IVFDF 2011
Feb. 27th, 2011 08:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jacquelinebI'm just back from Bristol, whose university was hosting this year's Inter-Varsity Folk Dancing Festival. I had a vague idea of what to expect, having heard other dancers in Cambridge rave about it as totally awesome and a wonderful experience of doing lots and lots of different kinds of folk.
Well, that's precisely what it turned out to be.
We arrived from Cambridge on Friday night. It was dark and drizzly, and after missing the first turn off we made it to the University Student's Union. It's one of those marvelous 60s-70s structures, low on the visual appeal and somewhat labyrinthine inside, but perfectly functional. I trotted off into the Bristol night to find the hostel I booked, seemingly miles away but as it turned out only a five minute bus ride. Still, my throat was slightly sore so I stayed in for the night to be fresh for the next day.
Saturday started with Irish set. I'd seen it done at various points over the years, mostly at the Celtic Festival in Glen Innes (ah the memories of those agonising bus trips there!) Enjoyed it very much, interesting for comparing and contrasting it to what we do at Scottish, with vaguely similar formations but certainly not exactly so. I recall once being told that Irish set was done in the pubs rather than dances halls or barns like Scottish was, hence the use of the square set and more of a sense of keeping the set close together.
Cape Breton step followed, which I did a tiny bit of a few years ago at the National Folk Festival in Canberra, but of course mostly forgot. It did make me think it would be worth investing in some hard sole shoes, or rather perhaps properly wear my boots in, as I suspect the shape of the shoe would have made the steps easier. For those no in the know, this is similar to tap but not quite so precise. I scrabbled through it; I was chanting the rhythm but I'm not sure my feet were following! That said, it was fun.
Legs a little tired, and also after something a little different, I went next to Earthy English Folk songs. Been so long since I'd sung, beyond singing in the shower or around the house when I thought no one was home, so getting together and singing one of my favourite kinds of music was really fantastic. Yvette who ran the workshop was really great as well, kept us laughing while singing some bawdy songs. Marvelous.
The Display Ceilidh that followed was fun, particularly nice was seeing a variety of different kinds of folk, all very energetic. And the evening I went (naturally) to a Scottish Dance, which included a fantastic display by a group called Corryverchan. They combined country dance with Highland and step, and it was beautifully precise and energetically choreographed.
Decided to sleep in this morning, but got to the Union with time to spare for a full English Breakfast, before heading up to do the Tahtib/Sai'idi Egyptian stick dancing. Curiousity clearly was the order of the day, as the room was packed out (which our leader coped with well considering). A lot of hips and knee lifting, so it was engaging muscles that I'm not used to using. This was continued in the African Belly Dancing workshop, which just seemed to flow from one move to the other, where I was expecting my stomach to hurt more but it was my arms this time.
And then home. Where I am now. :)
I've been typing while sitting down, but then I went upstairs, and found some of my muscles were complaining a wee bit. I think that's the sign of a good weekend of dancing. I'll certainly be going again.
--
Meanwhile, on the blogging front, it's been a while since I've written anything here. I hope I will start writing more posts in the coming year. I keep meaning to, and then think I really ought to be doing other things, but I suspect writing here may keep me feeling a little more sane. :)
Well, that's precisely what it turned out to be.
We arrived from Cambridge on Friday night. It was dark and drizzly, and after missing the first turn off we made it to the University Student's Union. It's one of those marvelous 60s-70s structures, low on the visual appeal and somewhat labyrinthine inside, but perfectly functional. I trotted off into the Bristol night to find the hostel I booked, seemingly miles away but as it turned out only a five minute bus ride. Still, my throat was slightly sore so I stayed in for the night to be fresh for the next day.
Saturday started with Irish set. I'd seen it done at various points over the years, mostly at the Celtic Festival in Glen Innes (ah the memories of those agonising bus trips there!) Enjoyed it very much, interesting for comparing and contrasting it to what we do at Scottish, with vaguely similar formations but certainly not exactly so. I recall once being told that Irish set was done in the pubs rather than dances halls or barns like Scottish was, hence the use of the square set and more of a sense of keeping the set close together.
Cape Breton step followed, which I did a tiny bit of a few years ago at the National Folk Festival in Canberra, but of course mostly forgot. It did make me think it would be worth investing in some hard sole shoes, or rather perhaps properly wear my boots in, as I suspect the shape of the shoe would have made the steps easier. For those no in the know, this is similar to tap but not quite so precise. I scrabbled through it; I was chanting the rhythm but I'm not sure my feet were following! That said, it was fun.
Legs a little tired, and also after something a little different, I went next to Earthy English Folk songs. Been so long since I'd sung, beyond singing in the shower or around the house when I thought no one was home, so getting together and singing one of my favourite kinds of music was really fantastic. Yvette who ran the workshop was really great as well, kept us laughing while singing some bawdy songs. Marvelous.
The Display Ceilidh that followed was fun, particularly nice was seeing a variety of different kinds of folk, all very energetic. And the evening I went (naturally) to a Scottish Dance, which included a fantastic display by a group called Corryverchan. They combined country dance with Highland and step, and it was beautifully precise and energetically choreographed.
Decided to sleep in this morning, but got to the Union with time to spare for a full English Breakfast, before heading up to do the Tahtib/Sai'idi Egyptian stick dancing. Curiousity clearly was the order of the day, as the room was packed out (which our leader coped with well considering). A lot of hips and knee lifting, so it was engaging muscles that I'm not used to using. This was continued in the African Belly Dancing workshop, which just seemed to flow from one move to the other, where I was expecting my stomach to hurt more but it was my arms this time.
And then home. Where I am now. :)
I've been typing while sitting down, but then I went upstairs, and found some of my muscles were complaining a wee bit. I think that's the sign of a good weekend of dancing. I'll certainly be going again.
--
Meanwhile, on the blogging front, it's been a while since I've written anything here. I hope I will start writing more posts in the coming year. I keep meaning to, and then think I really ought to be doing other things, but I suspect writing here may keep me feeling a little more sane. :)
