Workshops

Of course, we have plenty of options to dance in the evenings at CaDansa, but we also offer you some workshops on Friday and Saturday. There are workshops for musicians and for dancers. We’ve got 18 unique and different workshops to choose from. The workshops have different levels of experience, for those of you who are new to balfolk or for those who’ve been with us every edition of CaDansa. Don’t forget to check if you need to register for the workshop(s) of your choice. For some of the workshops, there is a maximum of people who can join. You can register for the workshops until 9.00 in the morning of the day of the workshop.

You can register here for workshops from October 6th 12.00.

The workshops are in different locations: the open stage, the theatre, the ballet room and the gym hall. The gym hall is in another location than the festival. You can find it at School B at Mr. Z. ter Steghestraat 3 in Steenwijk. It’s at a distance of 600 meters. The other three locations are at CaDansa itself, in the same building.

Dance

Thursday 31 October

Introduction to balfolk part 1
Teacher: Marco van Barneveld (and assistant)
18.30 to 19.15
Open Stage
Level: all
No registration needed

You want to dance balfolk but you don’t know how? No problem, because Marco van Barneveld is here to guide you with his introduction workshop to balfolk dancing. He will teach you the basic steps of different dances.
On Thursday he will teach you the Andro, Jig, Scottish and Bourree du Berry.

Friday 1 November

Partner Dance workshop: problem solving on the dance floor
Teacher: Rafael Correa Prieto & Nele de Beck
11.30 to 13.30
Open Stage
Level: *2
No registration needed

Join us for a practical dance workshop focused on solving common and not so common challenges in partner dancing. Open to dancers of all levels, except absolute beginners, this session will help you tackle issues that might arise on the dance floor. Part of the workshop will focus on dancing with partners of differing body shapes and sizes. But really, we want you to bring your specific dance problems—those tricky moments you maybe haven’t quite solved—and we’ll work together to find effective solutions. Enhance your skills, enjoy smoother dances, and gain confidence to make every dance amazing.

Give and take
Teacher: Rian de Jong
11.30 to 13.30
Ballet Hall
Level: *2
No registration needed

In this workshop, the theme of ‘Give and take’ takes centre stage as we strive for equality in dance posture. We explore how each dancer can maintain their own strength and control, drawing inspiration from tango exercises.
By becoming aware of your own dance posture and taking responsibility as well as listening and adapting we will try and grow as dancers. This workshop provides a safe space to experiment and grow in your dance skills, while simultaneously forging connections with others.
Feel free to join us, regardless of your experience level and role preference. We will use existing dances as a basis (such as Scottish and Mazurka)

Branle Béarnais en couple (Branle d’Ossau in couple)
Teacher: Saskia Sportel & Arthur Abeillé
11.30 to 13.30
Gym Hall at School B
Level: *3
No registration needed

Branle Béarnais, also known as Branle d’Ossau, is a group of dances from the south-west of France. In this workshop we introduce Branle Béarnais “en couple”, in couple! At earlier Cadansa editions you may have seen workshops of Branle Béarnais “en chaine”, dances in chains, so this year we offer the version dances in couples. The impulse of the dance – which is so fantastic! – is the same and so are some of the steps. The structure of the dance, tempo and musical phrases are different. It’s not a couple dance like scottish though, we are dancing next to each other in a circle around the room together with the other couples. Like mini chains.
Are you already familiar with branle d’ossau in chains? That’s great! You will use that in this workshop. We want to offer you this workshop, because it doesn’t happen often that we get the chance to learn this. It is a somewhat more obscure dance, so you may not easily find it at a ball.
The workshop is given by Saskia Sportel & Arthur Abeillé. With years of experience in dance and teaching, and an enthusiasm for dances from the middle- and south-west of France, they make their workshops fun and accessible.

Following for Leaders, leading for Followers
Teacher: Rafael Correa Prieto & Nele de Beck
14.00 to 16.00
Open Stage
Level: all
No registration needed

Yet another ‘follow and lead’ workshop? Yes, but with a bit of a twist. Whether you’re a dedicated follower intrigued by the idea of taking the lead, or you typically lead and secretly wonder about following, or just a dancer who wants to do it all, this workshop invites you to step into uncharted territory with confidence. Some partner dance experience will be expected, as you will be exploring the role you are less used to, as well as refining the role you maybe thought you knew everything about. Come join the movement – let’s follow, lead, and dance our hearts out together.

