Gabrielle Hildebrand (1926-2018)

Avid folk dancer, Gabrielle Louise Hildebrand passed away near San Francisco, California on December 18, 2018, eight days shy of her 92nd birthday.

She led the Corpus Christi International Folk Dancers in the 1960s and 1970s and served on the Board of TIFD. She attended camp three times per year when it was held at Idlewild Camp near Comfort, Texas. Later, she attended Thanksgiving Camp annually at the Greene Family Camp.

In 1966, Gaby went to the Canary Islands with her husband and two young children. She made connections with local dancers on the island of Tenerife and began learning the dances. She returned for three subsequent trips in 1968, 1970, and 1972, filming and recording the dances on all seven of the islands. She brought home costumes and instruments, which have been donated to CIDA (Canary Island Descendants Association) in San Antonio. In the late 70’s, she taught the Canary Island folk dances at Mendocino Folklore Camp near Sebastopol, California.

She is survived by her daughter, Gabrielle, her son, Louis, and five grandchildren.