Past Events
Dance Weekend
June 2022
Lovely time rediscovering dancing together again with familiar and new step-dancers in Newtonmore. Caroline and Sandra taught Mazurka, Waltz and Two Fifty to Vigo. Joined by Karen Steven on fiddle.
Films
September 2021
Released 3 short films made outdoors in Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve, Rothiemurchus Estate and Glen Banchor in Cairngorms National Park. New territory for Dannsa, creating work outdoors. A fabulous enjoyable project.
Nic Gareiss Residency
Autumn 2020
Thinking anew with our feet, new rhythms, new approaches and new dances. A week of work with Nic Gareiss. An inspiration and a joy.
Tradfest
April 2018
Celebrating the tradition of handing down a tune, song, story or dance to the next generation through performances and social occasions. Dannsa worked with young musician and dancer Jo De Geer as part of the Passing It On concert.
Willie Clancy Summer School
Summer 2017
Great Craic teaching at the Willie Clancy Summer School, Miltown Malbay, County Clare, Ireland. Tunes, tunes and more tunes. Dancing, dance and more dancing.
Failte Derry
September 2016
Lovely time learning more Irish dancing with Joe McGuiggan from County Derry. Welcomed Joe, guest musician Ewan Macpherson, dance caller Sheila MacCutcheon and many participants to Kingussie for a great weekend of dancing.
Deann Dannsa
Autumn 2015
Sandra and Linda MacLeod, Fin, and Matheu shared dance, music and stories (encouraging Gaelic conversations around sharing past dance experiences) at day care centres Cobhair Bharraidh, Taigh a’Chridhe Uile Naomh and Trianaid, Western Isles,with afternoon sessions opened out to the over 50s community in; Northbay hall, St. Peters Hall and Caranish hall
Culturlann Ui Chanain, Derry
May 2015
Irish steps and friends calling us back again to enjoy dancing and fine times
Culturlann Ui Chanain, Derry
May 2014
So enjoyable to meet and share our Scottish step dancing with the enthusiastic and welcoming group of dancers and musicians in Derry
British Dance Edition
January 2014
Invited by Dancebase, Edinburgh to represent Dannsa’s work at the British Dance Edition Fair Exchange networking and trade fair event. Lovely time meeting European representatives of arts organisations and interest sparked from Denmark for a future Dannsa tour.
Belfast Trad Weekend
October 2013
Fin and Caroline are just back from a great weekend teaching and performing in Belfast. The interest for Scottish step-dancing is growing in Ireland – just watch for those crossover steps. Thankyou to Bernie and all at Belfasttrad.com for making us so welcome.
Fleadh Cheoil, Derry
August 2013
Derry was completely buzzing with events as part of the European City of Culture and the Fleadh seemed everywhere throughout the city. Fin, Sandra and Caroline found themselves hosting a Ceilidh workshop and performance with over 200 people, and people coming back for more the next day. Always a great time in Derry.
GlasgowLife
July 2013
Our second time at the hugely successful and very busy Merchant City Festival. Workshops and performances in Merchant City Square with Sandra, Caroline and piper Angus Nicolson from Skye.
Culturlann Ui Chanain, Derry
April 2013
Almost becoming a regular feature on the Dannsa calendar are these great visits to the Irish language arts and cultural centre in Derry. Sharing workshops and performances with those in Derry excited to pick up some Scottish steps.
Dannsa at Tradfest, Edinburgh
Arpil 2013
We joined forces to create a new dance piece with the Lothian Gaelic Choir performing alongside Cruinn at Greyfriars Kirk. A delightful collaboration with dancer Michael Sherrin was a very welcome addition to the project.
Winter Warmers
February 2013
The Dannsa team – Fin, Sandra, Caroline and our returning swallow Mac Morin from Cape Breton had a lovely time in workshops and sharing dances with everyone in Banchory, South Queensferry, Broadford in Skye and Marybank.
‘Connections’ Tour
April & September 2012
Had a great tour with 7 of us performing (ourselves and Catriona Watt, Frank McConnell, Mac Morin and Matheu Watson) in April throughout the north of Scotland getting as far west as Bernera, west coast of Lewis and as far east as Laurencekirk. Then in September we toured the Central Belt of Scotland, most west was Paisley and most east was St.Andrews. We all hugely enjoyed both tours and it was great to be so supported and appreciated by our audiences – thankyou to everyone who came along and for all the lovely comments and reviews. We enjoyed the show so much we intend to get it back on the road again sometime in the future.
Winter Warmers
January 2011
Mac Morin, who first worked with Dannsa when Beolach came to Scotland (see below), came back to do a wee project. We spent the first week, working on two new dances that were performed after the dance workshops. We went to Marybank, Aberdeen, Skye and South Queensferry. Thanks very much to all the folk who came, and to the groups who helped organise things.