BALFOLK into PERFORMANCE
Teacher: Sophie van Grinsven
14.00 to 16.00
Ballet Hall
Level: *2
Registration needed

Would you like to tell a story with your dancing? Would you love to bring music to life and put some extra expression in your dancing? Join me in this creative process to create a performance in just 2 hours!
During the session we’ll familiarise ourselves with various ways to create choreography within the vocabulary of balfolk dancing. We’ll work with dance improvisation exercises that will stimulate your creativity and unlock freedom in your movement. We’ll dance by ourselves, in couples, in small groups and with everyone at the same time. We’ll use the space creatively, so anything can be a dance floor. We’ll think outside the box, let go of tradition, refind tradition and create our own dance world.
At the end of the workshop you’ll have tools to create movement from the dance vocabulary you already know, have more freedom and playfulness on the dancefloor and ARE READY TO PERFORM DURING THE BALL IN THE EVENING!
Participation level: Basic knowledge of andro, hanterdro, waltz, mazurka – or – advanced level in solo dance style (modern/contemporary/ballet/jazz/urban etc).
Dresscode: Please wear clothing in which you can move freely, also while laying on the floor (no dresses or skirts, jewelry, shoes please)
Please note: We will be working towards a short performance (5min-10min) during the evening on/in front of the main stage. By registering for this session, you commit to participating in the performance.

Introduction to balfolk part 2
Teacher: Marco van Barneveld (and assistant)
16.45 to 17.30
Open Stage
Level: all
No registration needed

You want to dance balfolk but you don’t know how? No problem, because Marco van Barneveld is here to guide you with his introduction workshop to balfolk dancing. He will teach you the basic steps of different dances.
On Friday he will teach you the Hanterdro, Cercle, Mazurka and Gavotte de l’aven.

Saturday 2 November

Scottish variations
Teacher: Koen Dhondt
11.30 to 13.30
Open Stage
Level: *3
No registration needed

Different rhythmical variations for scottish, with attention for leading and following, and for the music, of course!
Under the experienced eye of Flemish dancing master Koen Dhondt this advanced workshop will teach you various rhythmical variations you can apply whilst dancing the Scottish, with attention to the relationship between leader and follower, and incorporating the music into your dancing. This is a level 3 workshop which means that a solid understanding of balfolk basics is recommended to optimally enjoy this course.

Balfolker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Teacher: Remi Kesteman
11.30 to 13.30
Ballet Hall
Level: all
No registration needed

Have you ever wondered how the dancers identify which dance is being played so quickly? Or why do you sometimes feel like dancing a Scottish to an Andro? How come waltzes and bourrées in 3 sound so different? Are you struggling with composing that terrific bourrée in 2 that everyone you show it to seems to identify as a polka?
So many topics, so many questions!
I’d like to invite you to explore the inner workings of traditional music & dances with me: we will work on identifying the musical and cultural aspects of the main styles of dance in balfolk, today, to get the “feeling” just right.
We will talk and experiment with pulsation, prosody (the structure of music) and several branching topics (accent, ornaments, instrumentation, tonalities, rhythm patterns, etc).
This workshop comes in two versions: one for dancers and one for musicians.

Nordic ballad singing & dancing
Teacher: Mia Guldhammer (Virelai)
11.30 to 12.30
Gym Hall at School B
Level: all
No registration needed

If you like chain dances, fairy tales and really long old songs where you do not understand half of the lyrics, but somehow still understand it all – then this is exactly the workshop for you!
Based on Denmark’s old traditional folk ballads you will get a crash course in rhythmic mouth music, various chain dancing, drone singing and 800-year-old trance-long ballads.
Everyone can participate. We will be learning by ear and under the premises of ‘natural singing’, with the beaks we are blessed with.

