folk Dance Descriptions." By Dick Oakes, self-published. Characters with Diacritic Marks.
  • "Standardized Abbreviations for International Folk Dance Descriptions." By Dick Oakes, self-published.
  • "Suggestions for International Folk Dance Programmers." By Dick Oakes, self-published.
  • "Teaching Folk Dance: An Overview." By Dick Oakes. Folk Dance Scene. Laurie and Mitch Allen, Editors. Folk Dance Federation of California, South. Pages 2-3, 8.
  • "Writing Folk Dance Descriptions." By Dick Oakes, self-published.
  • "Yugoslavian Folk Dancing." International Folk Dancing U.S.A. by Betty Casey. Doubleday & Company, Inc.: Garden City, New York. Photograph. (Photos in "Lexicon of Folk Dance Definitions." Pages 309-319.)


Dick's Partial Chronology:

Dick Oakes, 2000 1939 – Born.
1949 – First introduction to a "folk" dance (Pop! Goes the Weasel), Physical Education Class, Richland, Washington.
1955 – First attempt at international folk dancing, Richland, Washington.
1957 – First serious folk dancing, San Diego, California.
1958 – PerformedVyts Beliajus's Viltis Dancers and John Hancock's Dolina Cygany.
1960 – First of several folk dance scholarships received to the Santa Barbara Folk Dance Conference.
1960 – First of hundreds of workshops taught in the United States, Canada, and the Orient.
1964 – Taught at the opening of The Intersection, the first of many folk dance coffeehouses in Southern California.
1965 – First editor of Folk Dance Scene, Southern California's folk dance magazine.
1967 – Taught first of many folk dance camps at the Santa Barbara Folk Dance Conference.
1969 – Contributor to the UCLA Museum of Ethnic Arts Gallery Showing of "The Balkans, Costume and Folk Art."
1971 – Taught the "Summer Dance Camp" in Seattle, Washington with friend and camp director Sonny Newman.
1972 – Put on the first "Floating kolo Party" with friend Tink Wilson in Boulder, Colorado.
1972 – Elected to the position of Membership Chairman of the Colorado Folk Arts Council, serving with Vyts Beliajus.
1972 – Played the dumbek and tûpan for a Boulder International Folk Dancers performance.
1973 – Taught at the Lighted Lantern Folk Dance Camp, substituting for Vyts Beliajus (and taught each subsequent camp till it closed).
1976 – First of two teaching tours of the United States sponsored by InstrucTours.
1980 – Performed with such ensembles as AMAN Folk Ensemble, Betyárok, Gandy Dancers, G.T.E.V. D'Isartaler, and Westwind.
1981 – Toured Balkan countries of Bulgaria, Romania, and Yugoslavia on Rae Tauber's Opa! Folklore Tour to the Balkans.
1982 – Contributed article on Yugoslav dance to the book International Folk Dancing U.S.A. by Betty Casey.
1983 – Founded the International Folk Dance Club (now Empire Grange International Folk Dancing) in Fort Collins, Colorado.
1985 – Founded the Simi Valley Folk Dancers in Simi Valley, California.
1986 – Member of the first advisory committee of the National Fok Organization U.S.A.
1987 – Elected President of the Folk Dance Federation of California, South, Inc.
1988 – Elected to the Advisory Board of the California Traditional Music Society (CTMS).
1988 – Taught on a Mel Mann's Dance on the Water cruise.
1990 – Served on several judging committees for the Greek Orthodox Youth Folk Dance Festival.
2000 – Designed and built his personal PhantomRanch.net website, featuring folk dance articles, artwork, dance descriptions, resources, and more.
2002 – Designed and built a website for the Folk Dance Federation of California, South, Inc.
2010 – Designed and built a website for the Ethnic Express Folkdancing Club of Las Vegas.
2014 – Taught the "Dances for All Ages" workshop at Stockton Folk Dance Camp.
2014 – Received the National Fok Organization U.S.A. "Preserving Our Heritage Award" for a lifetime of achievement in folk dance and folk arts.
2014 – Received the San Antonio Folk Dance Festival "National Dance Award" in recognition of 'contributions to folk dancing'.
2015 – Taught the North-South Teachers' Seminar in northern California with Cristian Florescu and Sonia Dion.
2017 – Received a "Service Award" in appreciation of 'decades of dedication and service' to the Folk Dance Federation of California, South, Inc.
2018 – Designed and built a website for the Society of Folk Dance Historians (SFDH).
2019 – Retired from teaching folk dance.
2020 – Received the "Southern California Lifetime Achievement" award for his 'significant contribution to the International Folk Dance community' from the Laguna Folk Dance Festival.


