FASH Chat
Regular readers of Solent Waves will know that recently Yvonne and I disappeared this Spring to travel around the world and John Shillitoe stepped in to keep the newsletter going so admirably for a couple of editions. Having now got back, I thought you might be interested by some of the music and dance we saw on the other side of the globe.
China was particularly rich. It is a vast country packed full of people, so many folk live in small houses, with no gardens or space. In fact when people buy or rent apartments, the price is very much determined by the floor size. Things like a kitchen or separate bedroom are luxuries that they often can't afford, so instead there tends to be just one room that gets used for everything.
The flip side of this lack of space is that there are a number of parks in every city which are all really well used. Every morning there are lots of groups doing Tai Chi or similar exercises and there are even special places with exercise machines set up for "honourable citizens" who are what we might call "old age pensioners".
As we wandered through the park one Sunday at Yangshuo, we found a small band practising, and two groups of what might be described as line dancers. The band had a couple of Chinese violins, a flute and some singers all making a nice sound. Round the corner and we come to ghetto blaster style portable music player and someone leading twenty to thirty people through a sequential line dancing sequence.
Moving on to Xian, in the main square in the evening, the place was packed with people dancing in a wide variety of styles to piped music. Some dancing the quickstep or foxtrot or something similar, some jiving, some in a variety of more exotic styles.
En route near Tai Shan we had been taken to see a "Model Village", so called because it has an Honourable People's Home which they are trying to show off to other areas of China. Up till now older people have been cared for within the family, but this structure is breaking down as younger members move to the cities and hence the development of homes. But we were more interested in the junior school for 5-8 year olds. Here everything was very basic, with one world map (donated previously by our tour leader) the only learning aid on the classroom walls. We discovered that we would be entertained by some dancing and then had to entertain them back. So Yvonne and I were delegated to dance Shepherd's Hey for them before teaching it to the older group. We have taught this Morris Dance many times with English schools, but these children were notably more attentive and focussed. Even though in a foreign language, they were watching closely and although half a step behind they were trying hard and following well in pretty good lines.
Then perhaps best of all was when we were walking through the park of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. As it got towards late afternoon, we found people doing Kung Fu exercises, Tai Chi, dancing the waltz and quickstep (and yes we joined in!), line dancing, kicking a 'shuttlecock' around, playing the violin, someone singing to a karaoke machine, someone else singing opera with a partner on the Chinese violin, plus innumerable others playing cards or mah-jong.
Dennis Wheeler
Devil's Jumps Clog
Devil's Jumps is a step clog side from East Hampshire. They have been going since 1984 and in that time have built up a repertoire of dances from England, Scotland, Wales and Canada. Some routines they perform are traditional or as taught by champion dancers, others they have choreographed using traditional steps and some they have written themselves. They practise weekly, in either Liss or Emsworth, and dance out a few times a year at a mixture of festivals, shows and local nursing homes etc.
Currently they are looking for new dancers and musicians, so are running a taster workshop on Thursday 14th July at 8.00 pm at Emsworth Community Centre for anyone interested in having a go at this form of traditional English dance or playing a variety of music from music hall to traditional sources.
For further details, please phone 023 9278 7478. It would really help us if you could let us know if you are coming; we can provide clogs in certain sizes, else bring your own or wear hard-soled shoes. FASH events for next year
Playford/Scottish Weekend
Since we missed a Scottish workshop last year due to bad weather, this looks interesting. Halsway Manor are running a weekend on the 11th-13th September with workshops and evening dances – both Playford and Scottish. There is no need to be able to do both – it is such fun trying the one you are not familiar with! The cost is £130 for a shared room or £118 for non dancing partners.
Milford on Sea Music Festival
From July 9th to 12th there is a music and arts festival at Milford on Sea and the Folk Club are running free family ceilidh and mini beer festival. The dance is from 6:00-7:30, then music and dancing with Inominata, Rigantona, Murphy's Lore and Ratatask. See www.milfordfestival.org.uk or call Susan on 01590 643404.
Purbeck Folk Festival
From 4th to 6th September, this is a weekend event with camping. It is a new and unique folk festival set in the beautiful landscape of the Purbeck Hills, Dorset's jurassic coast. The festival takes place in two large barns on a sheep farm at Steeple Leaze Farm, Steeple near Wareham
BH20 2NY.
Headline acts are: Jim Moray with band, Uiscedwr, Mawkin:Causley as well as Rosie Doonan's Snapdragons and Californian bluegrass songwriter Corinne West. For more information see www.purbeckfolk.co.uk.
FolkStation, takes place from 10th to 12th July, in the grounds adjoining Havenstreet Station on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. Music lovers, families and folk fans of all ages will be able to enjoy high-quality folk, blues, folk-rock and acoustic music from two stages, plus music and traditional dance displays from Island-based Morris sides within the station itself.
Throughout Saturday and Sunday, FolkStation is presenting a range of bands, singers and musicians on the two stages and also at other locations on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. Headlining is 'Limited Edition' – a new band formed by the renowned fiddle player Tom Leary.
Stokes Bay Festival
The licence has now been approved for this festival and the good news is that the slightly over-intrusive security and licensing restrictions from last year are being somewhat relaxed. They expect a very safe, relaxed and family-friendly Festival. You can see more information on the acts involved at www.stokesbayfestival.co.uk
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Submitted by (to whom technical queries and requests for additional links only) and Edited by Dennis Wheeler, Penshurst, Vicarage Lane, Swanmore, Hants SO32 2PW 01489 892911 editor@fash.org.uk).