Cultural Festival and Regency Dance

Yesterday it was once again time for the annual cultural festival in our town, and I had agreed to join the historic dance team for their recital. Last time I’d performed on the festival was about 8 years ago, together with my friend of the young national dance team (and when I say young, I basically mean any dancer under the age of 40).

This time though, I would not wear my national costume, but my new regency gown compleat with velvet west and bonnet.

I started getting ready by curling my wet hair the evening before, and let it set over night.This is how I looked when I woke up (way to early on a Saturday), and started to get ready.

I did some light make-up and fuzzes around with the hair, to get something similar to curls in my short bangs.

All dressed up and wearing my new bonnet, I thought it looked pretty decent.Then it was time t take the bus downtown to the meet up point for the festival.

Sadly the weather was not at all co-operating.
And the dance area was cowered in water and extremely slippery.

Two wet gents testing the floor.

The teams about to perform all gathered and made them self ready, while huddling beneath rain coats, umbrellas and shawls.
Clara and Maud, in matching self made bonnets and happy despite the weather.

Then the dance program started.

Beginning with the classical dance team, in their lovely national costumes.

The two ladies in this pic are wearing identical jackets and two variations of the “Skedevi” costume. (left: the summer costume in white and pink cotton, and right: the sunday costume in red wool). I would love to make that jacket for myself – I do have the pattern…

Then it was time for the kids
.
You need to be pretty devoted as a parent to agree to do this things.

The next team was the “polske – team”, with their beautiful and addictive dances in 3/4 beats. My friend Annica (whose wedding I attended in late may).

Then it was our turn.
We did a short variation of our usual routine, and were happy once we put our jackets back on.

The team I liked the most were the swing dancers.They looked to be having so much fun, and really rocked the style (some more then others).

Then we got a short show from a bride to be on her bachelorett party. And yes, of course she could swing to.

Then it was time for another old school dance team, “the Morris team”.I guess it could have been pretty cool, if they had all been on beat and perfectly choreographed. But as it were, the noise those bells and sticks made was not exactly my cup of tea…

We also got to see a team from Denmark.Look at those embroidery. So nice to see some new to me national costumes.

And a team from Norwegian.Our neighbors to the east, are known for their lovely red and black national costumes covered with heavy jewelry.

As you can see from this photos there was not many on-lookers except the dancers waiting for their turn. this seams to be the routine on these cultural days. And as a friend said: I have no idea why we do this year after year, since it’s just society for mutual admiration.

And I guess that’s why it’s been 8 yeas since I last did this recital.

But I did get a photo of me and two old time friends.
Katarina (in the middle), was my dance teacher when I was a kid. And Annika (who also was in the kids dance group), are now a board-member in the dance organisation, and dances so often and long that her shoes are falling apart…

Once home again I marveled over my extremely stupid looking “mössfrilla” (hat hairdo).

I also discovered I managed to tear my dress.Well, thats just another one for the mending pile.

Now to get ready for next weekends event.