For the past two years the Winnipeg Irish Festival has included set dancing as part of the overall program and this has sparked ongoing set dancing classes as people have come to appreciate this fun and energetic social activity. This has been a welcome development in that it provides another dimension of Irish cultural life and, as well, it gives the musicians insight into the original purpose of playing all these jigs and reels. Set dancing and ceili dancing, after all, are not intended so much for the Michael Flatly’s of the world as for the rest of us. Irish set dancing is lively social dancing done in squares of four couples. It does not require fancy footwork and beginners can quickly learn the basics. These traditional dances have come down to us from various parts of Ireland.
Over the past year Irish set dancing has been featured at a number of events, including well-attended community dances in May and November and last August’s successful fundraising ceili. Given the growing interest in this type of dancing in Winnipeg, Comhaltas has organized a weekend that focuses on set dancing. We are bringing Maureen O’Leary, who led the dancing at the last two Winnipeg Irish Festivals, from Toronto to lead the dancing for the weekend. Most of the workshops are intended for everyone, from beginners to advanced dancers. While the dancing requires partners people don’t have to come with a partner – we will make up our sets from those who come out and make sure that everyone is able to participate.
There will be a Friday evening workshop followed by a session, Saturday morning and afternoon workshops, and a Saturday evening ceili with live music. The ceili will include the dances we have just learned in the workshops as well as ceili dances that everyone can join in, even if they haven’t attended the workshops. In order to take full advantage of Maureen’s knowledge there will be a special Sunday afternoon workshop for dance teachers and the more experienced dancers who have been coming out to set dance classes during the year. At the same time there will be a workshop for musicians on playing for set dancing, followed by an open session.
The complete weekend price for Comhaltas members is only $40 (early bird price) or $45 (regular price), while non-members will pay $5 more. For those who can’t attend the whole workshop the individual sessions are priced at $12 and the ceili at $10 ($15 and $12 for non-members).
For more information about the workshop or to register you can contact Jeremy Hull at 477-5981 or Carol Ann Coish at 487-0756. Information is also available on the web site: www.comhaltaswinnipeg.ca. 15 01 2006
1139286939024066094140 Cat_Theatre Tara Players Proudly present…. Anyone Could Rob A Bank by Thomas Coffey Tara Players logo_taraplayers.jpg In this hilarious, critically-acclaimed, music-hall style farce, three men-Badger, Jereen and Windy-discuss how easy it would be to rob the local bank and they come up with the perfect plan. When they wake up to the news that the local bank has been robbed using their very plan, they begin to suspect each other.
*Dinner & Theatre Performances on February 17th, 18th and 25th
*Unreserved theatre seats will be made available as rush seating on these nights.
Theatre Only Performances on February 23rd and 24th
Ticket Prices:
Dinner & Theatre Performances – $35.00
Theatre Only Performances – $10.00
For ticket reservations, please contact Lyle Skinner at 888-6706.
