May Heydays at Evesham:   2024 Programme

Workshop Descriptions

Some people wear costume or smart dress for the Balls, but that's not obligatory!

Amira

Saturday 9.45-11.00: Egyptian Folkloric Style
We'll be learning a dance style from the Said region (Saidi meaning upper Egypt) with its grounded, earthy roots.  We will be incorporating sticks/canes as a prop!  This is a lively dance style and fun to learn!

Saturday 11.30-12.45: Indian Dance
Come and experience both classical Indian dance and bhangra.  We'll explore hand gestures known as “mudras” and get our shoulders bouncing and feet moving to the bhangra beat!

Saturday 13.00-13.15: Performance by Amira

Andrew Swaine

Saturday 14.00-17.00: Dance-writing Competition
Evesham's annual dance competition goes from strength to strength.  9 talented and anonymous choreographers have composed new dances on the theme of 'Dances in a Circle'.  Come and dance them for the first time, help judge the best, and explore what makes a great dance!

Saturday 17.00-18.00: “Callers' Round”
An informal discussion for callers of all levels: you choose the topics, and Andrew will keep the conversation flowing.

Sunday 11.30-12.45: “French Workshop”
Sunday 14.00-15.15: “French Workshop”
We'll be going through the repertoire and skills of modern 'balfolk'.  In addition to learning to dance the core dances and having an opportunity to dance to the amazing music of Emily and Simon, we'll be looking at topics of partner communication and improvisation, which are relevant to many styles of dance.

Burt Hunter

Saturday 12.45-14.00: Maypole Dancing
In 1881 John Ruskin introduced maypole dancing utilising ribbons to Whitelands College in London,  This college trained teachers, initially all women, and these became emissaries for maypole dancing as they fanned out across the country's primary schools.  So it is that today we generally associate maypole dancing with schoolchildren.  However, I invite people of all ages capable of following some relatively straightforward instructions to revel in the joys of maypole dancing in an unselfconscious manner. 

The workshop will be outside in good weather.  Please meet in the Dance Studio or ask a steward where the workshop will be.

Charlie Turner

Saturday 11.30-12.45: Dances for the Brave
We'll dance a mix of dances that require courage and teamwork, inspired by the choreography of Jacob Steel.  Expect plenty of laughs when things don't go quite to plan!

Sunday 14.00-15.15: One dance to the tune of another
Some dances are synonymous with a particular tune, whilst others are chameleons, fitting to the music as it is provided. We'll loosen the relationship between dances and “their” music, mixing genres, to explore adapting and enjoying dancing to the music — however unexpected!

Daisy Black

Sunday 14.00-15.15: Unlocking the Word Hoard: A medieval storytelling workshop.
Learn the ancient tradition of oral storytelling using medieval tales.  We'll develop the skills to break down any story for performance and learn how to adapt old tales for modern audiences.  Aimed at all story-lovers who want to spin yarns of their own.   

Monday 11.30-12.45: Broken Shells
Daisy Black tells a haunting, visceral, occasionally funny tale that will whirl round your senses, lace your tongue with salt and take you across the sapphire-worked seas to walk with the creatures at the far edges of the map.  This gripping story is set among the eddies and currents of medieval romance, classical mythology and English folk song; a one-woman show not to be missed.

Frances Richardson

There are so many interesting dances in the Scottish country dance repertoire, and we'll explore a few of these.  Don't worry about special stepping — that's optional here.  If you have not done Scottish before but love English, then you will love these sessions too, and if you already like Scottish then this will not disappoint.

Saturday 9.45-1100: Scottish Workshop
Sunday 11.30-12.45: Scottish Workshop

Jeannie Byron-Williams

Saturday 19.30-22.30: Playford Ball Something for everyone — some elegant, some to be danced with as much enthusiasm as you wish!

Karen Michaelsen

Saturday 14.00-15.15: International Workshop
In this session we will taste the different styles, music and rhythms from Greece, Bulgaria, Albania and more!  Come and enjoy this special kind of dancing and get ready to dance to live music in the evening!

Saturday 19.30-22.30: International Dance
An exciting evening of dances from around the world with the treat of live music from Faren!  Experience the fun, energy and community.  No partner is needed.

Sunday 15.45-17.00: Eastern European Dance
Ever wondered what Zorba experienced in his famous dance?  In this workshop we will do some traditional Greek dances, dances of history, drama and expression.  We will also do some expressive Gypsy/Roma dances!

Monday 11.30-12.45: Eastern European Dance
Grab a hip scarf and feel the joy and energy of Gypsy/Roma dancing!  We will also do some dances from different parts of Bulgaria with various styles and moods.

Karin Bellaart

Friday 20.00-22.30: International Welcome Dance
Dances from around the world, accompanied by live music from Faren! No partner needed.