Dance to your limits
Teacher: Jolanda Snellenberg
14.00 tot 16.00
Theatre
Level: *2
No registration needed

Everyone can dance, even if your body doesn’t always collaborate! How can one maintain awareness of the limitations of onesselves and their partner and still have a fun joint dancing experience? Perhaps you only know half a dance, or you don’t know certain variations or maybe your limit is at dancing with one finger. How do you find your way of dancing and how do you communicate that to your partner? This workshop is for non-disabled people and people whose body sometimes struggles with dancing.

Jig variations and other mixers
Teacher: Koen Dhondt
14.00 tot 16.00
Open Stage
Level: all
No registration needed

Not only we’ll learn different variations for Jig/chapelloise and how to lead & follow them, but we’ll also discover new mixers that we can dance to the music of Circassian circle (Tovercirkel). Bonus: how to avoid and fix spirals!
With accompaniment of the fabulous French folkband Ormuz (recording) we’ll learn different variations to incorporate whilst dancing the jig/chapelloise and the basics in how to lead & follow it. We’ll also discover new mixers that we can dance over the music of the circle Circassian (“tovercirkel”) and pay some extra attention on how to avoid spirals from happening and how to fix them.

Dances from Quebec
Teacher: Ormuz
14.00 to 16.00
Gym Hall at School B
Level: all
No registration needed

The dances that Ormuz will introduce are from Quebec and consist of square sets and other contra-dances. Through dialogue between the announcer and dancers you’ll be able to get to know the figures that make up the square sets and the way that they’re announced in a fun and dynamic manner. This workshop will also spend its first part focussing on posture and proper understanding of rhythm. The group-dances are comparable to dances like “Coupez par 6”. These dances don’t require much advanced technique, so everyone is welcome to join both as a dancer as well as an announcer.

Music

Friday 1 November

Introduction hurdy-gurdy
Teacher: Draailier en Doedelzak (Dutch Hurdy-gurdy and Bagpipe Foundation)
11.30 to 13.30
Music room Otter (big)
Level: *1
Registration needed

Have you always been curious about the hurdy-gurdy? Then join this introduction workshop! Here we will try and play the hurdy-gurdy. Together we will try to make a first melody… and of course, we won’t forget the most important part: try to enjoy making music.
For whom? This workshop is for everyone who likes to focus for two hours on playing the hurdy gurdy. Do you have no musical experience? Perfect! It’s an introduction workshop. You don’t need to bring your own instrument.

Introduction diatonic accordion
Teacher: Wouter Kuyper
11.30 to 13.30
Music room Vos (small)
Level: *1
Registration needed

Have you always wanted to try out diatonic accordion? Curious how these instruments work? Or have you started playing recently, and could you use some help? Then join this introduction workshop!
One of the most common instruments in Balfolk is the diatonic accordion. The basics of the button accordion are quite simple, compared to the years of practice it takes to be able to play the violin or bagpipes producing a nice sound. With the diatonic accordion you only have to push the right button and squeeze or pull the bellows of the accordion. Of course, it is more complicated than that to make truly beautiful music, but you can learn the basics in just a few hours. Wouter will make you play some music on this instrument. He will explain the basics and give you plenty of opportunity to practice and ask questions.
For whom: everybody is welcome. If you already have a diatonic accordion: great, bring it! Don’t have one? No problem! We will provide extra instruments.

What the Trad?!
Teacher: Remi Kesteman
14.00 to 16.00
Theatre
Level: all
No registration needed

Have you ever wondered how the dancers identify which dance is being played so quickly? Or why do you sometimes feel like dancing a Scottish to an Andro? How come waltzes and bourrées in 3 sound so different? Are you struggling with composing that terrific bourrée in 2 that everyone you show it to seems to identify as a polka?
So many topics, so many questions!
I’d like to invite you to explore the inner workings of traditional music & dances with me: we will work on identifying the musical and cultural aspects of the main styles of dance in balfolk, today, to get the “feeling” just right.
We will talk and experiment with pulsation, prosody (the structure of music) and several branching topics (accent, ornaments, instrumentation, tonalities, rhythm patterns, etc).
This workshop comes in two versions: one for dancers and one for musicians.

