About Fusae
Fusae was born in Oita, Japan. She began folk dancing as a college student in Tokyo, engaging in a broad array of international dances. In the mid-1970's, after her graduation, her interest focused on Balkan dancing. She began traveling abroad to learn more about the dances and their cultures. She has studied dance in Romania and Macedonia and has taken additional classes in Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey.
For the last thirty-five years, Fusae has regularly taken foreign dance teachers on tour in Japan where they have taught workshops and weekend camps throughout the country. She moved to Sacramento in 1984, but returns to Japan three or four times a year for the tours. She was invited to camps throughout Canada and United States to teach as an assistant to Atanas Kolarovski, the now-legendary Macedonian dancer and choreographer, some of whose dances she will be teaching us.
For the last thirty-five years, Fusae has regularly taken foreign dance teachers on tour in Japan where they have taught workshops and weekend camps throughout the country. She moved to Sacramento in 1984, but returns to Japan three or four times a year for the tours. She was invited to camps throughout Canada and United States to teach as an assistant to Atanas Kolarovski, the now-legendary Macedonian dancer and choreographer, some of whose dances she will be teaching us.
About Atanas Kolarovski
Atanas Kolarovski was born in Dracevo (near Skopje), Macedonia, into a family of expert dancers and musicians. From his early youth, Atanas had the opportunity to observe and participate in the dances of Serbians, Albanians, and Romani who live in the Skopje area.
He performed with the amateur group, Koco Racin. After World War II, he danced for two years with the Yugoslavian Army Ensemble. With the ensemble he was able to travel all over Yugoslavia, studying and learning regional dances and dance styles of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, and the two atonomies, Banat and Kosmet, whose cultures are completely different from the other six republics. He was asked to help form Tanec, the Macedonian State Folk Ensemble, where he remained for 19 years as artistic director, choreographer, and lead solo dancer, traveling the world for 16 of those years.
In 1964, Atanas made his first teaching tour of the United States, Belgium, Germany, Holland, and Switzerland, awakening interest in Macedonian dance and music. Since then, he taught extensively in Europe and East Asia in addition to all major folk dance camps throughout North America.
Atanas passed away March 9, 2022, at his home in Macedonia with his family.
Atanas Kolarovski was born in Dracevo (near Skopje), Macedonia, into a family of expert dancers and musicians. From his early youth, Atanas had the opportunity to observe and participate in the dances of Serbians, Albanians, and Romani who live in the Skopje area.
He performed with the amateur group, Koco Racin. After World War II, he danced for two years with the Yugoslavian Army Ensemble. With the ensemble he was able to travel all over Yugoslavia, studying and learning regional dances and dance styles of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, and the two atonomies, Banat and Kosmet, whose cultures are completely different from the other six republics. He was asked to help form Tanec, the Macedonian State Folk Ensemble, where he remained for 19 years as artistic director, choreographer, and lead solo dancer, traveling the world for 16 of those years.
In 1964, Atanas made his first teaching tour of the United States, Belgium, Germany, Holland, and Switzerland, awakening interest in Macedonian dance and music. Since then, he taught extensively in Europe and East Asia in addition to all major folk dance camps throughout North America.
Atanas passed away March 9, 2022, at his home in Macedonia with his family.