Website for 30th Anniversary of Great Alne Long Weekend : April 2013
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These are all ARCHIVED 2013 pages of the: 30th anniversary event.
So here are its ARCHIVED site ARCHIVE pages.
 Karin's Bellaart's bright, lively manner is hard to improve on.
We look forward to Karin's visit this April, bringing another delightful dance selection.
Should you be interested, you may view The programme prepared for Karin's 2005 Visit by James Hobro.
The oldest full website is accessable - cLICK - to be transported back to the - Home Page etc of the website of 2008-9
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  A SUPERB APRIL WEEKEND we enjoyed in 2012. Little Spring sunshine, so LOTS more dancing INSIDE was shared.
  - FULFILMENT for those who dropped by for a visit: and for ALL who came to enjoy the long weekend with us !
2012 Gt Alne Long Weekend began on the Friday Evening with Music/Dance in the Memorial Hall.
Recollect 2012 here: Fri & Sat.
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2009, various photos, and other recollections below.
An aspect of any previous Long Weekend that you particularly enjoyed ?

If you wish to contribute activities or ideas, do send feedback or tell André, Paul, Nicola, Karen or Jonathan S
.
AND ESPECIALLY
If you've pictures or video of earlier years, please email to us.
It would be great to include more of these on the website! 
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2009 recollection notes below. But first, here are a few pics from previous years that you may not yet have seen !
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Outside, on a sunny day.

Picture
C. Anthony H. 2005
Tony has a snack and a cuppa, joined by Carolyn.

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Saturday's walk. Yet another four legged friend finds the footbridge to be even more of a problem than we did !
Picture
C. JWDH 2005
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Laura, singing in the sunshine, is informally accompanied on the guitar by James.
Picture
C. Anthony H. 2004
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Alan and Iris enjoy a humorous moment after Monday's waitress served meal.
Picture
C. Aé 2007
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Below -  2009  memories: Great Alne Long-Weekend. Events have similarities from year to year.
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Nel van der Laan was our 2009 visiting teacher from the Netherlands. 
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So be reminded of 2009, -  Read on  -  Enjoy again .....
Rhodri Davies is fully in touch with Contra Dance's modern developments.
He was brilliant in conveying neat moves to execute Contra Dance
embellishments.

There were 
technique workshops, followed by Contra Dances all led by Rhodri.
The culmination: - a major lively Contra Dance on the Sunday Evening.

We look forward to his visiting another year, and to once more sharing dances with Rhodri's family.
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Cathy Greenhill brought more of her excellent teaching of Historical Dance.

Have you danced the Ceilidh dance "The Horse's Branle" ?
At Cathy's session, we saw how very little (apart from the tune) that the Ceilidh dance of today has in common with the dance originating in the 16th Century !

And on Saturday, Cathy took us through more fun dances from the 1940s.
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In April 2009, we also enjoyed Israeli Dances with Adrian Pointon.
Adrian - who deserves to be better known outside Northwest England & the Midlands - is the teacher of Israeli dance par excellence.
As well as Arian's brill workshops we enjoyed his excellent music when Cindy lead her CIRCLE DANCES.
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Great Alne Social Dancing in 2009 was on 3 evenings. Friday, Saturday & Sunday.
With 3 bonus late dances too. Hot drinks included in entertainment breaks.
On Friday Evening 2009 with Barbara & Bill Kinsman Two evergreen living legends of Folk dance calling in the UK Midlands.
 Barbara's skill & memory led us through many traditional English Playford-Style Dances. Bill - supporting this time. His style brilliant as ever.
International Dancing went on before, and Late Nite Extra finished with Cajun Dance.
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At Rhodri Davies workshops, we extemporised & tested American Contra Dance techniques -
That was on Saturday & Sunday Evenings with Contra Dancing from 8pm.
Contradance has LOTS of changeabout of partners!
Saturday Evening started with a Belly Dance workshop; lots of contradance -
Highlights from the daytime workshops - and finished with Late-Nite-Extra Circle Dance.
Sunday Evening started with Adrian'sHot-hot Israeli, and after contra -
There was French Couple Dancing with Pete Grassby.
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Part Song opportunities- again thanks to James Eisner took take place through Sunday.
It was particularly pleasant once more to see Louise, and to meet little Benjamin.
Maypole dancing.  André has long wished - this extended weekend just before Mayday itself - to have Maypole dances on the green outside the Memorial Hall.
This took place around lunchtime on Sunday with Diana Campbell.

On the Monday morning, Diana also led a session of -

Long Forgotton Children's Games for Adults
. (All had a wonderful Clappy time.)
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Maciek Michma  A young dancer from Poland showed us an elegant couple dance -
The Polonaise from Maciek's own home town of ZAMOSK.
The above was an especially quiet session for adults planned for near Saturday lunchtime.
Belly dancing. With Jenny was popular both as a superb demo on Saturday Night -
And as excellent participatory workshops on Saturday early Evening, and on Sunday morning.

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French Couple dancing led by Pete Grassby (also playing) again took-up the late night spot on Sunday Evening. Thanks. Superb, Pete.
An excellent session as ever and, as a kind bonus, some tasty nibbles too!
Tai Chi. A new feature for '09 wasn't possible since Yang couldn't get transport.
Yang hopes however to introduce Tai Chi / Kung Fu Fan to Great Alne in 2011.

And we hope for a stunning evening demonstration from her.


Picture
Monday Oversley Wood bluebells:
Afternoon walk. Always a joy. (Late Spring
in 2010 - the earlier carpet of wood anemomes.)


Many are able to share the Monday at Gt Alne.
A delight: most especially for visitors to the area.


Our caterers at Gt Alne offer several choices for the seatedMonday served lunch in the hall.
Very last orders during the morning -

Food details on the programme (eg above) are shown in green.

The lunch alone is worth coming to share.
After lunch
2009, a gentle dance from Nel.



Copyright; André  2008

Many dancers reading this are retired, or can plan a dance day from work.
PLAN AHEAD NOW to take full advantage in 2011 of this (school holiday) Monday.

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This is what we did on Friday Evening last April 2010  for Great Alne Long Weekend. Uniquely a -
Friday Evening Contra Dance in Alcester where 
Sue Rosen from USA called with the music of the Bruce Rosen Duo -
Link with dates of all Alcester Contras, and full details is presently to  CLICK ON - http://warkcom.net/alcestercontras
Greig Hall is 2 miles from Gt Alne along B4089.
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Why was no Long Weekend 2010 Friday Eve Dance in the Memorial Hall?

Sue Rosen - an excellent US caller of Contra Dance visited the UK. Many attending Gt Alne Long Weekend enjoy Contra Dance.

(We enjoyed Sue calling some Contras at Great Alne in the Memorial Hall on Sunday Evening.)

Sue and her husband the musician Bruce Rosen were invited to the UK - (Leading lights for a  Week of Contra at Halsway Manor)
- by Meg - our long established homely Alcester Sunday tea and scones hostess ( CLICK-  for our  Activities page), who very kindly asked if we wished to have Sue for our Friday evening dance.

Meg is the inspired originator of the brilliant series of Alcester Contras (in the spaceous Greig Hall, just 2 miles from Great Alne).
André suggested that the Greig Hall was in every way a much more appropriate location.

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If you liked this, you may enjoy the old site pages - CLICK  for  2009.greatalnefolk.org.uk/  "old" Homepage
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