In open position we will explore the concepts of weight and touch, which will let us gain an understanding of phenomena like grounding and feeling. This will allow us to guide our partner’s movement and invent our own variations, on the spot, together.

Not one of your regular feel-the-music workshops. Far from it! Couple dancing tricks and variations taken from several jazz-based dances, with different forms of syncopation. We will have fun and we will be puzzled.

Why Blues? Well: blues is a vernacular folk dance style spreading over a whole continent. Blues has roots in the history but is open to evolution of the music and new influences. Blues covers a variety of different dances within. Was danced mostly in crowded jook-joints with many people partying. Blues uses simple step patterns tied to the grooves and riffs of the music. How difficult would it be to replace “blues” with “balfolk” in those statements?

While not playing with ba.fnu, Mikuláš teaches dancing both home and abroad. His main passions are folk and blues, but he has a rich dancing background consisting of tango, swing, salsa, balboa and early dances with years of jazz and contemporary workshops here and there. Although he approaches every dance with a deep respect for its roots and traditions, he always aspires to broaden its horizons and create a bridge between tradition and modernity.

What will we be doing? During this workshop we explore the world of Celtic music: music from Ireland, Scotland and Brittany. We will do this while learning some wonderful melodies. You will learn how you can get the Irish sound on your instrument, but there will also be many stories. Because there is one behind almost every tune!

Do you enjoy singing and group dancing? Then this workshop is made for you! We’ll take a quick overview of some Breton round and chain dances and their basic steps, and then, thanks to the wide-ranging repertoire of responsories from Brittany, we will feel the pleasure of singing for dancing, of singing leading to dancing. We will experience how the connection with your dancing partners, the sound of steps on the dancefloor and relaxation may influence both individual and collective energies. Thanks to each and everyone’s voice, we will also take the time to discover other aspects of folk singing: laments, melodies and open-air singing.

This workshop will be outside the festival location, at Meester Zigher ter Steghestraat 3, 8331 KG Steenwijk (walking distance).

Crash course for a successful comeback to the dance floor
Dancing again with hundreds of people after long periods of isolation can be frustrating, and even scary for some people. But worry not! We will deep dive into the foundations of the ball to make sure that everyone can have a maximum of fun during this festival. In this workshop we will work on posture, frame, group awareness, and refresh our memories on the core dances of balfolk, today. Come join the fun, you might even learn something new!

What you will need: Two feet, at least one good ear, a healthy dose of curiosity
What you won’t need: Extensive dance knowledge, a dance partner, fixed ideas