Saturday 15.45-17.00 Balkan Workshop
Monday 9.45-11.00 Balkan Workshop
Karin will teach dances from Greece, Bulgaria, Armenia, Macedonia and Croatia during the Balkan sessions. Dancers will also explore Roma-dances.

Sunday 9.45-11.00 Scandi Workshop
In the Skandi session we will visit Sweden and Denmark. These will be couple dances, a square formation and circles with partners. Come and try, it will be fun.

Keith Wood

Saturday 11.30-12.45: Contra Compositions
A sampling of Keith's Contra dance compositions, featuring some new moves, an uncommon one, and an unusual formation.  Come along and explore the variety in Contra dancing.

Sunday 9.45-11.00: Modern English Workshop
A selection of Keith's English country dance compositions.  From longways sets, through squares, to an unusual circle formation, come along and enjoy the music and dancing.

Maureen Knight

Saturday 9.45-11.00:  Music Workshops with Maureen — Definitely not for people who are already proficient players!
Sunday 9.45-11.00:
Monday 9.45-11.00:
Are you daunted by music sessions full of “proficient musicians” playing tunes quickly that you don't know, can't play by ear and can't read fast enough, or trying out a new instrument?  If so, come to a slow session of easy peasy familiar dance tunes for players like you!  Play what you can in a friendly, supportive session for a small number of people and enjoy talking about how to survive in a band!  There may also be some 1:1 sessions by request.

It would help Maureen plan if you could contact her in advance to say what instrument you're bringing and how many notes/chords you actually know!

Mike Courthold

Saturday 9.45-11.00:  Gary Roodman dances
A selection of Mike's favourite dances form the Gary Roodman collections: some easy, some not so easy, but all with gorgeous tunes.

Sunday 9.45-11.00:  American Squares Workshop
Another selection of Tony Parkes' favourite squares, taken from his book “Square Dance Calling — An Old Art For A New Century”, to augment the selection presented in 2023.  Tony Parkes is one of Mike's all-time favourite square-dance choreographers and callers, and Tony's book contains a wealth of interesting and accessible dances that have stood the test of time.

Paula Evans

Saturday 11.30-12.30: Songs of Central and East Africa
Come and learn chants, songs and rhythms of the Central African rainforest people, and some uplifting Kenyan religious folk song.  Session will be fun and spirited, a collaborative and uplifting soundscape-building event!  Be immersed and transported in a joyous soundbath of voice, rhythm and joy.  No singing experience needed, just a willingness to take part and have fun!  Includes the opportunity to perform later in the day.

Saturday 14.00-17.00: The Big Sing Out
Join acclaimed group of local songsters 'Vocal High' and instrumentalists for a double session exploring folk songs from traditional and contemporary cultures. Building harmonies and layering sound to create a lush and uplifting vocal landscape.  No previous experience needed, just a willingness to take part and have fun!  Includes an opportunity to perform with Vocal High later in the day.

Saturday 17.30-18.00: Singing Performance

Rhodri Davies

Saturday 9.45-11.00: Hey Making
With a title like that, what move could this workshop possibly be based on?  It also seems appropriate for this festival.

Monday 11.30-12.45: The Modern Dancing Masters
Dances created in recent decades that draw inspiration from the Playford collections, from the tunes, the moves, and the structures.

Steve Earwicker

Sunday 15.45-17.00: Singing for Breton Dancing
Steve and Helen will be teaching a couple of straightforward Breton dances and the songs that go with them.  The songs are in French rather than Breton and are not difficult to pick up.  Words and music will be provided.  Both the dances and songs are suitable for beginners wanting to have a go — but experienced dancers and singers are, of course, also welcome!

Monday 11.30-12.45: Singing Shanties
Steve will be teaching some traditional unaccompanied Sea Shanties as well as explaining how shanties were used and a bit of the history behind them.  All are welcome to join in with singing and even some of the work they were used for!  No previous experience required.

Susan de Guardiola

Susan's sessions, including the Regency Ball, will include some steps, but these are certainly not essential — you can be historically accurate or not, as you wish.

Susan lost her voice on the Sunday, so Colin Hume led the Regency Ball and Brian Stanton and Trevor Monson led extra workshops on the Monday in place of Susan.

Saturday 18.00-19.00: An Aspect of Historical Dance
A talk about Louis-Julien Clarchies (1769-1815), a French dancer, musician and dance composer.  Of Curacao origin, he become famous in Paris in the 1800s, composing 'contredanses, valses (anglaises et sauteuses)', and he apparently 'invented' the move now termed 'the Ocean Wave'.  Some musical accompaniment will be included.

Trevor Monson

Saturday 11.30-12.45: English workshop
Sunday 9.45-11.0: English workshop
Monday 9.45-11.0: English workshop
These English dance workshops, although none has a theme, will be a mixture of older and more modern dances of varying difficulty.

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