Dannsa Teaching DVD
February 2010
Launch of the Dannsa teaching DVD. Aimed at the beginner and up to intermediate, Caroline and Sandra lead you through each step, accompanied by Fin on the pipes. Strathspeys, reels and jigs, and plenty of opportunity to practice as you watch. The first Scottish step-dance teaching DVD in Scotland!
Day of Dance and Song, Dingwall
May 2010
Dannsa had been working on a new dance piece with Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis. Part of the process was for Sandra and Caroline to learn the songs that they were dancing to and Julie to learn some steps. This concept was extended to the workshops. After a great morning dancing, everyone took part in a singing workshop. Learning some great Puirt A Beul. In the afternoon as well as Fin playing for one of the classes Julie sang for the other one, with each class showing what they had managed to learn during the afternoon. Dannsa and Julie then showed the new piece, although not finished it was very special to see the begins of a new dance, that they hope you will see sometime in the future.
Gaelic Schools
Workshops Spring 2010
Dannsa went back to some Gaelic Primary schools to give workshops. It was lovely to catch up with some of the children we had taught other years and see how much they had remembered from our previous visits and also start some new nursery kids off on some steps. They were also also joined by piper Angus Mackenzie for the days in Skye.
Dannsa Meets Beolach
November 2009
Dannsa went on tour with Cape Breton group Beolach. (www.beolach.com) after our busy Starthspe Away. We went to the north (Inverness), west (Skye), south (Edinburgh) and lastly the middle (Birnam) of Scotland. With some of the best musicians and dancers from Cape Breton and Scotland on board this turned out to be a great show.
As well as Dannsa and Beolach performing their own sets, they had spent the week before working on two new pieces that involved everyone, either playing, dancing, singing. Some people even had to do more than one! These sets meant there was a real meeting between the two groups and although from 1000 of miles apart both cultures worked really well together, and it was an impressive spectacle. Both groups hope it can happen again somewhere.
Strathspey Away
November 2009
‘Sgoinneil’.…….fantastic, was the overriding feeling on this year’s Strathspè Away Festival in Kingussie as greater numbers flocked from throughout the country to attend. From the first opening bars of the Bella MacNab Ceilidh Band on Friday night through to the final ‘Ho-ro gheallaidh’ get-together, the energy and wow connected all those who danced, sang and played at the festival; professionals and novices alike; those who attended only one class and those who were there for the whole weekend.
The sun shone the whole weekend showing Badenoch at its best. Dannsa, who host the festival, made it a homecoming indeed, extending the welcome as far as Cape Breton, Spain and Ireland. The performances at lunchtime and in the evenings were of the highest standard; Beolach from Cape Breton, Alba Flamenca and Dannsa. Classes were attended by over 200 people.
The Dannsa Ceilidh Band
Spring/Summer 2009, Highlands
The new dannsa Ceilidh Band with Caroline calling the dances, played in Achiltibuie, South Queensferry, Newtonmore and Dalguise this spring followed by a three night tour this summer. In the summer they started with a full house at the Gaelic college in Skye. They then headed north to Poolewe, where they warmed-up the atmosphere with an afternoon dance workshop, in preparation for the ceilidh. The night had the feel of a traditional ceilidh, with a lot of ‘ceilidhers’ adding to the dannsa repetoire with performances of their own in between the dances. Next day was a drive over one the most amazing road in the country to Applecross, where the band finished the week off with another great night.
“great ceilidh band and they played some cracking tunes, plus good calling….the inclusion of those pipes really made the band’” participant South Queensferry.
‘I have never seen so many people rush to get onto our small dance floor. And keen ceilidh dancers were travelling over 60 miles to attend’ promoter Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Skye
The Ceilidh Band will have more dates in 2010 – watch this space!
Caroline and Fin at Ceolas
3rd-11th of July 2009, South Uist
Caroline and Fin went to South Uist to learn from one of the great step dancers from Cape Breton. Harvey Beaton. They had a great week learning some new steps and trying to make some the old ones better!
Caroline also took singing classes with some of the best Gaelic singers, Rona Lightfoot, Catriona Garbutt and Gillbride MacMillan and Fin also learned some tunes from John MacLean, a great Cape Breton traditional piper. They both had a great week, taking in all the evening ceilidhs and concerts. Sandra joined them half way through the week, for a photo shoot with John Sikorski. They had a great few hours on one of South Uist’s many beautiful beaches.
Gaelic Schools
Workshops Spring 2009
Dannsa built on the success of the previous residencies to six Gaelic schools in 2006 by
delivering traditional dance and music classes again this year. Dannsa visited the primary schools in Dingwall, Portree, Tollcross and Newtonmore teaching all classes through the medium of Gaelic ensuring that Gaelic medium pupils feel included in the “Homecoming” project this year(2009). Sandra Robertson and Caroline Reagh taught step dance with Fin Moore on pipes accompanying the workshops. At Tollcross Primary School, Dannsa were joined by Gillebride MacIllemhaoil and by Liz MacLean at Portree Primary School who both sang in Gaelic for the workshops.