Introduction to bagpipe
Teacher: Menno Wester
14.00 to 16.00
Music room Otter (big)
Level: *1
Registration needed

Have you always wanted to play the bagpipes? During this workshop we will discover this instrument. But above all, we will play the bagpipes ourselves! Together we will try out a first melody and discover the instrument, always keeping the fun of playing first.
We will delve into the bagpipes as they are played in France, Flanders and the Low Countries. These are the instruments that also appear in the paintings of Jan Steen or Pieter Brueghel. You don’t need to bring an instrument: they are provided by the Dutch Hurdy-gurdy and Bagpipe Foundation (Draailier & Doedelzak). We don’t have any Scottish or Irish bagpipes with us
For whom? This workshop is intended for anyone who wants to spend two hours of fun and is interested in these instruments from the Low Countries. No playing experience or knowledge of music is required, just some enthusiasm and courage.

Saturday 2 November

Nordic ballad singing & dancing
Teacher: Mia Guldhammer (Virelai)
11.30 to 12.30
Gym Hall at School B
Level: all
No registration needed

If you like chain dances, fairy tales and really long old songs where you do not understand half of the lyrics, but somehow still understand it all – then this is exactly the workshop for you!
Based on Denmark’s old traditional folk ballads you will get a crash course in rhythmic mouth music, various chain dancing, drone singing and 800-year-old trance-long ballads.
Everyone can participate. We will be learning by ear and under the premises of ‘natural singing’, with the beaks we are blessed with.

Fun with Rythms
Teacher: Morten Musicus (Virelai)
11.30 to 12.30
Theatre
Level: all
No registration needed

I invite you in to a workshop where we will discover and play together with different rhythms without instruments….. except for your body.
In groups you will support each other to hold on to the beat, creating a more complex unity when other groups with other beats join.
Breaks, solo parts and the mix of counting and feeling the order of the music. It could end up being funny ;o)

Introduction to bagpipe
Teacher: Menno Wester
11.30 to 13.30
Music room Otter (big)
Level: *1
Registration needed

Have you always wanted to play the bagpipes? During this workshop we will discover this instrument. But above all, we will play the bagpipes ourselves! Together we will try out a first melody and discover the instrument, always keeping the fun of playing first.
We will delve into the bagpipes as they are played in France, Flanders and the Low Countries. These are the instruments that also appear in the paintings of Jan Steen or Pieter Brueghel. You don’t need to bring an instrument: they are provided by the Dutch Hurdy-gurdy and Bagpipe Foundation (Draailier & Doedelzak). We don’t have any Scottish or Irish bagpipes with us
For whom? This workshop is intended for anyone who wants to spend two hours of fun and is interested in these instruments from the Low Countries. No playing experience or knowledge of music is required, just some enthusiasm and courage.

Introduction diatonic accordion
Teacher: Wouter Kuyper
11.30 to 13.30
Music room Vos (small)
Level: *1
Registration needed

Have you always wanted to try out diatonic accordion? Curious how these instruments work? Or have you started playing recently, and could you use some help? Then join this introduction workshop!
One of the most common instruments in Balfolk is the diatonic accordion. The basics of the button accordion are quite simple, compared to the years of practice it takes to be able to play the violin or bagpipes producing a nice sound. With the diatonic accordion you only have to push the right button and squeeze or pull the bellows of the accordion. Of course, it is more complicated than that to make truly beautiful music, but you can learn the basics in just a few hours. Wouter will make you play some music on this instrument. He will explain the basics and give you plenty of opportunity to practice and ask questions.
For whom: everybody is welcome. If you already have a diatonic accordion: great, bring it! Don’t have one? No problem! We will provide extra instruments.

