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Aids
to Learning Style and the Theoretical Background
Folk
Festivals – an opportunity to watch and learn
It
cannot be denied that the simplest and most effective
method of capturing the style of any form of dance is
achieved through watching and imitating the experts
in their particular field. More and more opportunities
are available to see traditional national dance at Folk
Festivals in various parts of the country. The Bexhill
course each year provides video-watching sessions (much
of the footage taken at folk festivals) as well as lectures
from specialists in their field. A collection of books
and old postcards are also available for reference.
Above:
Hungarian Folk Dance Group at Billingham
At
Folk Festivals, held annually, there is the chance to
see visiting folk dance groups from many countries.
The main festivals are Llangollen Eisteddfod (8th to
12th July with dancing on Wednesday 9th July); Billingham
International Folk Festival (August) and Sidmouth Festival
(1st to 8th August). Many smaller but equally valuable
festivals are held during the summer months. Gwil Ifan
Festival of Celtic Folk Dance (mainly Welsh Folk dancing
from a variety of groups but also including other Celtic
styles) is held in and around Cardiff in June each year.
Hastings Festival occurs on Mayday weekend. There are
excellent Morris teams, both male and female, in Hastings;
on the May Day weekend each year the town hosts a festival
of Morris Dancing with visiting teams from many parts
of the country (usually consisting of several hundred
Morris and clog dancers). The weekend culminates with
a procession led by Jack-in-the-Green, followed by giants
as well as the folk dancers (stopping to perform and
refresh themselves at the inns en route!) the final
performance being in Hastings Castle.
Information
regarding these events and many others is readily accessible
on the Internet. Just ‘Google’ Folk Festivals.
Or if you are not comfortable with the internet, please
feel free to write to Heather Rees at P.O. Box 148,
Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex TN40 1WF sending a SAE to
obtain a list of some of the festivals.
Heather Rees
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