Ed. here. We've had quite enough, this week, of stories about perversion and degeneracy. It's time for something a little more uplifting. I know when I say "clog dancing" you'll be thinking of the kind of joyful, down-home dances performed by young folks from the hills of the near south, like the Cole Mountain Cloggers, whom you can see by clicking here. And I know that's what is meant by "clog dancing" in places like Virginia and North Carolina. But in other parts of the world, it would be called "step dancing", or maybe "Irish dancing", although in proper Irish dancing you keep your arms and hands straight down your sides.
Anyway, this video comes not from the auld sod or the USA, but from... wait for it... England. This kind of clog dance originated in the early 19th century, with the Industrial Revolution. The clog dancers tap (or stomp!) their feet to mimic the sounds of the spinning and weaving looms in the north of England. This group, performing in Lancashire, are wearing are of the time. Amazing choreography, skillfully executed. Enjoy.
Showing posts with label folk dance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label folk dance. Show all posts
Thursday, May 23, 2019
Friday, January 22, 2016
VIDEO: Amazing wedding haka
Walt has posted videos of wedding dances in times past -- the Swazi girls doing the reed dance is a perennial favourite here, for some reason -- but never anything like this haka performed by the guests at a wedding reception in New Zealand. The bride seems quite moved. What do you suppose she's thinking?
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Check out the "Barvinok" dancers -- doing multiculturalism the right way
Let it never be said that Walt is against multiculturalism. What I'm opposed to is the promotion of other cultures to the detriment of our own culture!
In the same vein, it seems to me that if one migrates to another country, one should make an effort to adapt to the culture of that country. It's fine to remember and keep alive the traditions of your own country, but "when in Rome, do as the Romans do."
One group of immigrants who have done a great job of integrating themselves into the host culture, while at the same time maintaining the culture of their homeland, are the Ukrainians who came to Canada and the USA in two waves, during the first decade of the 20th century and in the decade following WWII. How they managed to survive and thrive -- in the face of considerable discrimination -- is quite a story. You can read about it in Helen Potrebenko's No Streets of Gold: A Social History of Ukrainians in Alberta. (New Star Books, 1977)
Of course there are Ukrainian-Canadians outside of beautiful downtown Vegreville too! In fact, some of Walt's best friends [etc. Ed.] Hey... No... Let me finish. Agent 1's niece belongs to the estimable Barvinok Ukrainian Dance School, which is doing a fine job of teaching and performing traditional Ukrainian folk dancing -- the most exciting folk dances in the whole world. Here's a sample (10:35) -- the famous hopak!
Last year, Barvinok had a successful tour of eastern Europe, so successful that they've been invited back. The trip is planned for August, and the basic costs of the tour are covered, but they need help with transportation. Please take a few minutes to check out this (shorter) video. You'll see some more dance clips and news about this summer's tour. Then, if you can help with the funding, click on the red button. Thank you!
In the same vein, it seems to me that if one migrates to another country, one should make an effort to adapt to the culture of that country. It's fine to remember and keep alive the traditions of your own country, but "when in Rome, do as the Romans do."
One group of immigrants who have done a great job of integrating themselves into the host culture, while at the same time maintaining the culture of their homeland, are the Ukrainians who came to Canada and the USA in two waves, during the first decade of the 20th century and in the decade following WWII. How they managed to survive and thrive -- in the face of considerable discrimination -- is quite a story. You can read about it in Helen Potrebenko's No Streets of Gold: A Social History of Ukrainians in Alberta. (New Star Books, 1977)
Of course there are Ukrainian-Canadians outside of beautiful downtown Vegreville too! In fact, some of Walt's best friends [etc. Ed.] Hey... No... Let me finish. Agent 1's niece belongs to the estimable Barvinok Ukrainian Dance School, which is doing a fine job of teaching and performing traditional Ukrainian folk dancing -- the most exciting folk dances in the whole world. Here's a sample (10:35) -- the famous hopak!
Last year, Barvinok had a successful tour of eastern Europe, so successful that they've been invited back. The trip is planned for August, and the basic costs of the tour are covered, but they need help with transportation. Please take a few minutes to check out this (shorter) video. You'll see some more dance clips and news about this summer's tour. Then, if you can help with the funding, click on the red button. Thank you!
