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BALKANIZE! formed in December of 2006, born of a chance encounter between Laurie, Patrick and Geoff at a belly dance hafla at Pho 79 in Henrico County, October, 2006. Laurie brought Nancy to the first formal rehearsal, and BALKANIZE! was born. Their debut live performance was at Tribal Jam 5, May 12th, 2007.
Anna Tulou joined the band as lead vocalist in late September, 2007, then departed in late January, 2008.
Nancy Smith departed the band and was replaced by Larry Sherman in late February, 2008, and Sarah Mandoudis in early March, 2008.
Beth Stephenson joined BALKANIZE! in early May, 2008.
BALKANIZE! plays undeniably dance-able songs from Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Turkey.
BALKANIZE! performs for all audiences and for all occasions:
- international folk dance gatherings,
- belly dance haflas,
- weddings,
- private parties,
- circumcisions ,
- the feast days of saints both major and minor,
- bar mitzvahs,
- baptisms,
- public beheadings (ideally, other than their own),
- the blessings of ships and livestock,
- funerals and wakes,
- vampire purges,
- and exorcisms.
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