The Choice Modules Block 1: Friday evening 20:30-22:00 A: Advanced Portuguese dances by Eva, level 3 Portugal has a lot of fun and dynamic traditional dances, which are becom- ing more and more popular in the Balfolk scene. In this workshop we’ll be focusing on some of the more advanced dances in the repertoire of Parap- ente700. We will cover “Fado de Espinho”, “Fado Batido” and “Repasseado”. Depending on the level and wishes of the group, more dances might be added. B: Slängpolska: Walk, Suggest, Open Doors by Pascal, level 3 Get ready for your first introduction into Scandinavian couple dancing or for some further developing of your slängpolska skills. Slängpolska is a Swed- ish couple dance that consists of a lot of walking, suggesting, and opening doors. This workshop puts an emphasis on communication within a dance couple that doesn’t rely on force, while still being very clear in what we want. Like, what is the dance about? How can we dance it in a way that feels effortless to both dancers? And what can we take from it for other couple dances? C: Going one step further in your Mixers by Elena, level 3 & 4 “Mixers” are a set of collective dances where you usually change partners every so often, like in the jig and the Circassian circle. This year we may repeat some of the mixers seen last year (if the group wishes), and we will learn new ones. What’s more, we will specifically focus on techniques to make these dances more comfortable, and on some clues that will help you grasp new mixers much faster (or invent your own!). To do so we will focus on the basic struc- tures (big circle, sets, lines, etc.), what to look for in the music, how to really dance together with your partnerS and when (or if) you should lead. Don’t hesitate to take your camera if you want to film the mixers at the end. Enschede Special: We will make sure again that in the evenings some of these mixers will be announced, so you can practice them during the balls. D: Frappés in Bourrée Auvergnate by Koen, level 4 In high tempo, we will discover different frappés (subtle stamping) and other ways to enhance your bourrée auvergnate. Prerequisites: Have a good understanding of bourrée auvergnate basics, and quick learning skills. 18 The Choice Modules E: Exploring creativity in the Scottishby Sara & Paolo, level 4 We’ll look at the frame of this particular dance and explore some tips and techniques to allow each person to create his/her own identity while danc- ing. In this workshop, creativity is the key, technique the password to enter! Movement in space, getting to know your partner, changing roles, communi- cating, talking to each other, having fun. Prerequisites: we expect you to have a good dance posture and a clear frame in couple dances. Block 2: Saturday morning 10:00-13:00 A: Polska: 1(2)3 1(2)3 1(2)3 by Pascal, level 3 Have you been wanting to learn the famous Swedish polska for a long time but never dared to? Are you already a polska dancer, but looking to do some more work on your basics? Or do you not care about Scandinavian dancing in particular but just want to learn a new, somewhat different couple dance? Either way, this workshop is for you! We’ll be building this Swedish couple dance from scratch, taking a detailed look at walking, turning, the steps of both roles, different ways of doing all this, the music and a little overview of all the many things that are „polska“. B: Bourrée auvergnate discovery by Elena, level 3 Let’s dive into Bourrée auvergnate! We will approach this very rich and rela- tively complicated dance by first laying out a few simple principles. You will see that by using these building blocks together, and progressively adding new ones, this wonderful dance will start making sense. Depending on the group’s level we will work on the basic step, posture and energy, orientation in space and communication with your partner. All of this with a selection of “figures” – some very common, and some you may not have seen before. C: Contact Improvisation by Loby, level 3 & 4 Contact Improvisation is a contemporary dance form based on the physical principles of touch, shared weight, listening to a shared point of contact. This form is for everybody, whether you are an advanced dancer or just a curious beginner, including all kinds of abilities and restrictions. Movements, explorations of the body and centering the mind, lifting using minimal effort, how to make ourselves light when being lifted or stable 19 The Choice Modules when it comes to support. Cultivating a comfortable attitude towards being in the moment of not-knowing, for the responsiveness to our partners and the surroundings. Prerequisites: An open mind is necessary to make the most of this work- shop. D: Fandango & Arin Arin basic by Eva, level 4 This fun but hard Basque dance (North of Spain) is a great challenge for advanced dancers. You can dance it in pairs or small circles. The challenge is in the agility of the feet and the transitions between the separate parts. The fandango is usually followed by an arin arin. In this workshop we will focus on learning the basic steps of the fandango and arin arin. Prerequisites: We don’t expect any knowledge of these dances, but you should have a high general dancing level and need be a quick study. This intensive workshop is not recommended to people who are off form or have problems with their knees or ankles. E: Not more, but better by Koen, level 4 Being a good dancer doesn’t mean knowing a lot of dances or variations, but creating quality and fun on the dancefloor. With the mantra “not more, but better” we will work on this. Note: You need to register in advance to join this workshop. More informa- tion can be found on page 24. Block 3: Saturday afternoon 14:30-17:30 A: Having fun with Rondeaus by Sara & Paolo, level 2b & 3 Did you know you can have real fun dancing a Rondeau? We’ll depart from the traditional Rondeau and head on to a more contemporary approach to it, learning how to play with its frame through some variations and some super useful techniques. It’s all about the flow... go with it. B: Breton dances by Leon & Claudia, level 2b & 3 Energy and connection. These are the aspects that we enjoy most in danc- ing, in particular in the Breton group dances. In this workshop, we focus on this and go into the technique and feeling of a variety of fairly common and lesser-known dances. 20 The Choice Modules C: Irregular Waltzes by Elena, level 3 In this workshop, we will analyse the musicality and possible steps of ir- regular waltzes and look for the hidden pleasures when you master them. Indeed, these strange UFOs in 5, 8 or even 11 beats can be daunting at first. But oh what a blast when you don’t have to count in your head any more, and can not only dance them properly, but even choose between two basic steps, risk a few simple to intricate variations, and finally, add some musical- ity into your dance! D: World of Floorcraft by Rafael, level 3 & 4 The art of successfully navigating that crowded dance floor. How to avoid feet being stepped on - yours or someone else’s. What to do in case of emergencies and how to apply evasive manoeuvres. Learn to use The Force to dance like there’s all the space in the world. Use momentum to change the dynamics of your dance, smoothing out your journey on the dance floor. E: Halling: Severe Norwegian Bragging Skills by Pascal, level 4 Looking for something new? Want to go all crazy with some cool Norwegian moves? Want to do some nice and quiet turning on your own? Want to work on your individual dance technique? Or just want to have fun doing a dance that is danced solo, but at the same time in a big group? Either way, we got you covered! Discover halling, the Norwegian solo dance that leaves a lot of space for all of this. The workshop takes a look at some of the basic techniques as well as putting an emphasis on being connected to the music and to people around you, giving you the possibility to dance the same dance either on your own, two by two or in a group of people. F: Not more, but better by Koen, level 4 Being a good dancer doesn’t mean knowing a lot of dances or variations, but creating quality and fun on the dancefloor. With the mantra “not more, but better” we will work on this. Note: You need to register in advance to join this workshop. More informa- tion can be found on page 24. 21 Block 4: SaturdayThe evening Choice 19:30-20:30 Modules(optional) A: Dance Instruction by Leon & Claudia, level 1 and visitors of the open ball In a high tempo we will explain some of the most common balfolk dances, so nobody has to stay on the sides during the balls. Even if you know most of the dances already, it might be useful to repeat the basics. B: Let’s get Physical by Rafael, all levels Couple Dancing is a contact sport.