We are delighted to offer a very special event in October. Steve Turner, wonderful accordionist and craftsman of beautiful tunes will come to Sheffield on 5th October. Join us for a music workshop with Steve, followed by an evening dancing to his sumptuous music. We’ll have our usual sessioning too after Steve has played.
Steve Turner and his accordion
Schedule 7:30pm . . . . Music workshop 8:45pm . . . . Bal 10:15pm . . . Session
Because there’s more to mazurkas than meets the eye…
The sunshine is still with us but summer holidays have slipped by and September has come round again. There’s one more Eurosession to go before we get to celebrate Naragonia again, and they play some beautiful mazurkas in their repertoire.
Although we’ll offer a quick bal basics workshop before the Naragonia gig, we have a chance this month to devote a bit more time to delve into the more marvellous possibilities of the mazurka music and dance idiom. So we’ll use the workshop to explore the mazurka as a springboard for playful and responsive possibilities. After the workshop we’ll continue with our usual format of Eurosession offers and requests.
Dance workshop: 8pm – 9pm Eurosession: 9pm – 11pm Venue:Shakespeare’s Pub ~ S3 8UB Zoom: See below for details
About the workshop
Photo by Luc Rocher (https://rocher.lc/photography/)
The mazurka provides a simple off-kilter framework that is both intriguing and comforting. This workshop will invite you to begin beyond the framework, building an intuitive relationship between the musical energy and our bodies’ inclination for movement, and then learning how to communicate that with another person. We’ll use simple exercises, progressing from solo to partner work, drawing on a range of modern influences for the mazurka, from blues to tango. All levels of experience welcome. No partner necessary. Bring shoes that turn easily. The workshop is brought to you with teaching from Susannah Diamond, and music from Jo Veal.
Caring for others Eurosession is a welcoming community and we want everyone to feel safe. Please stay home if you feel unwell.
Donations: We suggest a £5 donation for the workshop, although any extra helps us to keep Eurosession inclusive and offer fair rates to teachers and musicians. We accept cash or card.
See you soon… oh, hang on, there’s more!
PS. Did we mention the forthcoming Naragonia event? Includes a music ensemble workshop with Toon, and an intro dance workshop – tell your friends! See info and find tickets: Naragonia Quartet – Thursday 21st September 2023
Plus, this weekend: Hathersage Village Hop – 8th to 10th September. Includes dance workshops, an aqua-ceilidh (5pm, the Lido) and an evening dance (French, Scandi, other) (8pm Memorial Hall), and indoor camping. Cost: just £20 (not including meals), or negotiable. Contact patgoodacre@gmail.com
Eurosession are delighted to be hosting Naragonia on their return to the UK this autumn.. They created several beautiful balfolk gigs in Sheffield in past years, and we couldn’t resist inviting them back again.
Tickets Tickets are available on our Promotix page. We can also accept cash or card on the door, but note that the music workshop may sell out in advance.
Please choose the pricing option you feel appropriate to your circumstances. Giving more helps us to support musicians with fair payment and keep prices inclusive.
Evening Schedule
18:30 – 19:30
Music ensemble workshop with Toon Van Mierlo from Naragonia
£5 / £10
19:30 – 20:15
Dance workshop – intro to balfolk with Jo, Anna & Su from Eurosession
£5
20:15 – 22:30
Bal dance or listen to Naragonia Quartet
£10 / £12 / £15
Please note: our schedule is packed – please be prompt for workshops!
About the Naragonia Quartet
As a duo, Pascale Rubens (button accordion) and Toon Van Mierlo (bagpipes) make award-winning music that can be intimately delicate or voluptuously passionate, and always underpinned by a steady pulsing energy. The quartet also includes Maarten Decombel (mandola and guitar) and Luc Pilartz (violin), both remarkable musicians, who complete the Naragonia quartet.
Ensemble workshop An opportunity to work with Toon from Naragonia to create a danceable soundscape through collaboration with others. The workshop will build on skills in playing by ear and gradually introduce ways of building variations and structure into the ensemble. Expect an enjoyable experience both in listening and in playing.
Dance workshop A quick introduction to some of the key dances for the evening’s bal and future balfolk events. The workshop is brought to you by Eurosession, with teaching from Susannah Diamond, and music from Jo Veal and Anna Pack. All welcome, no partner needed. Bring shoes that turn easily.
Evening bal You are welcome to join us to dance, listen or chat quietly during the evening bal.. Balfolk dances are a mixture of couple dances, mixers, long snaky lines, and more. We welcome dancers from other genres. The music is sure to be a treat, and the Crookes Social Club offers a bar to quench thirsty dancers and satisfy enthralled listeners.
Venue Crookes Club describes itself as Sheffield’s Premier Live Music Venue, and offers plenty of room for dancers, and a bar to satisfy thirsty dancers and enthralled listeners alike. There are carparks at both back and front. See (Website and Map)
Housekeeping Eurosession is a welcoming community and we want everyone to feel safe. Please stay home if you feel unwell. Also our schedule is tight – please be prompt for workshops!
