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DANCING BY THE SEA

   
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FRIDAY FEST NOZ



This year, we will be hosting our first Fest Noz event.
Fest Noz is a Breton word which means "night festival" and is a traditional dancing festival in Brittany, the Celtic region of France.

Most villages have at least one Fest-Noz each year as a way to express their culture and identity.  Many Festoù-noz are also held outside Brittany, celebrating Breton culture around the world.  

In the past, the dances were used to trample the ground to make a firm earth floor in a house, or a solid surface for farm work.  People from the neighborhood were invited to help, which explains the presence of stamping movements in some of the dances. 
 
During the Fest-Noz, most dances are practiced in a chain or in a circle (everyone holds hands), but there are also dances in pairs and "choreographed" dances, meaning dances enriched with precise artistic elements (sequences, figures, etc.).  The major study on Breton dancing is "La tradition populaire de danse en Basse-Bretagne", a book written by Jean-Michel Guilcher.

Both our Breton-style musical groups, Mistral and Sonerion will provide live music at this year's first
Fest-Noz dance.

When:  Friday, June 7, 2013 @ 6:00 - 9:00 pm

Where: Sam Case School Gymnasium
            459 NE 12th St
            Newport, OR 97365
Tickets:  $5.00  Adults   $3.00 Children 7+



DANCING THE KNIGHT AWAY



In Ireland and Scotland, Céilí (Kay-Lee) dances are a popular form of folk dancing which served as gathering places for local townspeople who came together to celebrate their culture through music and traditional dances which were passed down through the generations.  It also became a catalyst for courtship; perhaps a precursor to the modern club scene or online dating.



These social dance forms are the easiest for novice and first-timers to learn and during the performance a "caller" is used to guide the group through the steps - similar to square dancing. At the end of a complete iteration of a dance, groups move on to a new set of partners and continue in the fun.

SPONSORED BY
 

Formerly West Coast Bank



Sponsors who are interested in supporting a performer or event will find more information here.
                         

        



Celtic Heritage Alliance produces several Céilí dances throughout the year to mark Celtic holidays and events. Check our Celtic Calendar for upcoming dates.

Celtic Heritage Alliance hosted the Céilí by the Sea at the 2011 and 2012 Newport Celtic Festival & Highland Games, and a Halloween Céilí by the Sea to celebrate the Celtic New Year in October 2011. All events were well attended and everyone had a pleasant time learning and participating in these traditional Irish dances.

Our festival Céilí is a fun, family atmosphere where community members of all ages will have the opportunity to learn and participate in the dancing. You don't need a partner or experience; just some comfortable shoes and a smile!

Celtic Heritage Alliance's goal is to host quarterly, and eventually montly Céilí dances so the community can continue to enjoy these events year round.


Dancers interested in performing in the 2014 Newport Celtic Festival & Highland Games must complete and submit a Registration Form.



Questions may be directed to our Entertainment Committee.



                Scotland              Wales             Cornwall            Isle of Man            Galicia               Brittany           Ireland                   
   

 
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