Sheffield Eurosession

Hip hip bourree! Celebrate spring with some stylish moves!

Put a spring in your step with some interesting bourrée dances!  No previous experience is necessary and we always love to introduce newcomers to the wonders of European dance as well as providing a refresher and further tips for those who already have some experience. We’ll continue from the workshop to our usual eclectic Eurosession.

Dance workshop: 8pm – 9pm BST / UTC+1
         Eurosession: 9pm – 11pm BST / UTC+1
                 Venue: Shakespeare’s Pub ~ S3 8UB
Zoom: See below for details

Keep on caring!
Eurosession is a welcoming community and we want everyone to feel safe.  As dancing can involve being in close proximity to others, please consider taking a lateral flow test beforehand, and stay home if you feel unwell or have tested positive for Covid.

About the workshop:

For April we are heading to the very centre of France to the Berry / Bourbonnais region in order to learn some interesting bourrée dances for four people.  Anna Pack will take us through the moves for some favourite and lesser known dances, such as Bourrée des Jeunes and Bourrée de Sarzay, which we will dance to the energetic and exciting clarinet playing of Jo Veal, along with Anna on diatonic accordion. 

This style of bourrée is danced very close to the ground using small steps, as the dancers weave in and out and around each other in different formations. By the end of the workshop we hope you too will be able to respond to the driving music with the contained energy and effortless panache characteristic of the style.  As a taster to whet your appetite, this YouTube video demonstrates four different dances in succession. We will cover some of these moves in the workshop. 

No partners are required and these particular dances do not involve physical contact with others.  Smooth-soled flat shoes are recommended.

Donations:
We suggest a £5 cash donation for the workshop, although if you give more then we can better support our teachers and musicians with fair payment.

Zoom:
We plan to stream again from Shakespeare’s into our usual Zoom room so you can tune into the pub from your home. You can obtain the Zoom details in return for a small donation – see our Donations page.

Save the date:
There’ll be a bonus Scandinavian extra on Thurs April 28th, with teachers Isa Holmgren and Samuel Lundh for a music workshop, dance workshop, and combined session.

See you soon,
xx Eurosesh

Banish the winter blues away with some Nordic lift!

Note: This month’s workshop will be on Thursday 17th, a week later than our normal Eurosession. 

We continue a Nordic theme by offering a polska dance workshop for March.  We’ve been delighted to welcome some new faces to Shakespeare’s in recent months, and would love to introduce newcomers to the mysteries of Scandinavian dance, and provide a refresher and further tips for those who already have some experience.  We continue after the workshop with our normal eclectic Eurosession.

Dance workshop: 8pm – 9pm GMT / UTC
         Eurosession: 9pm – 11pm GMT / UTC
                 Venue: Shakespeare’s Pub. S3 8UB
Zoom: View a livestream from home

Keep on caring!
Eurosession is a welcoming community and friends and teddy-bears are all welcome.  However please take a lateral flow test beforehand if you are able to do so, and stay home if you feel unwell or have tested positive for Covid.

About the polska workshop:

Polskas can be characterised by some fast spins, but also by gentle promenades, hugs, and courtesy.  Furthermore, it involves a shared interaction between a musician (or a whole spelmanslag), two dancers, and a wooden floor. 

Susannah will be teaching the workshop and hopes to transmit to you some understanding, skills and strategies for translating the musical inspiration and svikt into a wonderful journey around the room. We will be dancing to Nicky’s joyously driving fiddle, and you can expect to gain a lilt in your stride, and some ease in your shoulders.  No partner needed, but please bring smooth-soled shoes that can turn easily on a floor.

Donations:
We suggest a £5 cash donation for the workshop, although if you give more then we can better support our teachers and musicians with fair payment.

Zoom:
We plan to stream again from Shakespeare’s into our usual Zoom room, and believe we have resolved last month’s connectivity issues. You can obtain the Zoom details in return for a small donation – see our Donations page.