Trad & Creativity (playing together)
Teacher: La Sylva
14.00 to 16.00
Music room Otter (big)
Level: *2
No registration needed

Starting from a simple melody, we will explore together some of the possibilities available to us to sculpt a piece, give it life and flavor, as well as ideas for individual and collective expression, without losing the relation to dance!
We will do a small concert/presentation of the workshop at the beginning of la Sylva’s bal.
All instruments are welcome, the only prerequisite is being able to learn a simple melody by ear. No sheet music, learning by ear! Take something to record 🙂

Introduction hurdy-gurdy
Teacher: Draailier en Doedelzak (Dutch Hurdy-gurdy and Bagpipe Foundation)
14.00 to 16.00
Music room Vos (small)
Level: *1
Registration needed

Have you always been curious about the hurdy-gurdy? Then join this introduction workshop! Here we will try and play the hurdy-gurdy. Together we will try to make a first melody… and of course, we won’t forget the most important part: try to enjoy making music.
For whom? This workshop is for everyone who likes to focus for two hours on playing the hurdy gurdy. Do you have no musical experience? Perfect! It’s an introduction workshop. You don’t need to bring your own instrument.

Other

Friday 1 November

Grounding & Well-being
Teacher: Selma Emiroglu
11.30 to 12.30
Theatre
Level: all
No registration needed

Do you want to start your day grounded and well? Or are you sometimes overwhelmed in between the many lovely people at the festival?
Old-eastern traditions teach body & voice practices for regulating the state of mind, emotions and nervous system. Some of the same exercises are used in our western world by dancers and musicians as “warming up”. So, we will first warm up our bodies and voices for the day – and at the same time get into a state of well-being. Then we will ground ourselves with a sounding version of the tree meditation. And all over the workshop you’ll get some tools for fast-grounding yourself, whenever you need it – to enjoy CaDansa and life even more.
Please, bring warm socks for yourself!

All about badgers
Teacher: Dorine Boudewijn
12.30 to 13.30
Theatre
Level: all
No registration needed

This year Cadansa has been transformed into a badger sett. Most people never get to see a real life badger, but if you delve into the world of badgers, you quickly learn that they are not so much mysterious nocturnal animals, but rather playful and social.
Dorine Boudewijn knows this better than anyone. She is a badger caretaker at the Das en Boom foundation. This organization helps badgers in need and is committed to preserving and protecting this beautiful animal. From an early age, Dorine has been fascinated by mustelids, the family that includes the badger. “Their playful and adventurous character always surprises me.”
With infectious enthusiasm, Dorine tells everything there is to know about badgers. What they eat, how they use their senses, what a badger sett looks like and what kind of badger tracks you can find in the wild. And above all, what magnificent animals they are.
If you also want to be enchanted by the badger, come to All about badgers on Friday.

Fan the fire of your Spirit with HAKA
Teacher: Emelie Manawa
14.00 to 16.00
Gym Hall at School B
Level: all
No registration needed

Haka is a Sacred Dance from the Maori (Aotearoa – New Zealand). Most people know the HAKA from the All Blacks, the famous rugby team from New Zealand. Also, most people know the HAKA as a wardance. Yet HAKA is much more than that!
HAKA is powerful deep rooted energy work. Ha means breath and KA means Fire. HAKA fans the flames of your eternal soul’s fire and makes it grow strong and fierce! You stand tall in the here and now, embodying your true potential. By movement and sound Mana (lifeforce) flows stronger through your body. You connect with this Mana and give it your intention. In this way you can dance HAKA for strength during war, but also as a welcome, a goodbye, to show your respect, for gratefulness, healing, fertility, love… Everything that you wish to focus your energy on to make it grow. Always you dance HAKA for existence and always you give it ALL!!
This workshop will be hosted by Emelie Manawa. Emelie has been studying Haka for 22 years and connected with the wisdom it holds on many levels. From her Maori teacher she got the blessing to share the powerful experience of HAKA. Her HAKA workshop will be life changing!

Saturday 2 November

Relax station: With music into silence
Teacher: Selma Emiroglu
14.00 to 15.00
Ballet Hall
Level: all
No registration needed

Do you need a little rest in between inspiring workshops, lively encounters and wonderful dance nights? Welcome to the relaxing station!
Music and silence are no opposites. Listening to or making music can guide our attention away from our noisy thoughts into a joyful presence – and into silence. Soothing sounds can calm down our nervous system directly, and through this take us from “loud” feelings of stress or excitement into quieter feelings of comfort. At the end of this workshop, you will also be led to travel to your own inner place of well-being – a dream trip surrounded by relaxing music.
Please, bring warm socks and a blanket for yourself!

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