Text of the NFO "Preserving Our Heritage Award"

Dick Oakes, 2014 Like many students in the 1950s, Dick was exposed to dance in grade school. He has a funny story about this, that you are welcome to ask him about later... Anyway, he liked it enough to do a bit of international folk dancing in his hometown of Richland, Washington around 1955. He got into dancing more seriously in 1958 while in the United States Navy stationed in San Diego. After leaving the Navy a few years later, he moved to Los Angeles and began to soak up all that Southern California had to offer at that time period: learning from a variety of now-revered teachers. About that time, he, and we, to our benefit, discovered that he was a natural dance teacher. Passionate and hard working, he started to take leadership roles in numerous dance clubs and coffee houses in Southern California at that time, and in several folk dance organizations. He held just about every office available in the Folk Dance Federation of California South. He was the first co-editor of their publication Folk Dance Scene and a staff artist for Viltis. Along with Diki Shields, he directed the Holiday Folk Dance Camp. He also founded several "beginner festivals" – an idea still relevant and important to today’s international folk dancers. By the 1970s, the heyday of Recreational International Folk Dance, he was widely respected for his humorous teaching style, that not only accurately conveyed the steps of a dance, but more importantly its style and cultural background. He did two Teaching Tours of the United States (75 cities) and then one in Asia. He had a lucid sense of the learning process and wrote several articles on how to teach folk dance, and on the qualities of a good instructor. He also shared his writings on what makes a good dance program and a welcoming dance group. Over the past twenty or so years, during his temporary retirement from teaching, Dick has channeled a lot of his dedication and energy into the amazing PhantomRanch.net website with pages and pages of pronunciation and costume guides, along with the articles mentioned earlier. What began as a way for Dick to give back and sort through a lifetime of knowledge, has grown into the go-to site for background information on folk dance instructions and instructors, past and present. It has expandedto include the contributions of many other master teachers and fellow dance fanatics. [Most has been transferred to the Folk Dance Federation of California, South, website!] But it’s not all folk dance! Dick “Colorado” Oakes also enjoys viewing B-Westerns and meeting others who do the same. Look on PhantomRanch for his pages on that interest as well as traveling, photography, and artwork. About the website Kathy Molga says, "Never asking for any financial compensation for his years of labor in compiling this information, Dick shared his gifts of planning, organizing, and writing by creating an invaluable resource with a flair for detail. Not looking for accolades, his 'labor of love' has left us with a legacy of research materials for everyone to enjoy for generations to come!" Dick has also contributed many items to the Society of Folk Dance Historians archives. He really has helped Preserve Our Heritage on many different levels. After dealing with two knee replacements and more significantly the death of his beloved wife Carol in 2013, Dick is slowly returning to the folk dance world. We are so happy that he was able to join us here in San Antonio and thrilled to finally give him this award.


Dances that Dick has taught at camps, workshops, seminars, institutes, and conferences include