See you soon,
xx Eurosesh

Workshop in Scandinavian style music, with music and dancing to follow 

Music workshop: 8:00 pm to 9pm (UTC / GMT):
Eurosession: 9: 00 pm to 11 pm (UTC / GMT):
Venue: Shakespeare’s Pub. S3 8UB
Zoom: We plan to connect from Shakespeare’s to Zoom.

About the evening:
We’re returning to Shakespeare’s with a Scandinavian music workshop in February. This workshop will be the first in-person Eurosession music workshop for a long time – come and learn some exciting Nordic dance tunes and harmonies which we can play together!

After the workshop we’ll continue the evening with our usual session of European traditionally inspired dances. Please only join us if you have tested negative on a lateral flow test and are feeling healthy. Continue reading to find out more about participating in the evening.

About the workshop

Nicky McConkey has an infectious love of Scandinavian tunes. She has gravitated towards the marvellous smorgasbord of tunes from Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland, participated in many workshops and sessions, and played for dancing wherever possible.  Nicky takes her music with her everywhere she travels and works and has therefore played violin inside a neutrino particle detector!  We look forwards to making the most of her expertise whilst she is still in the country.

In the workshop you’ll have the opportunity to learn some of Nicky’s favourite Nordic repertoire and harmonies, and to understand how to use emphasis to lift dancers in synchronised energy on the dance floor. You’ll practice learning by ear and be able to recognise key features of Scandinavian rhythm and decoration.  Nicky plays fiddle, but all instruments are welcome. 

Precautions for the pub
Please ensure you have a negative lateral flow test result within 24 hours of the session (or are testing regularly), We open windows and the fire-escape for ventilation and encourage socialising in the courtyard if at capacity. Note that although we offer hand sanitizer and facemasks, not many participants wear masks.

Inclusivity and wellbeing
Eurosession is a welcoming community and friends and teddy-bears are welcome.  However please stay home if you feel unwell or have been in recent contact others who were ill.

Donations:
We suggest a £5 cash donation for the workshop, although if you give more then we can better support our teachers and musicians with fair payment.

About the Zoom option
We plan to stream again from Shakespeare’s into our usual Zoom room and provide a breakout room for chats or virtual tune swaps. You can obtain the Zoom details in return for a small donation – see our Donations page. For help see Zoom’s guides about original sound, video-layout and breakout rooms.

See you soon,
xx Eurosesh

Beat the pandemic blues and lingering winter darkness with some Portuguese energy

As Covid stats are still stratospheric, we have decided to opt for an online gathering in January. Let’s see if we can shake off the pandemic blues and that dark winter feeling, and crank up our creativity to bring good cheer to those who may still be shielding for safety.

Plus we are just delighted to welcome Eva Parmenter, an outstanding musician from Portugal for a nourishing music workshop (see below). After the workshop we’ll continue on with our Eurosession for tunes, dancing and some friendly chat. So update your Zoom app, check your time-zones, tune up the instruments, or find your dance shoes, and join us online to share tunes and dance at home.

Workshop and session times:
8:00pm – 9:30 pm (GMT / UTC+0 ) – Workshop  
9:30 – 11:00 pm (GMT / UTC+0 ) – Eurosession

Zoom access:
If you made a note of our Zoom details in the past, you can continue to use those details. If you need a reminder, please email sheffield.eurosession at gmail.com in good time.
We ask for a £2 minimum payment to help to keep our Zoom sessions secure, but if you enjoy our sessions and can donate £5 or £10, that will help us to give fair payment to our musicians and dance teachers. We’ll provide a donation option in the session.

About the workshop: 

Playing for dancing workshop with Eva Parmenter from Portugal

For this workshop Eva will revisit one of the Portuguese favourites such as the Regadinho, Erva Cidreira, Repasseado, or Viras, and perhaps teach another of her favourite dance tunes. Expect to learn how to create the pulse for the infectious lilting rhythms of these dances, as well as how to find variations to tease the dancers or to play in ensemble with others. All instruments welcome, provided you have some confidence with your instrument and can learn by ear.

