#cornishdance #cornishmusic @scootskernow

It's that time of year, folks! Liskeard Carnival, Midsummer Bonfire (Tansys Golowan) with the Old Cornwall Society , Mevagissey Feast . . . time for a #furrydance or #floraldance. This time last year, I was in Pengelly's fishmongers in Liskeard having a natter with the lovely Angela Pengelly about Cornish dancing (as you do), and in particular the "Flora Dance", the variations across Cornwall, and how it always used to be danced in Looe. We were talking about whether it was danced in a straight line (like I know from "North Cornwall Furry"), or diagonally, with the front couple going one way, while the back couple went the other way (as you still see today for Liskeard's Furry Dance on the Wednesday evening of the Carnival). "My Mum's got some pictures of the Flora Dance from overhead, where you can see them dancing in opposite directions," said Angela as she proceeded to dance the steps in the shop with an imaginary set of dancer...

Sparkers keep the Olympic Torch Alight!

Dydh da! Good Day! It's nearly here, folks ... the Olympic Torch is passing through Liskeard on Saturday 19th May , and the Vital Sparkers have lined up some Cornish dancing including a simple, colourful Olympic Torch Serpent - March for the afternoon in Westbourne Gardens . All the Cornish dances are really easy to pick up - just follow the rest of the dancers. Wear flame colours - black , red , orange , gold & be a part of the grand spectacle. There'll be a few 'snakey, serpent' dances, where you join the line & follow the leader as they spiral around the dance space, a few circle dances, including the ' Mr Martin's Reel ' challenge dance between the dancers & musicians, along with a furry-circle & some partner dances. AND YOU'RE ALL WELCOME TO JOIN IN!! The History Back in the days of the Cornish Tea Treats (and still now in some parts of the Duchy) , the local band would lead a procession of dancers acros...

Bodmin Heritage Day - The Children's Dance 2016

What an absolute joy to support the Bodmin Heritage Day - The Children's Dance 2016 with such an amazing bunch of children, a fabulous team of volunteers and musicians, and with the support of Bodmin Town Council and Bodmin Lions , a very generous donator, 720 PRINT and all the parents! This was an extraordinarily special project for Bodmin Town, with a call out for help to revive The Children's Dance, when 1,000 or so children used to learn the dance at school, with schools entering with their banners, and receiving trophies. Alas the school commitment in this first year was missing . . . Maybe all that target reporting work means there isn't time to spend on such frivolous activities as helping children learn how to work together, how to dance, and how important heritage is to them. Fortunately, a good number of young people persuaded their parents to let them join in, so big up the parents! Rehearsals began in January at the...

Rehearsals for The Children's Dance, Bodmin Heritage Day

A cracking launch to Bodmin Heritage Day - The Children's Dance at Sheer Dance , home of the Sam Deakin Dance Academy hidden up on the Walker Lines Industrial Estate in Bodmin this morning! Justine Stephens, one of the driving forces behind the revival of The Children's Dance, introduced me to the Bodmin variation of "North Cornwall Furry" as we demonstrated the dance for the wonderful dancers. Subtly different to all the other variations of this dance I've ever come across, with just four steps forward (rather than the usual 8), right hand star, left hand star, followed by four steps forward, right hand star, left hand star. A perfect 'fit' to the music! Freelance photographer, Peter Hodges takes the official pictures of the dancers - do check out Peter's excellent photography and courses here. Note the temporary gold and blue sashes, stitched together by Thea Palmer up at the upholsterers near the library in Bodmin (thanks, Thea!). St...

#cornishmusic #cornishdance workshops | Bude

We're super excited to return to the Falcon Hotel Bude for a fortnightly series of #cornishdance workshops in the run up to Bude & Stratton Folk Festival at the end of May. "It's what Sunday afternoons were made for . . . " :D DANCERS A great way to keep fit and have some fun with a friendly bunch of people learning traditional Cornish folk dances. All dances are taught from scratch, and no partner is required. Bring scoots/clogs/taps/hard shoes for the step dances if you have them (if not, 50 pence pieces gaffa-taped to the soles of your shoes will work really well too!). We're looking to acquire scoots/clogs/taps for children and adults, and setting up inclusive sessions for adults and children, with the amazing Kate and Jon Tidball continuing to take the dances into school. MUSICIANS A chance to learn/refresh how to play for dancing with Steve Hunt as part of the "International Folk Orchestra of Bude". Here's the set lis...

Scoots Kernow: ** DANCE ** with me as @scootskernow, folk educator, workshop leader and facilitator, event producer and promoter and specialist in Cornish set, step and social dance ** WORK ** with me as "Bizet on the brain", a collection of memories, musings and mysteries as an "engineer" across the industrial worlds ** MEMORY ** is a wonderful thing, wherever and however it's stored _/\_/\_/\_

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