Contact Us :
Wiltshire
Folk Arts
19 Whistley Road, Potterne, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 5QY
info@wiltshirefolkarts
.org.uk
Office: 01380 726597
Bob : 07714 550990
Dance
Wiltshire Folk Association
There is also a great link to Wiltshirefolkdance website which will have their latest details in.Here you will find contacts to many of the dance groups and events that are happening in the county and beyond. (Thanks to Doug, Ann, Geoff & Meg.)
Please contact us if your side's details are missing or incorrect - or if you don't wish them to appear.
Dance
and Ceilidh.
There are similarities between both of these types of Dance but some explanation may help to determine what you are looking for.
What is "Social Dance" ?
It’s a general term
that covers a wide variety of dancing styles. We like the term "social"
because it generally describes the people who participate in this style
of dance very well - they really are a sociable lot!
Here are a few types of dance that can be found at just about any of
the listed clubs: English Country Dances, Playford, Fallibroome, Apted,
Hornpipes, Jigs, Reels, Polkas, Waltzes, Strathspeys, American, Square
Dances, Contra Dances, Patter Calls, Singing Calls, Scandinavian, Eastern
European, Israeli, Irish, Scottish, Welsh ... and that's just a few.
The "Social" dance scene in Wiltshire is widespread across
the county with a large number of people attending clubs, and events
every week throughout the year. These clubs can be found in the lists
below.
Social Dance, as we call it, was superbly represented by the former Wiltshuire Folk Association that also produced a quarterly diary listing which kept members and interested parties informed. This news and diary item will be continued under the watchful eye andof Doug May and Geoff Elwell and reproduced and disseminated as usual.
We will produce this too in our web pages and assist in our listings as much as possible.Please check on club news, artists pages and this page regularly for updates
Ceilidh.
This is "Social"
dance with attitude and a fair bit more energetic to boot !
The word Ceilidh is defined in the dictionary as "Cei+lidh ('keili)
n (esp. in Scotland & Ireland) an informal gathering of Folk music,
singing, dancing and storytelling. [C19 from Gaelic]". But things
have moved on a bit since those days and a Ceilidh is now more of a
very upbeat series of dances with a band with at least one set of drums
and a good smattering of electronic instruments. Not for the weak &
feeble this one but great fun to join in or even watch. Some Wiltshire
based ceilidh bands can be found in our performers
section.
| Dance clubs (last updated 17th August 2009) | |||
| Devizes & Calne | |||
| Devizes
Dance Club Scout Hall, Southbroom Road |
every Monday |
Brian Lyons 01380 721313 |
|
| Shrewton Methodist Hall | every Monday | Mrs B Matthews
01980 620522 |
|
| Chippenham & Malmesbury | |||
| Chippenham United Reformed Church Hall | 1st & 3rd Tuesdays |
David Spink 01249 446244 |
|
| Marshfield | 2nd & 4th Tuesdays | Aurea Hart 01225 891453 |
|
Swindon & Wootton Bassett |
|||
| Wroughton Infants School | every Wednesday |
Francis Hobbs 01793 812282 |
|
Marlborough & Pewsey |
|||
| Marlborough Scottish | Check with contact | Mrs Jennifer Parker01672 515151 | |
Salisbury & Amesbury |
|||
| Amesbury Methodist Hall (Scots) | every Thursday |
Rod Hopgood |
|
| Salisbury (Early Dance) | Sunday Monthly | D Cruikshank 01980 620339 |
|
| St Martin's School, Shady Bower | every Tuesday in term time | David Tullis
Website 01980 863024 |
|
| Sarum
Squares Roman Road Methodist Church |
every Monday | Anne Follet01747
871291, Derek 01980 862344 or Rodney 01722 327393 |
|
| Salisbury Scottish | Check with contact | Chris Austen01722 339755 | |
Tisbury & Warminster |
|||
| Westbury Leigh Church Hall | every other Thursday | Eileen Dredge
01373 823469 website |
|
| Westbury
(Playford) Westbury Leigh Church Hall |
Thursday, Monthly | Peter Swann
01985 212556 website |
|
| Codford Village Hall (Scots) | every Tuesday | Will Collins,
01985 850217 |
|
| Warminster Scottish | Check with contact | Mrs Aline Fry01985 841054 | |
Trowbridge & Bradford-on-Avon |
|||
| White Horse Contra | various dates | website | |
| St
Margarets Barn Dance Club Riverside Club, Melksham |
2nd & 4th Wednesdays |
Pat Butler
|
|
| Holt Village Hall | 1st Saturday (Oct-May) | Malcolm Mace 01666 837214 |
|
| Batheaston Contra | 1st Sunday Monthly | Ann O Bryan01225 858886 | |
| Trowbridge Scottish | Check with contact | Mr J Tindall01225 754825 | |
Melksham & Corsham |
|||
| Melksham Riverside Club | Every Monday | Christine Gale 01225 706037 website |
|
| Melksham
Tea Dances Riverside Club |
3rd Saturdays (Oct to Mar) |
Meg Elewell 01225 703650 |
|
| Corsham ScottishCommunity Centre | Every Monday |
Derek Laister01225 702190 |
|
| Trail Blazers Squares,Church Hall | Tuesdays |
Malcolm Mace 01666837214 |
|
| Ceilidh | |||
| Dance House Ceilidhs Ellendune Centre, Wroughton | Sadly this main venue in Wiltshire for Ceilidh Dance has now closed. | But see their website for latest news. | |
|
Other Links |
|||
| Halsway Manor | |||
| www.setandturnsingle.org.uk/ online magazine | |||
| "The
Dancing Master, 1651-1728" An Illustrated Compendium by Robert M. Keller. Very interesting reading! |
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