Eva Parmenter is one of the most outstanding concert artists in Portugal. She finds new ways of using her traditional instrument, composing sound journeys that trancend boundaries, combining music from the past, present and future. Eva performs solo with diatonic accordion and voice, and also contributes to many other musical combinations such as the duo Parapente700, Vagaço Colectivo, Tugoslavic Orkestar and Baile das Histórias. See more at: https://www.facebook.com/evaparmenterofficialpage/

Tips for enjoying the evening

Zoom tips for Everyone:
Please mute when someone else is playing, and use the chat feature to communicate. For help see Zoom’s guides about video layout and breakout rooms, and our quick guide too.

Musicians on Zoom:
Instruments often sound better with the Original Sound feature – see the Zoom Help about enabling this. It’s also helpful to let dancers know what dance type you’ll be playing (if you know yourself!).

Dancing on Zoom:
Enjoy the challenge of identifying and recollecting the different genres and giving feedback to the musicians, or dance whatever you fancy with your video joyfully on or off according to preference.

Eurosession is an inclusive and caring space for all.
Invite your co-space-sharing mates / family / teddy-bear along if appropriate 😉

Please note:

Cancelled: Bal with Salmanazar, January 9th in Crookes Social Club
This has been cancelled due to the current wave of infections and precautions.

See you soon,
xx Eurosesh

Hi folks, we regret to let you know that given the current Omicron context, we have decided to cancel our exciting plans for the 9th January, so you can un-save the date and set it free.

We hope to do *something* on 13 January but will decide nearer the time whether that will be in person at Shakespeare’s or online. (Or both; we did manage to rig up a live stream from Shakespeare’s into Zoom in December, so you can expect that again in the future).

Wishing you all some small, safe, and special gatherings until we meet again.

Best wishes
xx Eurosesh

Find festive spirit with a jaunty walk and merry tunes down the pub (and perhaps online)

About the evening:
We’re returning to Shakespeare’s with a Rondo / Rondeau workshop for December. These deceptively simple dances are danced with a partner or in short chains of four or five. Expect some fun footwork and variations yielding a jaunty swagger.
After the workshop we’ll continue the evening with a festive feel, slipping in as many seasonal tunes as we can manage to dance as we can manage to pair with a traditional dance from elsewhere in Europe. So we encourage musicians to get your merry thinking caps on and bring some seasonal tunes to start off the festive season with good cheer!

Key Details:
Dance workshop: 8:00 pm to 9pm (UTC+1 / BST):
Eurosession: 9: 00 pm to 11 pm (UTC+1 / BST):
Venue: Shakespeare’s Pub. S3 8UB
Zoom: We hope to connect from Shakespeare’s to Zoom.

Precautions for Shakespeare’s
Please ensure you have a negative lateral flow test result within 24 hours of the session (or are testing regularly), However note that although we will make hand sanitizer and facemasks available, at November’s session, not many participants wore a mask. Last month we approached capacity with about thirty people, so may need to encourage socialising in the courtyard., but will again open windows and fire-escape for ventilation.

Donations at Shakespeare’s:
We suggest a £5 cash donation for the workshop, although if you give more then we can better support our teachers and musicians with fair payment.

Inclusivity and wellbeing
Eurosession is a welcoming community and friends and teddy-bears are welcome.  However please stay home if you feel unwell or have been in recent contact others who were ill.

Tips for the Zoom session

About the Zoom option
We also hoping to connect from Shakespeare’s into Zoom with at least audio, and possibly video. probably with a second Zoom room for chatting or playing other tunes. Do let us know what you think of this proposal, or feedback to us afterwards.

Zoom access:
If you made a note of our Zoom details in the past, you can continue to use those details. If you need a reminder, please email sheffield.eurosession at gmail.com in good time. We may ask for a £2 minimum payment to help to keep our Zoom sessions secure.

Zoom tips for Everyone:
Please mute when someone else is playing, and use the Chat feature to communicate. For help with navigation and screen layout, see Zoom’s guides about Self-selecting a Breakout Room and for Video-Layout.

