Workshops with Deana Lawman, Essex

At long last, after 2 years of meaning to get to Essex, the astral points aligned and Kay and I were able to make it there - and what an absolute thrill!

Everyone who knows Deana and Helen knows how light and playful these women are – and this totally translates to the atmosphere they bring to their workshops!  Kay and I walked away with a few pages of notes and yet another 'lightbulb moment' (after 16 years dancing there's always new discoveries).

The evenings entertainment was a lovely candlelit 'picnic' type do with lots of dancing and Kay and I were able to meet up with old friends and we also made some new ones.

I feel this is going to become a regular haunt of ours so until the next time ladies, thank you for your time and effort and have a great Christmas and a brilliant 2017!

Workshops with Philippa Moirai, London

Ashnah already had the privilege of hosting Philippa Moirai but now my own Philippa and I decided to visit her in London to attend her last 2016 workshops.  This woman is a lovely sofly-spoken woman but when you’re done of an afternoon, you’re really done – she has this way of making you leave it all in the studio, working you steadily and continually!  It was brilliant as was the energy and the company.  I left with so many nuggets and now to drill!

Kae Montgomery UK Visit, Oxfordshire

fun day out at Henley

She came, she taught, and left us properly worked out, tweaked, and wanting more – the group is definitely looking forward to the next visit although we’re still on a high!

The lovely Kae Montgomery spent 5 days with us and on the programme apart from a little sightseeing to the lovely and oh so English town of Henley, was a weekend filled with workshops, a couple of which focussed on all aspects of solo performances and which carried on from each other, plus we also had workshops which included some of Kae’s own dialect.

all at sea

We kicked off the weekend with a terrific dinner dance which included African, Indian, Irish, and Middle Eastern flavours from Sunny; huge thanks to all the performers who so readily gave of their time to join us.  A majority of us managed a Saturday night outing to our local Indian where we danced in the restaurant.  The whole event was fabulous especially as we had in our midst new faces who joined the more familiar of our ever growing pool of friends – the atmosphere was so cosy and buzzing.

working us hard

Thank you all for your attendance and support; we couldn’t have done it without you!

discussion time

jollies at the restaurant

Oasis Workshop, Devon

Of course Ashnah went to Devon to attend this month’s gathering – our big circle included new faces from Froom who I hope had a fab time.  Later on that day, at the evening show, new blood was joined by fresh blood with the Nirzari ladies, Mel and Shereen joining us with their brood Mireya and Cillian respectively who were both as good as gold.  The show was wonderfully eclectic with the skirt winning the ‘prop of the evening’ award.  Show stopper of the night was the beautiful and haunting live rendition of Ederlezi which of course, I didn’t think of taping :( the number was a collaboration of local musician and Kalash).  We’re booked for December!

Kay left holding the baby

Hanney Festival

l-r Rita, Pips and Kay

God bless new events, and Ashnah absolutely loves venturing out to new places and making conversions as it were!  The tireless Dawn Massam invited us to the Black Horse in East Hanney and being her beautiful warriors and all (her words of course), we were only too pleased to accept.  Naturally, it had the Massam flair which lay in the detail – brilliant bands, lovely atmosphere, a warm welcome and if I had anything to grumble about is the lack of communication between Dawn and the big man – thank goodness for her foresight which saw us dancing under cover!

Thanks for looking after us so well Dawn.