Join us for a singing and dancing Acadian Experience ! We are excited to team up with Melissa Comeau for what we hope will be the first of many Acadian music sessions. This event is family-friendly, and participation is a suggested donation of $20 or pay-what-you-can for adults, free for kids. Please register in advance, at the link below.
Immerse yourself in Acadian traditions of song and dance with musician Melissa Comeau, Acadian from the town of Meteghan, NS.
Practice your French through jovial, traditional Acadian tunes, then give Acadian gigue dancing a try to the melodies of fiddle music and Acadian reels.
All levels are welcome! Bring the whole family for an afternoon of Acadian fun!
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More information from Melissa, about the content of the workshop:
First 15 minutes: Introductions and brief history
Introduce myself, talk about where I grew up, ask what folks know about Acadians, give a short background and introduce the way that Acadians identify themselves (Melissa à Jacky à Louise à Dan). Have folks figure out how they would introduce themselves with their family names (this will have to do with the first song presented).
Next 30 minutes: Singing Together
Play the song “Mariette” by Grand Dérangement and then teach the chorus. Sing through together a time or two to practice. Introduce a second Acadian song that requires clapping along a specific beat and a “listen and repeat” chorus. Sing together a couple of times. Talk about past and current Acadian artists and offer a list of artist suggestions that can be emailed to them directly if they choose.
15 minute break
15 minutes: Gigue dancing in Clare
Chat a bit about the origins of gigue dancing in Clare, show photos of costumes and the traditional ties, as well as the woman who introduced gigue dancing into the community.
30 minutes: Dancing Together
Have people stand, do a warm up. Begin tutorial on basic gigue dance steps: shuffle, flap, tap, toe, etc. String together steps to teach a short, beginner dance routine, then pair it to a song with a slow tempo. Practice a few times, help where needed then try it to a song with a slightly faster tempo as a challenge.
Last 15ish minutes: Cool Down/Questions
$20 suggested donation or pay what you can / kids are free