Who are we?
The International Dance Festival Burgum, organised by the Foundation International Dance Festival Burgum (IDB) originates from an initiative of the
folk dance and music group, the 'Eastergoa Skotsers Burgum'. Starting twenty years ago as a modest event it is now a multicultural festival of great
substance. Dance groups from all over the world show up every two year in the municipality of Tytsjerksteradiel with Burgum as the centre of the event.
Volunteers are keeping the organisation going. Denizens of Burgum and other villages in the municipalities of Tytsjerksteradiel and Dantumadiel are
recieving and hosting these groups every year greathartedly and are lending a hand where and when ever needed. Over the years the number of volunteers
has been growing. Nowadays 400 to 500 people are engaged in voluntary activities, being a guest family, a builder, or doing all kinds of administrative
or organisational work.
In 2009 the International Dance Festival Burgum celebrated its second Lustrum or in other words its 10e Festival. Together with other associations and
organisations a multicultural week was staged called "Wrâld Simmerfestival". The aim was to bring about a festival where next to folk dancing a multitude
of other cultural activities was presented. A goal that succesfully was achieved. The Festival was one marvellous party, of which singing, dancing,
music, sport and theatre were the main ingrediënts. Visitors and participants, young or old, enyoyed attending and performing at the Wrâld Simmerfestival
and getting aquainted with a broad range of cultures.
Do you want to know more about our history? Please push the button 'History'.
The Board of the Foundation
The board of the foundation consists of people with experience and enthousiasm. Both elements are needed when you want to live up to your ambition to organise a festival every two years. Therefore the board’s a slogan is "Imagination and action". The division of tasks in the board is indicated below. The meeting minutes are taken by a secretary, who is not a member of the board.
General board
Marleen Post
President
Fundraising
No description available.
Bettie Zijlstra
Secretary
International contacts
No description available.
Bert Feenstra
Treasurer
Promotion
No description available.
Vice president
Job vacancy
Members
Aly Dijkstra
Board member
Mineke Jansma
Guest families
Planning and Logistics
Wout van Dijk
Contact Volunteers
Guest families
Truus Eldering
Secretary
Tsjikke Wijts
Board member
The history of the Festival
The history of the Foundation International Dance Festival Burgum (Stichting Internationaal Dansfestival Burgum) dates back to1988, when the Folk Dance
and Music Group, the Eastergoa Skotsers was established. The word Skotsers is the Frisian word for dancers. Eastergoa refers to the region where the
group comes from. After 1500 Friesland was divided in four regions, viz: The Eleven Towns, Westergo, Oostergo and Zevenwouden. The dance group
originates from Oostergo, in Frisian Eastergoa. So that explaines the name 'Eastergoa Skotsers'.
The first three festivals were organised by the 'Eastergoa Skotsers'. In 1994 the board of the Eastergoa Skotsers decided to establish a foundation to
carry out the festival activities. The board of this new foundation decided to organise a festival every two years. Since that time the festival has
been growing steadily. Starting twenty years ago as a modest event, it has become a multicultural festival of great substance. Dance groups from all
over the world show up every two years in the municipality of Tytsjerksteradiel with Burgum as the centre of the event.
In 2003 the Foundation got the 'lokaal compliment' (local compliment), a reward the municipality of Tytsjerksteradeil every two years confers to a
voluntary association that has distinguished itself in the community.
The board has since its beginning consisted of enthousiast and dedicated members who over the years have acquired great experience and knowledge
concerning the international network of dance groups. This expertise guarantees the quality needed to organise future events. For more details about
the festival over the past twenty years, please visit our website.