Dick Oakes, 2016 16-Count Tsamikos, A Ja Zo Šariša, Ais Giorgis, Alunelul ca la Sadova, Alunelul de la Cerna, Ampuieții, Appalachian Big Circle Clog, Apat-Apat, Arkan, Bakmes från Transtrand, Baltă II, Băltăreasca, Bashana Haba'a, Bat Tsurim, Bătrîneasca din Vicov, Bătută, Bavnooro, Bela Rada, Biserka-Bojarka, Brâul lui Ioșca, Brâul lui Zbîrcea, Brâul Oltenesc, Brâul pe Opt, Brâul Românesc, Bre Devojče, Bučimiš, Ca la Ușa Cortului, Čačak, Čarlama, Čerešna, Čerešničky, Čérni Potök, Chindia, Ciganski Orijent, Cimpoi, Ciocârlanul, Cioful de la Vatra Dornei, Cîrligul, Ciuleandra, Cotton-Eyed Joe, Čukaričko Kokonješte, Dabke Ba'albakia, 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, Džingurica, El Ginat Egoz, Ententanz, Familijevalsen, Fatiše kolo, Fjäskern, Floricica Oltenească, Gammalhambo, Gammalpolska, Gammalschottis, Gjuševska Râčenica, Glamoć, Ha'eer Beafor, Hambopolska, Hasapiko, Hasaposerviko, Highlife (Pandogo), Hora Boerească, Hora de la Însurăței, Hora de la Medgidia, Hora din Goicesti, Hora Fetelor, Hora Olteneasca, Hora Ploii, Hora Spoitorilor, Învârtita din Luna Turda, Ițele, Jianul, Joc de Leagăne, Joshua, Jovinata, Kačerac, Kalamatianos, Kalendara, Karsilamas, Katerena, Katia, Kiša Pada, Kjustendilska Râčenica, Kokonješte, Kopačka, Kosturskooro, Kriči Kriči Tiček I, Krumovo horo, Kūbilas, La Bastringue, Lach Yerushalayim, Lesnotooro, Ličko kolo, Lipa ma Marýca, Makazice, Makedonikos horos, Malo kolo, Maloj Mome, Maričensko Pravo horo, Mayim, Milanovo kolo, Misirlou, Miteritsa, Mureșanca, NAMA Drmeš Medley, Našlys, Neda Grivne, Niška Banja, Noriu Miego, Novozagorsko horo, Oee Naze, Oh Johnny!, Oláhos, Orlovskaya, Ovčepolskooro, Păhărelul, Pajduška, Palóc Csárdás II, Pandalaš, Pasarelska, Pentozali (Two-Figure), Pentozali (Six-Figure), Pidichtos Tsamikos, Pinosavka, Pinosavka II, Piperana, Plovdivska Râčenica, Pokupski Plesovi, Politiko Syrto, Polka Wengierka, Pongauer Waltzer, Pookie, Pop Goes the Weasel, 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 iz 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, Țărăncuța, Țărînă de la Abrud, Teškooro, Tetovskooro, Texas Star, Tin Tin, Tokyo Dontaku, To Ting, Trŭgnala Rumjana, Trakijska Râčenica, Trava Trava, Trei Păzește din Bîrca, Tresenica, Trite Pâti, Trojanac, Tsamikos, U Šest Koraka, Vari Hasapiko, Vėdaras, Vetter Michel, Virginia Reel, Vlaškooro, 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 22 Zwiefachers.


SELECTED PHOTOGRAPHS

Oakes at Laguna Folk Dancers 2014

Dick teaching
Laguna Folk Dancers
October 9, 2014

Oakes at Stockton 2014

Stockton FD Camp
July 20-27, 2014

  Oakes at Stockton 2014

Stockton FD Camp
July 20-27, 2014

Oakes at Stockton 2014

Stockton FD Camp
July 20-27, 2014

  Oakes at Stockton 2014

Stockton FD Camp
July 20-27, 2014

Sheldon, North, Oakes at AMAN 100 Reunion 2014

Paul Sheldon, Susie North, Dick Oakes
AMAN 100 Reunion
November 8, 2014

Oakes at AMAN 100 Reunion 2014

AMAN 100 Reunion
November 8, 2014

  Oakes at AMAN 100 Reunion 2014

AMAN 100 Reunion
November 8, 2014

Oakes at AMAN 100 Reunion 2014

AMAN 100 Reunion
November 8, 2014

  Oakes at AMAN 100 Reunion 2014

AMAN 100 Reunion
November 8, 2014

North-South 2015

North-South Teachers' Seminar
October 9-11, 2015


ADVERTISING AND FLYERS (Many are Dick's artwork)

