Information: Marilyn Smith, teacher of French and international dance.

Marilyn Smith Wathan has been a teacher of international folk dance at Santa Rosa College in California since 1970. Marilyn traveled extensively in Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal, Romania, and the former Yugoslavia.

In 1981 Marilyn began her first of many trips to France to research traditional music and dance, studying in master dance classes, and meeting with musicians and instrument makers. Her hard work and passion have created a joyful dialogue between the very active French folk culture and the United States. She has helped coordinate visits to the United States for many French dance teachers and musicians. Marilyn's dances represent a wide assortment of dance formations, including lines, circles, couples, and sets.

Marilyn has been invited to teach at major folk dance camps in the United States and Canada. She organizes and directs an annual folk dance camp in Northern California. Outstanding folk dance teachers and musicians come from throughout the United States as well as Europe to teach at her camp.

Marilyn is the director of the annual Razzmatazz Folk Dance Weekend at Mendocino Woodlands.

Among Marilyn's publications are

• "French Bourrée." Lark in the Morning
• "Traditional Dances and Instruments of the Gascogne." Lark in the Morning

Dances that Marilyn taught in the United States include Arin-Arin, Ballada, Bourrée d'Auvergne, Bourrée des Jeunes, Bourrée from Barry, Bourrée from Bourbonnais, Bourrée Droite, Branle Airejan, Branle d'Ossau, Carnival de Lantz, Congo de Captieux, Cotriade, Dus, Five-time Waltz, La Ballada, La Brande, La Chapelotte, La Cotriade, La Crouzade, La Maître de Maison, La Montagnarde, La Tournijaire, La Tournante des Grandes Poteries, La Tournijaire, Le Porcher, Les Tisserands, Mariana, Marin-Congo, Mazurka de Samatan, Mazurka de Ste. Marie, Mazurka-Valse, Naruabaum Marin-Congo, Rondeau de Casteljaloux, Rondeau de Garein, Rondeau de Grenade, Rondeau de Luxey, Scottish-Valse, Scottish, Scottish Alsacienne, Scottish from Gascogne, Set Sauts, Suite des Bourrées Croisées, Tournante des Grandes Poteries, Tournijaire, and Tisserands.