Rick Vukmanic (standing)

Zadnja Stanica

Susquehanna Folk is pleased to present an introduction to Croatian-Steelton dance and culture over three weeks, beginning Monday, September 12. The series includes three dance classes taught by local dance leader Rick Vukmanic, director of the Kolo Club Marian; a presentation on the Croatian community of Steelton; and an evening of kolo-style dancing, with music provided by the local ensemble, Zadnja Stanica.

Monday Evening Dance Classes

at the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg

1280 Clover Lane, Harrisburg, PA 17113 Directions

• September 19, 7pm
• September 26, 7pm
• October 3, 7pm PLUS Presentation at 8pm

The three dance sessions present basic steps and styling for kolos and other line/circle dances. The kolo is the traditional dance done at weddings, festivals, and dances across Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia. When Croatians settled in Steelton more than 100 years ago, they naturally brought their music and dance with them. Rick will present basic steps and footwork. No partners necessary.

Rick's presentation, on September 26 after the final dance session, is an introduction to Steelton from a historical and cultural perspective. Rick will talk about his own experiences growing up among the ethnic communities of Steelton, the culture and traditions of Croatian-Americans, and the role of music and dance in the community. This is a FREE event.

For the Series:

• $30 General Admission

• $20 SFMS Members

  SFMS Members Save!

• $20 UCH Members

• $10 Students

  — ages 3 to 22
• Admission is at the door. No advance registration required.
• For more information, call Bart at 717-234-3844
  or email bart.carpenter (at) sfmsfolk.org

Dance with Zadnja Stanica

Saturday, October 29 — 8:00pm

The dance represents a final exam and field trip for the class! Zadnja Stanica is a tambura ensemble made up of five Croatian-Americans: Mike Furjanic (violin and tamburica), Rick Vukmanic (tamburica), Pere Krpan (celovic), Mate Krpan (brac, accordion), and Steve Grassa (bugarija, guitar). The group plays the traditional instruments of a tambura orchestra and is the "house band" of the St. Lawrence Club in Steelton.

• $10 General Admission

  at the door

at the St. Lawrence Club

13 Highland St, Steelton, PA 17113 Directions

The St. Lawrence Society (Drustvo Sveti Lovro) was founded by Croatian immigrants in 1895 and has maintained a continuous presence in the community since that time.

About Rick Vukmanic

Rick Vukmanic grew up immersed in the Croatian culture of Steelton, one of the earliest sites of Croatian immigration in Pennsylvania. He comes from a family of musicians of mixed heritage — Croatian, Slovenian and Carpatho-Rusyn — which greatly influenced his openness to various musical styles.

As a child, Rick was a member of the Kolo Club "Marian", one of the oldest Croatian folk ensembles in the States. He began teaching folk dance to the grade school group while still in high school and assumed leadership of the entire ensemble in 1984. In subsequent years, Rick taught several parish folklore groups in Pennsylvania and was the choreographer for the Cardinal Stepinac Folk Ensemble of New York City for ten years. Rick began assisting the St. Lawrence Junior Tamburitzans in 1994. In 2002, Rick and several friends founded Gemist, an adult ensemble, focused on exploring obscure elements of Croatian folk song and dance. The group is recognized for its focus on authenticity in singing, dancing and folk costuming, much of which Rick creates by hand.

Rick has had the opportunity to study with several noted experts of Croatian folklore, both in the US and Croatia. He spent several summers researching folk customs in the Croatian communities of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the border region between Croatia and Slovenia. Over the past two decades he has been a leading influence in helping Croatian-Americans in his community understand the intricacies of Croatian dance and the specific characteristics that define regional and trans-national variations of various Croatian dance forms. Rick is particularly fascinated by the ongoing development of folk culture within the Croatian diaspora and has authored several journal articles detailing this process. Additionally, Rick has established contacts with Croatian communities in Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania. In his spare time, Rick is a member of Zadnja Stanica, a tambura orchestra popular with Croatian youth.

Below: A February 2011 performist by Gemist ensemble, with music by Zadnja Stanica