Belgian Dance Fête - The Heritage of Door County’s Belgian Settlements

Marc Kotz celebrates the heritage of Door County’s Belgian settlements by exploring historic events and sharing some dance traditions (from Europe’s lowlands) found in the local area that have origins in medieval times.

Let Marc’s Belgian Dance Fete bring alive for you the legacy of Rosiere, WI (depicted above, circa 1937) and a dozen other Southern Door County towns that comprise possibly the world’s largest Belgian settlement outside of Belgium! Immerse yourself in Belgian community for 75 minutes. Listen to the music (is it all brass band?). Learn about the people (did their processionals really process from church to local bar?). Kick up a little dust in imitation of the efforts needed for a bountiful harvest! .

Marc leads this session in the history, culture, and dance of Door County's Belgian settlements by sharing some historic events and medieval dance traditions from Europe's lowlands (pays bas) that have been observed in the local area during recent centuries. These include the annual harvest church carnival, the Kermis, still celebrated in the Belgian communities of Southern Door County, as well as dances such as "La Chapelloise", "L'Homme Qui Marche" and others that these Wisconsin settlers enjoyed after their weeks of hard work.

Marc Kotz attended International Folk Dance gatherings with his family as he grew up on Bainbridge Island, WA. At age 7, he began studying ballet, then contemporary and improvisational dance, eventually moving to New York City.

His dance career includes teaching and choreographing multiple dance styles, and performing with baroque and post-modern dance companies, the Hartford Ballet and Lars Lubovitch Dance Company, as well as creating more than 50 dance works. He also earned an MFA in Dance & Choreography from the University of Iowa and has taught in a number of colleges and universities.

After moving to Green Bay, Wisconsin in 2003, Marc began practicing and teaching yoga, evolving his own yoga form, “Yoga Quo Movement Practice.” He founded “Born 2 Move Movement Adventures, LLC” (www.born2move.org) in 2008, and teaches world dance, cultures, and traditions on Zoom. Marc led “Yoga at the Pond” sessions at the 2024 DCFF.