Musicians on Zoom:
Instruments often sound better with the Original Sound feature – see the Zoom Help about enabling this. It’s also helpful to let dancers know what dance type you’ll be playing (if you know yourself!).

Dancing on Zoom:
You can enjoy the challenge of identifying and recollecting the different genres and giving feedback to the musicians, or dance whatever you fancy with your video on or off.

And finally:

Bal with Salmanazar, January 9th in Crookes Social Club
This has been cancelled, due to the current need for precautions.

See you soon,
xx Eurosesh

A bonus Eurosession for November to gather our extended online community again!

Hello folks – it’s time to reconnect. This Eurosession is an opportunity to meet online to share tunes and dance at home. We’ll do our eco bit by participating from home, and help people stay safe by connecting at a distance. So check your time-zones, and polish up your favourite tunes or clear a space to dance, and join us online for another vibrant Zoomsession.

There won’t be a workshop on this occasion but a couple are in the pipeline for the new year.

Session times:
8:30 pm – 11:00 pm (UTC+1 / BST) – Eurosession 

Session access and donations:
If you made a note of our Zoom details in the past, you can continue to use those details. If you need a reminder, please email sheffield.eurosession at gmail.com in good time before the session. We will ask for a £2 minimum payment as a precaution to help to keep our Zoom sessions secure.

More tips:
You’ll have the option to join and leave Zoom breakout rooms to move between the session, workshop, and the bar. See our quick guide if you get stuck.

If you plan to share a tune: 
It may sound better if you turn on the Original Sound feature when playing – please check out the Zoom Help about how to enable this this in your Zoom settings.

Tips for enjoying the evening

The rest of the evening should provide similar experiences as previous sessions – marvellous musicians, delicious dancing, and a bit of chatting. Here are tips for maximum enjoyment:

Zoom tips for Everyone:
Please mute your audio when you are not speaking / leading the music, and use the Chat feature for background communication.
To switch views between seeing one individual (Speaker View) and all participants (Gallery View), consult How-Do-I-Change-The-Video-Layout.
Head to the bar for a longer chat alongside the workshop or session; for help see our quick guide, or Zoom’s longer guide to Self-selecting a Breakout Room

Musicians:
Please play tunes for dancing, prioritising dances from the balfolk scene and other traditional genres from across Europe. [Preferably avoid English and Irish, because we have plenty of those in other local sessions!]
In the Zoom sessions, only one person (or device) can broadcast at any one time; use the chat to help create a a rolling running order of dance tune offers.
It generally sounds better if you turn on the Original Sound feature when playing – please check out the Zoom Help about how to enable this in your settings.
When you’ve been chosen to lead, let the dancers know what dance type you’ll be playing if you can. Then select Original Sound when you’re ready to play, and turn it off again for normal voice transmission.

Dancers:
Get your dance shoes on; if you have a danceable space, book it for the evening, You can attempt to dance the right genre of dance at the right time (albeit half a beat behind!), or dance whatever takes your fancy. More important is to dance as though no-one is watching, or as though you can cheer up everyone else who is watching!  It’s also fine to turn your video off if you feel freer dancing in private.

Eurosession is an inclusive and caring space for all.
Invite your co-space-sharing mates / family / teddy-bear along if appropriate 😉

See you soon,
xx Eurosesh

Onwards and forwards!   For November, we’ll kick off the evening with a little workshop – some style tips for Gavotte de l’Aven, followed by our Eurosession with live music and dancing.

Key information:
Time: 8:00 – 11:00 pm 30 minute workshop followed by Eurosession
Venue: Shakespeares Pub. S3 8UB

After the lovely-ness of experiencing beautiful music, dancing and chatting in Shakey’s last month, we’re returning back to Shakespeare’s for November, and this time we’ll begin with a mini workshop. The Gavotte de l’Aven is a gentle non-partner swapping dance, and even those who know it well may learn a few new tips.

