A First!
The invitation went out to our three classes to join a Christmas dance party and shared Supper on 12th December in Brigsteer. The response was great , the hall full, the supper fabulous, but best of all we had a Band! Helen brought together David Hall, Katie Turner, and the two Sallys -Maxwell and Hardaker.it was their first gig together and they gave us a splendid evening. after, this kindly email was sent to us.. Hello Miggy and Helen, What a lovely evening you arranged for all of us. Thank you both so much. Such events don’t just happen without a great deal of “paddling beneath the water” and prior organisation. So thank you for all the preparation, thought and planning which must have taken place. I don’t imagine that I will be the only person who felt it was a very special occasion –and even if, as in my case I knew no-one else from the group before joining in the autumn, everyone is so kind and friendly that it is a real pleasure to be part of such an occasion.
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I am so very grateful to Serendipity for leading such a special day of dance in Brigsteer. The band has three members. Mandy de Winter who lead the day and taught us the dances before picking up her instruments, Judy King my first dance teacher who is also a flautist and singer and loves to drum, and Chris who adds his deeper voice and plays the accordian.
New dancers were made welcome and others travelled a goodly distance to be with us as they knew it would be a good day. The Serendipidous supper was fab! Best of all the Band loved playing for us so much that they are keen to visit us again– but they do, not unsurprisingly, have very busy diaries! My plan was to offer this event in two places. In Dent in the beautiful Meditation Centre there, and also at Tabor House in Preston. Come Saturday 23rd March, snow was falling in Dentdale, and dancers from the Brough area and from the northern Ireby were confined behind severe snow drifts. I have postponed the day to 2014! Tabor House On Monday 25th Tabor was in sunshine, but those coming from the Dales had a tough journey. We learnt about 10 dances during the first stage if the day, and then brought those dances together with some fine sonnets on the events of holy Week and the Stations of the Cross. The Sonnets are written by Malcolm Guite for his book Sounding the Seasons, but he makes them freely available. My “special” dance for this year is a choreography from Nanni Kloke, to Maria, from a Cd “Via Crucis” from the Theorbist Christina Pluhar with L’Arpeggiata a baroque music ensemble and also with Barbara Fortuna – a group of four Corsican men. Well worth a download from iTunes. Also on-line is a film of the group with the Theodore and Cornetto being played. see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11POTypBh2I. I combined this dance with this sonnet, from Malcolm, for the fourth Station of the Cross where Jesus meets his Mother. This darker path into the heart of pain
Was also hers whose love enfolded him In flesh and wove him in her womb. Again The sword is piercing. She, who cradled him And gentled and protected her young son Must stand and watch the cruelty that mars Her maiden making. Waves of pain that stun And sicken pass across his face and hers As their eyes meet. Now she enfolds the world He loves in prayer; the mothers of the disappeared Who know her pain, all bodies bowed and curled In desperation on this road of tears, All the grief-stricken in their last despair, Are folded in the mantle of her prayer. At the invitation of John Wealthy, Barbara Driscoll and I led a very happy day of Mantras, Mudras, and Mandalas. The perfect number came to dance, and they were very appreciative. The day concluded with a wonderful Indian Feast from Frances Fawkes.
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