Idimo

Idimo
May 25, 1970

Congenial Feet

Floating kolo Party
January 13, 1972

  Congenial Feet

Congenial Feet
April 15, 1972

  Ft. Collins Folk Dancers

Fort Collins Folk Dancers
1972

 
Congenial Feet

Floating kolo Party
March 24, 1973

  Viltis 32, May 19, 1973

Viltis 32
May 19, 1973

  Viltis 32, May 19, 1973

Lighted Lantern
July 8, 1973

Valley Youth

Valley Youth
 

Ventura County

Lighted Lantern
July, 1974

  Haverim Dancers

Haverim Dancers
August, 1975

  Ventura County

Advertising in Folk Dance Scene
September, 1975

  Claremont Dance Festival

Claremont Dance Festival
November, 1975

Hoolyeh

Hoolyeh
April 1976

  Superparty

Super Party
April 4, 1976

  Chula Vista

UC Irvine
April 14, 1976

  Tuls

Tulsa
June 11-12, 1976

Instructours Flyer 1976

Instructours Flyer
1976

  Hawaii 1976

San Diego After Party
September, 1976

Folk Dancer 1976

Folk Dancer
October, 1976

  Veselo 1976

Veselo
October, 1976

  Hawaii 1976

Hawaii
1976

U of U

University of Utah
February 23, 1977

  Tacoma

Totem FD Festival
March 11, 1977

  Fort Collins

Fort Collins
June 11, 1977

Roberson

Roberson
October 7, 1977

  Viltis 36

Viltis 36
October 22, 1977

  Houston 1977

Houston
November 5, 1977

  Kansas City

Kansas City
November 9, 1977

  Kansas City

Holiday Camp
December 26, 1977

Lighted Lantern

Lighted Lantern
June 18, 1978

  Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge
October 27, 1978

  Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge
October 28, 1978

Houston 1978

Houston
February, 1978

  Houston 1978

Houston
February, 1978

MIT

MIT
April 1, 1979

  Edmonton

Edmonton
November 3, 1979

  Houston 1979

Houston
1979

Oakes at Zorbas

Zorbas
April 1970

  Merhaba

Merhaba
April 19, 1980

  Balkan Picnic

Balkan Picnic
August 17, 1980

  Oakes in Hawaii 1980

Hawaii
1980

Hillel

Hillel
March 20, 1981

  Ontario

Ontario Folk Dance Camp
1981

  Opa Tours

Opa Tours
August 2 to 25, 1981

IFDC Catalina

IFDC Catalina
April 17, 1981

  IFDC Catalina

IFDC Catalina
April 17, 1981

  IFDC Catalina

IFDC Catalina
April 17, 1981

  IFDC Catalina

IFDC Catalina
April 17, 1981

Oakes in Catalina

Catalina
April 17 to 19, 1981

  Oakes at Yakovee workshops

Yakovee
February 26, 1982

Haverim

Haverim
 

  Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City
 

  International Rendezvous

International Rendezvous
June 19, 1982

Shopper Personality

Shopper Personality
April 14, 1983

  3rd San Buenaventura Folk Dance Festival, July 23, 1983

San Buenaventura
July 23, 1983

  3rd San Buenaventura Folk Dance Festival, July 23, 1983

Folk Dance Cruise
December 26 to 30, 1983

Ventura County

Ventura County
 

  Ventura County

Ventura County
 

Durango

Durango
August 2, 1985

  New Mexico August Camp 1985

New Mexico August Camp
August 8, 1985

  Durango

Teacher Training
October 5, 1985

  Oakes at Idyllwild

Idyllwild
December 1985

Oakes at AMAN

AMAN
January 3, 1986

  Oakes at Idyllwild

Idyllwild
May 10, 1986

  Idyllwild

Idyllwild
June 20 to 27, 1986

  Oakes at Idyllwild

Idyllwild
June 20 to 27, 1986

  Oakes at Hess Kramer

Hess Kramer
October 24, 1986

Camp Hess Kramer

AMAN Orchestra
January 3, 1987

  Idyllwild June 19-26, 1987

Idyllwild
June 19 to 26, 1987

  Five Cities

Five Cities
July 18, 1987

So Cal Folk Dance Conf

Southern California
Folk Dance Conference
September 13, 1987

  Camp Hess Kramer

Camp Hess Kramer
October 9 to 11, 1987
 

  Veselo Selo

Veselo Selo
November 7, 1987
 

Summer Solstice January 3, 1988

Summer Solstice Residency Camp
January 3, 1988

Oakes in Folk Dance Scene

Folk Dance Scene
January 1988

  Oakes at Ojai

Ojai
April 8-10, 1988

Summer Solstice Festival 06/17/88

Summer Solstice Festival
June 17 to 19, 1988

  Dance on the Water

Dance Water
August, 1988

  Dance on the Water

Dance on Water
August 14 to 28, 1988

Aman Institute

AMAN Institute
March 4, 1989

  Oakes at AMAN

AMAN
March 4, 1989

Return of the Phoenix

Return of the Phoenix
June 7, 1992

  Teacher Training - Oakes and Duree - March 20 and 21, 2004

Teacher Training
March 20 & 21, 2004

  The Intersection Reunion 6/24/2006

Intersection Reunion
June 24, 2006

Balkan Birthday Bash

Balkan Birthday Bash
November 28, 2009

  Balkan Birthday Bash

Balkan Birthday Bash
March 27, 2010

  Balkan Birthday Bash

Balkan Birthday Bash
March 28, 2010

Richland Festival

Richland Festival
October 3-4, 2014

  Balkan Birthday Bash

Balkan Birthday Bash
November 29, 2014

Nashville Autumn Leaves

Nashville: Autumn Leaves
November 6-8, 2015

  Columbus Workshop

Columbus Workshop
February 20, 2015

  Cleveland Workshop

Cleveland Workshop
February 27, 2015

Ethnic Express

Ethnic Express
May 11, 14, & 18, 2016


SYLLABI COVERS (These are Dick's artwork)

