World Music Folklife CenterBrad Sidwell, Founder
Brad began learning Balkan folkdances in 1976, and a
year later he was asked to join Balkanske Igre, a
performance group at University of Chicago. Several
years later, he began learning darbuka, and as a
potter, he also began making the instrument. Brad was
a member of BAMCO, a Balkan music group, for 18 years.
He also played with a Greek band for 8 years, playing
at Greek restaurants, weddings and christenings.
Recently, he founded Grup Nazar, which focuses mostly
on Turkish Romani (gypsy) music.
Brad teaches darabuka for Balkan, Greek, Turkish and
Arabic music. He has taught at Studio Artemis,
Rakkasah East, Baltimore Bellypalooza, and M.E.D.
Folktours Music and Dance camp. He currently directs
the darbuka program at Sahara Dance in Washington, DC,
where he gives weekly lessons.
In his other life, Brad has been a home remodeler in
the Georgetown area of Washington, DC for over 20
years. He holds a degree in Education and German from
University of Wisconsin.
Bryndyn Weiner, President
Bryndyn Weiner, a native of Silver Spring, Maryland, has benefited from being exposed to dance and music from the Balkans since childhood. Has been dancing folk dances from Hungary, Romania and the Balkans since the age of 18, including a combined 8 years in the DC-area performing groups Zemya, Tisza and the Washington Revels. Bryndyn’s musical portfolio includes singing in musicals and choirs, playing tupan (traditional Balkan bass drum) for 16 years and more recently learning traps. His musical group experiences include stints with the DC-area groups Lyuti Chushki (Bulgarian traditional), BAMCO (Balkan brass band) and Luk Na Glavata (Macedonian traditional) as well as a now-defunct garage rock band.
Bryndyn has made several folklore research and pleasure trips to Europe and the Balkans including a 5-month residency in Hungary with the semi-professional dance group “Nyirseg.”
Bryndyn co-founded the Balkanics in the Fall of 2004 after returning from a musically inspiring trip to Bulgaria.
The Balkanics
Cheryl Sidwell, Director of Programs |
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Cheryl is a professional dancer and event
coordinator. She holds a degree in Communication Arts
from Salisbury State University. She worked as a Conference Coordinator for Marymount University for five years and helped entertain prestigious clients including Oscar de la Renta, Kay Unger, Carolina Herrera, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Colin Powell, and Helen Thomas among many other speakers, honorees, poets and guest lecturers. For over 10 years, Cheryl has studied Turkish
Oriental, Turkish Romani and Arabic dance. She
currently dances and teaches in the DC metro area.
She has organized folk concerts and benefits in the
local Baltimore/Washington area and has been involved
as a volunteer and advocate in many arts &
humanitarian organizations. Andrea Vercoe |
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Andrea Vercoe, violinist and violist, has been performing for over twenty years in orchestras, weddings, and small ensembles. Her principle violin studies were with Robert Koff of the Juilliard String Quartet and Greg Fulkerson at Oberlin Conservatory. She has performed in Germany, Canada, Austria, France, and Russia. An avid world traveler and multilinguist, Ms. Vercoe naturally expanded her repertoire to include various types of world music. She has performed at the Kennedy Center with a Persian ensemble and has accompanied flamenco dancers. Currently obsessed with the maqams and expressivity of Arabic music, she has attended Middle Eastern workshops in Wisconsin and Massachusetts and performs with the DC-based Miraajj. Andrea is also a founding member of the award-winning Great Noise Ensemble. Her greatest achievements include performing at Carnegie Hall and surviving a sandstorm on a camel's back in the Moroccan Sahara desert.Sharon Sickafuse aka "Amara" |
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Amara has been performing, teaching and studying dances of the Middle Eastern, North African, Central Asia and Turkey for 15 years. She has performed at many area festivals and events including Montomery County Women's Fair, Washington Folk Festival, Takoma Park Festival, Celebrate Gaithersburg Day, Magical Montgomery, Taste of D.C, etc. She initiated the current Middle Eastern Dance instructional program offered by City of Gaithersburg and City of Rockville. She also plays percussion including dumbek, tar and riqq. Sharon is an avid traveler and has spent time in Turkey, Morocco and Egypt.Dale Hall
Dale is currently Director of Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology. He is also Chairman, Federal Interagency Working Group on Manufacturing Research and Development; Former President, The Electrochemical Society, and Trustee, Federation of Materials Societies Dale is a hand percussionist who has played with Blue Dragon Band and Cairo Connection. He has performed at numerous local festivals, the Institute of Musical Traditions concert series, and at private events ranging from museum show openings to weddings. He is also a member of the Folklore Society of Greater Washington and has a Ph.D. in physical chemistry, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
WMFC Advisory Committee
These individuals have contributed significant advice, time and support to assist with the creation of the World Music Folklife Center. Their support is greatly appreciated:
Piper Hunt
Heidi Prescott
Caryl Ports
Rachel Galoob Ortega
Larry Weiner