History
Highlights in the history of SIFD
1975 – the group was founded by Hedy Hoemmen, who learned folk dances as a child in her native Germany
1976 – performed German dances at a Bicentennial heritage celebration
1982 – hosted a workshop with Wilfried Knorr, Minister of Folk Dance for Germany (returned for another workshop in 1986)
1983 – hosted a workshop with Ada Dziewanowska, internationally-renowned Polish dance instructor
1988 – performed at the reopening of Lincoln’s Home
1989 – hosted a workshop with Frantisek Bonus, 18th century Eurpoean folk dance expert and choreographer of Amadeus
1989 – supported foreign language education lobbying efforts by performing Spanish dances at the Illinois State Capitol
1991 – hosted folk dance group from Leipzig in former East Germany
1992 – attended International Folk Dance Festival in Germany (also in 1994 and 1997)
1993 – hosted SADKO, a folk dance group from Novgorod, Russia
2005 – performed at the grand opening of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
2005 – participated in Springfield MUNI performances of The Sound of Music
2009 – performed at Sangamon Auditorium, UIS with Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, Grammy award-winning musicians from Ken Burns’ The Civil War