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Swaziland girls doing the reed dance -- VIDEO!
Walt has finally figured out why "Where next? Swaziland next?" has a perpetual lock on our "hit parade". It's not the text you're looking at, right? Could be the National Geographic-style picture of nubile Swazi maidens?
Never let it be said that Walt doesn't heed the wishes of 1000s of readers. [Have you considered that it might be just the one guy, looking at it 1000s of times? Ed.] Here is a three-minute video clip of the famous Swaziland reed dance. For anyone who cares, notes on the cultural aspects of the dance may be found below the video window.
Umhlanga, or the Reed Dance ceremony, is an annual Swazi and Zulu tradition held in August or September of each year. Tens of thousands of unmarried and childless Swazi/Zulu girls and women travel from their villages to participate in the eight-day event. In Swaziland they gather at the Queen Mother's royal village, which currently is Ludzidzini Royal Village, while Nongoma is the site of the royal reed dance in Kwazulu, a province of South Africa.
After arriving at the Queen Mother's royal residence, the women disperse to surrounding areas and cut tall reeds. The following night they bundle them together and bring them back to the Queen Mother to be used in repairing holes in the reed windscreen surrounding the royal village. After a day of rest and washing the women prepare their traditional costumes consisting of a bead necklace, rattling anklets made from cocoons, a sash, and skirt. Many of them carry the bush knife they used to cut the reeds as a symbol of their virginity.
Today's Reed Dance ceremony developed in the 1940s and 50s from the Umkwasho custom where young girls were placed in age regiments to ensure their virginity. The official purpose of the annual ceremony is to preserve the women's chastity, provide tribute labour for the Queen Mother, and produce solidarity among the women through working together.
The women sing and dance as they parade in front of the royal family as well as spectators, tourists and foreign dignitaries. After the parade, groups from select villages take to the centre of the field and put on a special performance for the crowd. The many daughters of King Mswati III also participate in the Umhlanga ceremony and are distinguished by the crown of red feathers in their hair.
The notes are by Alex Ohan, producer of an excellent slide show of the Reed Dance. With regard to the last two sentences, Walt presumes that the king's daughters are ineligble to be taken to wife. Although, Africa being Africa, and Mswati being Mswati, my presumption might bear further investigation.
Never let it be said that Walt doesn't heed the wishes of 1000s of readers. [Have you considered that it might be just the one guy, looking at it 1000s of times? Ed.] Here is a three-minute video clip of the famous Swaziland reed dance. For anyone who cares, notes on the cultural aspects of the dance may be found below the video window.
Umhlanga, or the Reed Dance ceremony, is an annual Swazi and Zulu tradition held in August or September of each year. Tens of thousands of unmarried and childless Swazi/Zulu girls and women travel from their villages to participate in the eight-day event. In Swaziland they gather at the Queen Mother's royal village, which currently is Ludzidzini Royal Village, while Nongoma is the site of the royal reed dance in Kwazulu, a province of South Africa.
After arriving at the Queen Mother's royal residence, the women disperse to surrounding areas and cut tall reeds. The following night they bundle them together and bring them back to the Queen Mother to be used in repairing holes in the reed windscreen surrounding the royal village. After a day of rest and washing the women prepare their traditional costumes consisting of a bead necklace, rattling anklets made from cocoons, a sash, and skirt. Many of them carry the bush knife they used to cut the reeds as a symbol of their virginity.
Today's Reed Dance ceremony developed in the 1940s and 50s from the Umkwasho custom where young girls were placed in age regiments to ensure their virginity. The official purpose of the annual ceremony is to preserve the women's chastity, provide tribute labour for the Queen Mother, and produce solidarity among the women through working together.
The women sing and dance as they parade in front of the royal family as well as spectators, tourists and foreign dignitaries. After the parade, groups from select villages take to the centre of the field and put on a special performance for the crowd. The many daughters of King Mswati III also participate in the Umhlanga ceremony and are distinguished by the crown of red feathers in their hair.
The notes are by Alex Ohan, producer of an excellent slide show of the Reed Dance. With regard to the last two sentences, Walt presumes that the king's daughters are ineligble to be taken to wife. Although, Africa being Africa, and Mswati being Mswati, my presumption might bear further investigation.
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