Joyfully teaching and leading Yiddish dance at festivals and events internationally, Avia instills her workshops with a sense of tradition while exploring contemporary approaches to the style. An active part of the international Jewish artistic community, has also worked with Jewish festivals and cultural organizations around the world, including KlezKanada, The International Klezmer Festival in Fürth, The Ashkenaz Festival, Yiddish Summer Weimar, and The Jewish Community in St. Petersburg, Russia. Growing up in the folk arts scene of British Columbia, Canada, Avia completed her BA Honours in Drama at the University of Alberta, and her MA in Devised Theatre at Dartington College of Arts in Devon, England. She is the Creative Producer of the Kootenay Storytelling Festival.
The Matt Temkin Band
Matt has put together an all-star cast for this Dance Party, where they will focus on American klezmer tunes – the repertoire of Dave Tarras, Naftule Brandwein, The Epstein Brothers, and more!
Matt Temkin has studied Yiddish Drumming at KlezKamp and KlezKanada with Julie Epstein, Elaine Hoffman-Watts, David Licht and Aaron Alexander.
He regularly plays for the National Yiddish Theatre/Folksbiene where he has accompanied such greats as Bruce Adler A”H, Mike Burstein, Elmore James, and Tony Perry. Since 2006 Matt has been the staff drummer/percussionist at Stephen Wise Free Synagogue. Friday evening services can be watched live from their website.
Matt wrote did his master’s work at Brooklyn College in Musicology and his thesis on American Jewish Fusion Music in the 1950’s and 60’s can be read here.