Have you ever danced a circassian circle to the music of Star Wars? No? Now’s your chance, because Accordzéâm will play on the Friday night of CaDansa! This band takes you on a balfolk journey full of surprises, modern twists, and a hefty dose of playfulness. Think traditional and quirky, danceable and totally unpredictable!

With their “Balnéo” concept, this five-piece band brings a whirlwind of styles, unexpected covers, and original compositions.

The stage exudes pure energy. Violin, accordion, percussion, flutes, and even a bouncing double bass, plus a generous helping of silly faces and headbanging. The party starts the moment they hit the first note!

Website: Accordéâm (FR)

In Balphoria, Martin Seeberg (Trolska Polska) shares his latest musical love: the diatonic accordion. With this instrument at its core, the band plays original tunes that bring the dance floor to life and fill it with a fantastic energy.

Balphoria is that special euphoric feeling that arises when dancers and musicians come together in a moment of pure bliss. That’s exactly what this band is bringing to the stage and dance floor of CaDansa on Friday evening.

Joining Martin Seeberg on stage are: Filine Waldschrat (viola, vocals), Laue Mamo (guitar, percussion, beatboxing), and Magnus Heebøll (percussion, guitar). And for this performance, there’s a very special guest: Toon van Mierlo, known from Naragonia. He shares not only a love for the diatonic accordion with Martin, but also a passion for birds! So during this concert, you can expect a little nod to their favorite feathered friends as well.

Website: Balphoria (DK)

Website: Duo des Cimes (FR)

If you see Duo Menguy-Bérenguer for the first time, you might think: “What, Breton musicians, playing Irish folk music..?” Hold on a minute! Complementarity, research, and creativity are the only motivations for Erwan Menguy (flute, low whistle) and Erwan Bérenguer (guitar).

These Breton musicians play music ranging from Irish to Fest-Noz, but in their entire repertoire they channel their energy as if to keep alive the echoes of a wild dance, far beyond the usual clichés.

Website: Duo Menguy – Berenguer (FR)

This Belgian duo with a passion for traditional music was formed in 2010. Their programme is a mix of original compositions and compositions by their friends from Belgium, France and England. On their violin and diatonic accordion, they play waltzes, mazurkas, gigues, andro’s, bourrée’s and rondeau’s…. The music is sometimes subtle, sometimes almost baroque, and always grounded in tradition. A mix of energy, poetry, power, melancholia, and especially: joie de vivre🌞

Website: Duo Pilartz – Gielen (BE)

Once upon a time, on a sunny day, an accordionist was playing in the garden of a friend. A mandoline player heard him, and… The rest is history. That these two Tilburgians used to play in a quartet is a legend from not-so-long-ago, but the other half of the quartet is rarely seen in these parts anymore. Niek van Uden-Luteijn (chromatic accordion) and Sander van der Schaaf (mandoline, octave-mandoline) know what makes a folk ball a brilliant night: groove, enjoyment in playing, nice tunes. That’s no rocket science, but good music nevertheless, on (about) 300 reeds and 16 strings. Energy is what you get from the music of these two folkies from Tilburg.

Website: e=mT² (NL)

Website: Floating Sofa Quartet (DK SE FI)

Flos comes straight from the mountains. Flos is a musical weaving of sounds you can drift along with.

With Yvette (guitar), Kris (double bass), Lennaert (cello), and Renske (saxophone), this quartet creates original compositions full of love for balfolk. Meander along the river where wild flowers bloom and where insects dance to herald spring.

Fun fact: Flos performed at last year’s open stage and the entire band is made up of CaDansa volunteers!

Website: Flos (NL)

Duo Lo Gat consists of Mélanie Brelaud on violin, Hardanger fiddle and voice, and Julien Casanovas on violin and mandolin. Definitely enough strings on stage!🎻 During their balls, these musicians explore the repertoire of Quercy, Gascogne and Auvergne, while leaving the door open to influences from Sweden, Ireland and South-America. It is a journey full of traditional tunes, adapted for a string duo, and compositions with Scandinavian influences.

Website: Lo Gat (FR)

Website: Marie Paulette (FR)

What happens when you expand the magical duo Naragonia with Maarten Decombel (mandola and guitar) and Luc Pilartz (violin)? You get a powerful, quirky, and irresistibly groovy universe!

Since 2006, Naragonia has been enchanting dance floors all over Europe with their unique sound and original repertoire. Expect wonderful energy and music that simply won’t let your feet stay still!

Website: Naragonia Quartet (BE)

Website: Rémi Geffroy Septet (FR)

Shillelagh is made up of three musicians from Lille (FR) who are dancers themselves. With deep roots in tradition and a playful spark, they pour their musical creativity into every tune they play. Drawing on years of bal experience, Gabriel Lenoir (violin), Benjamin Macke (accordion), and Aurélien Tanghe (guitar) create a rich, vibrant sound that carries dancers along. There are a thousand and one ways to dance, and just as many ways to play for dancers. Shillelagh invites you into a musical world all their own. Their music will make you stomp, rise from your chair, and head straight for the dance floor.

Website: Shillelagh (FR)

Swinco may be from Brabant, but their hearts beat for Brittany. Gregor Swinkels (guitar) and David Cornelissen (mandolin and whistles) bring music that instantly transports you to the west. Full of rhythm, charm, and perfect for dancing barefoot or twirling across the floor!

Website: Swinco (NL)

Thalas is a project by Guus Herremans (diatonic accordion) and Ward Dhoore (acoustic guitar). Chances are you’ve already dreamed away or raced across the dance floor to the music of one of their other bands, such as Airboxes, Les Bottines Artistiques, Phlox, Siger, Snaarmaarwaar, or Trio Dhoore.

On the final day of CaDansa, Guus and Ward will bring their years of friendship and musical chemistry together in Thalas, a project that puts their shared passion for contemporary folk front and center.

Website: Thalas (BE)