It has been found!

And it is Folk Music!!

The road up to Damada was a very funny one, to say the least. Full of lifts - I got 5, not including the one straight to the folky festival! This happened because of my choice of taking the national road rather than heading close to the motorway thus allowing me to have a more relaxed, longer journey up in France.
The day of the hitch was a long, hot day. Even though I got my stops, it also had it's walkable moments and they were not few, nor little some times. It started right after the sun came up, and as the sun was half-way between sleep time and lunch time, I was arriving at Coulans s/ Gée.
The small little village, with long wide roads, thin tiny houses - very cosy though - were the stage for what was gonna be on of the most admirable festivals I've witnessed so far.
Following the signs, I ended up on this football field, now place for the many tents that would be placed there.
My tent though, wasn't there yet, as Lena was still on her way down from Rennes here. It was amazing though for because of this, I met an amazing, and big! group of dutch people with whom I spend a lovely time with and also got to know some very interesting things, such as other festivals were I might go in the future! hehe

Every festival I go it rain, but only for one day/night! Truth be told, I find it very odd

Green, hilly pastures, incredible, warm sunny weather. Horses, feeding of the healthy grass, showing off and making those walking pass looking at them in awe, this was the surrounding of this small grand gathering.

 

Lovely people, from many different countries - 12 at least, from my counts - bringing their own music background and dancing styles, blending at the sound of amazing music, some of which have inspired me for life, and an energy that makes you wanna dance all day and all night, non-stop; just feeling the music, reacting to what is being played - or sang.

by Yann Ontsa-Ontsa :)

Divided by both dancing and music workshops, during the day and balls following jam sessions at night, are that very ancient recipe for a whole day of intensity and good fun. Amazing dancing workshops, particularly the junction between musicians/professors that set the quality of them very high in the bar, giving me the skivvies when thinking about how the night balls would be like.

As the day would set, everyone would make their dinner and get ready for the big, long night of dancing that was waiting for us. Some relaxation before the gigs, more towards the end of the festival, due to tiredness and bad nights of sleep - to much dancing - we are all waiting for the music to come: pure magic and joy!

From the simplest cercles to the most elaborate valses, every dance had a tingle in it. Not one of uncomfortableness but rather a very intense and unbelievable felling that was running on my body. Nonetheless to say that, every night was full on of dancing, until the very last chord - appart from the second night when I went to the tent to get my camera and the tent took hover me hehe 

Every festival/folk gathering that I go to has a different mood to it. However, all of them share the same basic things: friendship, companionship, share, love for the food ^^ music, dance - obviously - and most of all, love!

Thanks you all!

Vienna, a marathon

The days were long. Even longer were the nights spent at the sound and company of those who love music and folk dancing. A calm intensity hovers in the air that marks the beat of our hearts, feeling the joy and wonders of a family gathering. For it is this magic the reason why we, from so far of on the globe, travelled such distances to be here... now... in Vienna, for the Folk Marathon, held from the 28th of December until the 2nd of January, 2012.

Changing in venues around the city, genres of folk music, what made this event special and intim was the fact that there were no 'official' bands: all the people playing at this gathering were mere music lovers who offered to the directors of the Marathon either workshops of a particular kind of dance, music workshop, themselves for the night gigs or even the three of them. Thus, this happening is the consequence of enthusiasts that want to give and share what they know with whoever might come. Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Noo! This is real; I can feel it in my bones, see it with my eyes, listen it with my hears... and they are not playing around with me!

Like any other's new year's eve, we also had ours, Vienna Folk Marathon way. A bit before midnight, after already plenty of dancing, everyone stopped and started heading to the river. On the way there we started to see some firework. Apparently, from what I was told, it's legal for people to buy their own firework. Thus, rather than having a single, massive assembly's firework, Vienna is ran by local firework that runs all night long!

Despite not having firework of our own, we celebrated the new year the best way possible: with folk music and, of course, dancing. What better and more magical way of making the first step into 2012 than being with such a group of magical people, next to the river, playing and dancing at our heart's content...!

It was, so far, one of the most incredible scenes I've ever witnessed. One that I shall repeat, if time and opportunity come to it! If not, I only wish that people get involved in it more and more, to allow it to grow more, and more, and more!

Last Sunday me and Anna went Twickenham, where we had the pleasure of listening and talk with one of the best american-folk players ever: Bruce Moslky!

However, knowing that this area is known for having deer, we thought it could be a good think to do, before  going to our gig, pass through one of the many huge parks in the surrounding and try our luck. No deer we found but an incredibly surreal experience, that's for sure! As we walked into the parks, the fog became thicker and, at some point, no matter how much we tried to look through the deep foggy dew, no sign of life, apart from the impressionist drafts of trees; grey and blue was all we could see.

Once we manage to get out of that dreamlike place - still don't know why I wanted to stay there - we carry on for about a mile and tadaaaaaa! Bruce Molsky in front of you, with you, playing for you, for us, for the whole world! This was the last Molky's gig in the UK, after 3 months of ups and downs through the land. He said it was an amazing journey although he wanted to go home know :)

A waltz/mazurka during the gig sure add something to the gig(I can still recall a man's expression when the music ended and we stopped dancing: "woooooooooow" face), one that I'll sure remember!