Taking precautions
Please ensure you have tested negative for a lateral flow test within 24 hours of the session (or are testing regularly), and respect other people’s preferences and personal space. We will open windows and the fire-escape, to maximise air flow in the room. The use of hand sanitizer and wearing of facemasks is still a courtesy when dancing or in confined spaces. Finally, if there are concerns about numbers in the room, we’ll encourage socialising in the courtyard. (Last month we were twenty or so people, a nice mix of dancers and musicians, old timers and new faces.)

Music and dancing:
We prioritise tunes for dances from the balfolk scene and other traditional genres from across Europe [avoiding English and Irish, because those are well represented in other sessions!]. Dancers are welcome to make dance requests, and experienced dancers are available to help newcomers to feel at home.

Eurosession is a caring space for all.
Friends and teddy-bears welcome.  However please stay home if you feel unwell or have been in recent contact others who were ill.

Looking to the future
For those who don’t feel able to join us in person, we aim for at least one online session/workshop before the end of the year. We’re also now planning for gigs in a larger venue.

See you soon,
xx Eurosesh

We’re going in!   For our October Eurosession, join us for live music and dancing in Shakespeares’ upstairs room.

After a year and a half at home, or meeting in parks or the digital wilderness, we’re taking the session home to Shakespeares’ upstairs room. We look forwards to welcoming a few more long lost souls back to the session, hearing the room resonate with music, and testing out Shakeys’ structurally improved dancefloor with some much loved dancing.

Session details:
Time: 8:30 – 11:00 pm Eurosession
Venue: Shakespeares Pub. S3 8UB

Taking precautions
Please ensure you have tested negative for a lateral flow test within 24 hours of the session (or are testing regularly), and respect other people’s preferences and personal space. We will open windows and the fire-escape, to maximise air flow in the room. The use of hand sanitizer and wearing of facemasks is still a courtesy when dancing or in confined spaces. Finally, if there are concerns about numbers in the room, we’ll encourage socialising in the courtyard.

Music and dancing:
We prioritise tunes for dances from the balfolk scene and other traditional genres from across Europe [avoiding English and Irish, because those are well represented in other sessions!]. Dancers are welcome to make dance requests, and experienced dancers are available to help newcomers to feel at home.

Donations:
If you enjoy our sessions, a donation can help us give fair payment to the expert musicians and dance teachers we bring to workshops and gigs, and we’ll accept cash in the session.

Eurosession is a caring space for all.
Friends and teddy-bears welcome.  However please stay home if you feel unwell or have been in recent contact others who were ill.

Looking to the future
For those who don’t feel able to join us in person, we aim for at least one online session/workshop before the end of the year. We’re also now planning for gigs in a larger venue.  

See you soon,
xx Eurosesh

For our September Eurosession, join us for a live session in Shakespeares’ covered courtyard space.

We can enjoy re-visiting familiar faces and tantalising tunes, and contribute some drinks funds to the pub, our wonderfully resilient and supportive venue.

Session details:
Time: 8:30 – 11:00 pm (UTC+1 / BST) – Eurosession
Venue: Shakespeares Pub. S3 8UB

Venue information
The large covered area in the courtyard will be reserved for us, so we’ll go ahead even if it rains. People can also sit at tables nearby.

Musicians:
We prioritise tunes for dances from the balfolk scene and other traditional genres from across Europe. [avoiding English and Irish, because those are well represented in other sessions!]

Dancers:
Shakespeares has requested that we don’t dance outside on the cobbles, as the likelihood of trips and falls is just too high.

Eurosession is an inclusive and caring space for all.
Friends and teddy-bears welcome.  However please stay home if you feel unwell or have been in recent contact others who were ill.

Courtesy
Masks are helpful for use inside the pub. Please also respect other people’s personal space as we all have different ongoing risks and concerns.

Looking to the future
If guidance permits we plan to return to Shakespeares more fully in the autumn, although we’ll also continue to host online sessions and workshops for those in our community who can’t join us in the pub.

See you soon,
xx Eurosesh