Inter-Varsity Folk Dance Festival
(IVFDF) 2012 – March 2nd - 4th 2012
Early Bird Special prices
extended until Friday 4th February!
Aberdeen, UK – The
Inter-Varsity Folk Dance Festival is the UK's national student folk festival,
and the country's longest running folk festival. IVFDF has been held at a
different university each year since the first one in Leeds in 1951. On Friday March
2nd until Sunday March 4th, IVFDF 2012 will take place in
Aberdeen, for the first time north of Scotland's Central Belt and the M8.
IVFDF is a non-stop weekend
based (fairly broadly) around traditional forms of music and dance. The
festival is open to students and non-students, former students, never-been-a
students, dancers, folkies, ceilidh monsters, beginners, regulars, anyone and
everyone. The weekend holds a number of sessions, music and dancing, ceilidhs,
workshops, dance displays and more.
The keyword is
FESTIVAL: hundreds of people attending for three days and two nights of intense
dancing, playing music and singing, until they are unbelievably exhausted; a
non-stop weekend of music and dance from the British Isles and beyond. The
festival will be based at the University of Aberdeen, in King’s College and
surrounding venues. The festival is being organised by Members of Aberdeen
University Scottish Dance Society (AUSDS), as part of the Aberdeen University
Student Association (AUSA).
Highlights of the
weekend will include the following events:
On Friday 2nd March:
- Concert
with Megson, 8-10pm: Combining the talents of northerners Stu and Debbie Hanna,
the duo Megson are fast becoming hot property on the British folk and roots
scene. www.megsonmusic.co.uk
- Evening
Dance with The Monster Ceilidh Band and The Touch: Monster Ceilidh Band are Amy
Thatcher (Kathryn Tickell Band, The Shee), Carly Blain (Border Fiddles), Kieran
Szifris and David de la Haye (Jez Lowe and the Bad Pennies). They’ve taken
their cross-genre ceilidh music all over the world, entertaining generations
new and old whilst retaining the true spirit of ceilidh dancing – getting up
and having a party! Here they are joined by DJ The Touch, but don’t be scared -
it’s still folk! www.monsterceilidhband.co.uk
On Saturday 3rd March:
- Display Ceilidh
on Saturday afternoon with The Aurora Ceilidh Band: The Aurora Ceilidh Band
plays traditional music for ceilidh dancing in lively and innovative style. The
band line-up includes accordion, fiddle, flute, mandolin and guitar. Their
repertoire includes a number of Scottish and international dances picked up along
travels to international folk dance and music festivals. www.aurorascot.org.uk/band
- Saturday Evening
Ceilidh with Clachan Yell: Clachan Yell are our absolute favourite tame ceilidh
band. We also recommend you take a close look at Alasdair’s sporran. www.myspace.com/clachanyell
- Saturday Evening
Contra with Vertical Expression and Rhodri Davies: Vertical Expression are
possibly the UK's most high-energy contra band, this is what happens when you
take two English ceilidh musicians on fiddle and melodeon and put them with a
guitar and double bass rhythm section with a love of bluegrass and gypsy jazz.
Rhodri Davies will put you through your paces, whether you’re a seasoned contra
dancer or you’ve never heard of it before. www.verticalexpressioncontra.co.uk
- Saturday Evening
Dance with Frank Thompson’s Scottish Country Dance Band: Scottish Country
dancing is what we do up here, and we fully intend to show you just why we
enjoy it so much. Frank is not only one of the best SCD musicians in Scotland,
he's also lovely. Watch this space for the programme when it’s fully cooked.
All dances will be called. Frank Thompson Appreciation Society hoodies
available on request.
- Saturday Late
Evening Blues with MP and the Expenses: After Saturday afternoon’s blues
workshop you’ll want to show off your new-found skills. This is the perfect
occasion! www.myspace.com/mptheexpenses
All over the weekend,
there will be workshops to discover or re-discover: Scottish Dancing, Contra, Morris,
Molly, Southern Italian and Breton Dance, Blues Dance, Story Telling, etc.
On Sunday 4th March:
- More
Workshops!
- To finish
off, there will be a Sunday afternoon Survivors' Ceilidh with a live band,
dances from all around the country and lots of tired dancers.
There is more! For up-to-date
information about the festival in Aberdeen visit www.ivfdf2012.org.uk. For general
information on the festival and
its history, visit www.ivfdf.org.
Tickets:
Weekend festival passes are now available
to purchase online, costing £18 for unwaged and concession, or £28 for waged
visitors. There is a £3 early bird discount available until Friday 4th
February. Day, evening and event tickets are also available. More
information is available at www.ivfdf2012.org.uk/tickets
To find out more and to purchase tickets,
visit:
www.ivfdf2012.org.uk
www.facebook.com/ivfdf2012
Contact: [email protected]
Event location: University of Aberdeen,
Kings College, AB24 3FX