Oakes 1977 U.S.-Canada Tour Syllabus Cover

U.S.-Canada Tour
1977

  Oakes 1977 U.S.-Canada Tour Syllabus Contents

U.S.-Canada Tour (Contents)
1977

Oakes at Narodni 1982

Narodni
January 21, 28 & March 25, 1982

  Oakes in Phoenix 1987

Phoenix
November 14, 1987

  Oakes at NFO Conference 2009

NFO
April 16 to 19, 2009

Birthday Bash flyer

Birthday Bash
November 28, 2009

  Birthday Bash Syllabus

Birthday Bash
March 27, 2010

  Oakes in Tulsa 2010

Tulsa
May 14 to 16, 2010

  Oakes at Rudy Ulibarri's memorial party

Ulibarri Memorial Party
April 4, 2012

Oakes at Stockton, 2014

Stockton, CA
July 26 to August 2, 2015

  Veselo Selo flyer, October 19, 2013

Veselo Selo
October 19, 2013

  Oakes at Boulder International Folk Dancers

Boulder IFD
August 8-15, 2014

  Oakes at AMAN 100 Reunion

AMAN 100 Reunion
November 8, 2014

Oakes at Richland, WA, October 3, 2014

Richland, WA
October 3, 2014

  Oakes at Laguna Folkdancers

Laguna Folkdancers
November 9, 2014

  Oakes at Wednesday Night Folk Dancing November 12, 2014

Wednesday Night FD
November 12, 2014

  Oakes at Wednesday Night Folk Dancing November 12, 2014

Wednesday Night FD
November 12, 2014

Oakes at Evansville, IN

Evansville,
February 18, 2015

  Oakes at Columbus, Ohio

Columbus, OH
February 20, 2015

  Oakes at Dayton, Ohio

Dayton, OH
February 26, 2015

  Oakes at Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland, OH
February 27, 2015

Oakes at Snowy Range Laramie Wyoming

Larmie, WY
July 14, 2015

  Oakes at Nashville Autumn Leaves

Nashville Autumn Leaves
November 6, 2015


FOLK DANCE CAFE FLYERS AND ADVERTISING (Most of these are Dick's artwork)

Gypsy Camp

Gypsy Camp

  Horo

HORO

Cafe Ami

Cafe Ămi

  Cafe Danssa

Cafe Danssa

The Intersection

The Intersection

  The Intersection

The Intersection

  The Intersection

The Intersection

The Intersection

The Intersection

  The Intersection

The Intersection

  The Intersection

The Intersection

The Intersection

The Intersection

  The Intersection

The Intersection

  The Intersection

The Intersection

Veselo Selo

Veselo Selo

  Veselo Selo

Veselo Selo

Zorbas

Zorbas

  Zorbas

Zorbas

  Zorbas

Zorbas

Zorbas

Zorbas

  Zorbas

Zorbas


FOLK DANCE SCENE

Folk Dance Scene Cover, November 2002

Scene, November 2002
An Intersection Flyer

  Folk Dance Scene Cover, September 2006

Scene, September 2006
Santa Barbara, 1968

  Folk Dance Scene Cover, October 2007

Scene, October 2007
Dick Oakes, Don Green


NORTHWEST FOLKDANCER

Northwest Folkdancer August 2014

The Northwest Folkdancer
August, 2014

  Northwest Folkdancer August 2014

The Northwest Folkdancer
September, 2014


MISCELLANEOUS

Oglebay Syllabus Cover 1981

Oglebay Syllabus 1981

  NFO Workshop flyer 2009

NFO Workshop 2009

  San Antonio Festival Advertisement 2014

San Antonio Festival 2014

  NFO Conference Flyer 2020

NFO Conference 2020

  NFO Conference Flyer 2020

NFO Conference 2020