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ESEDHVOS KERNOW TROYL
Saturday 4th september
Esedhvos Kernow 2010, the Cornish Eisteddfod, will be held at St. Ives 1st - 5th September. A troyl is traditionally held on the Saturday evening, and this year will be hosted by the Western Hotel, starting 8.00 p.m.
Hevva will be there supporting local group Bagas Porthia, with singer Vaughan Bennett also appearing.
For further information please visit the Esedhvos Kernow web site.
A leaflet of Esedhvos events for St. Ives may be downloaded from here.
A BUSY WEEKEND...
Cornish Guild of Smallholders Country Fair & Farmers Market
On Saturday 21st August we paid a visit to the Royal Cornwall Showground at Wadebridge. This was the venue for the CGOS Country Fair and Farmers' Market, and Hevva were booked to play music in the Exhibition Hall, where we had an audience of both visitors and stallholders.
Portreath Harbour Fun Day
On the following day, Sunday 22nd August, we were at Portreath where a large crowd of locals and visitors were enjoying the annual Harbour Fun Day in the sunshine. This busy event, including stalls, children's activities, music, raft races, and much more, raises money for local charities. If you didn't get there this year, make sure you do so next year!
To find out what public events we have coming up, click on the 'Forthcoming Events' tab above.
Hevva runs open evenings at Lanner (near Redruth) and St. Austell, where anyone interested in learning or practicing traditional Cornish dance or music is welcome. For further details please get in touch by any of the means given on the 'Contact Us' page.
Kekezza is a Redruth based youth dance group affiliated to Hevva. For more information ring 01209 211990 or email kekezza@live.com, or visit the Kekezza web site.
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Events over the last year:-
Portreath Harbour Fun Day
Someone in Portreath must have good contacts, because the weather on Sunday 22nd August was the best of the week and stayed dry just long enough for the Harbour Fun Day events to take place!
This regular event to raise money for local charities saw a large crowd of locals and visitors enjoying the sunshine and the many activities laid on by the organisers. As on the previous day at Wadebridge, Hevva played two music sets during the afternoon.
Cornish Guild of Smallholders Country Fair & Farmers' Market
A change of venue from previously saw the CGOS Country Fair this year at the Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge, on Saturday 21st August. Hevva entertained the visitors and stallholders in the Exhibition Hall with two music sets during the afternoon.
Bude-Stratton Heritage Day
On Saturday 7th August Hevva travelled the Atlantic Highway to Bude, to perform a Cornish ceili as a precursor to Bude-Stratton Heritage Day, which took place on the Sunday. We were warmly welcomed by a keen audience, who almost without exception stayed on the floor for virtually the whole of the evening. This doesn't always happen, and is very rewarding when it does!
Basque Student visit
Hevva was host to a group of visiting Basque students on 8th July, something that we have done for several years now and always found to be an enjoyable experience. The whole group enthusiastically participated in every Cornish dance we introduced them to, and reciprocated by teaching us a Basque dance that some of us mastered better than others! We were also treated to some Basque cuisine, a version of leche frita, or fried milk(!), which was delicious.
The highlight for us was a 'thank-you' dance, beautifully performed by the group and danced to song, that was quite delightful.
Rescorla Festival
Rescorla Festival celebrates the culture and traditions of Cornwall's 'Clay Country', and Hevva was at the village for the final day of the festival on Sunday 27th June. We performed two display spots in the old chapel, now converted into the Rescorla Centre, and joined in the traditional Snail Creep procession around the village.
To find out more about the Rescorla Project visit www.rescorla.org.uk
St. Austell Community Hospital Summer Fête
St. Austell Community Hospital Summer Fête, organised by the Hospital's League of Friends, took place on a very warm Saturday afternoon, 26th June, in the hospital grounds. Dancing on hot tarmac in traditional costume is only to be recommended if there is a plentiful supply of cool water to hand! However, it was a good cause and as ever we enjoyed ourselves.
Gŵyl Ifan
Cardiff's midsummer dance festival, Gŵyl Ifan, was held in perfect weather over the weekend 18th-20th June. Hevva was delighted to have been invited to take part, having previously attended as a group in 2008, and we enjoyed the occasion enormously.
Many thanks once again to Cwmni Dawns Werin Caerdydd for their hospitality
Click here to visit the Gŵyl Ifan web site.
Wedding at Padstow
We were in Padstow on 4th June to perform a ceili for a wedding party. We have performed many such ceilis, but rarely one on such a perfect day in such a perfect setting, and for a lovely couple!
Calstock Parish Twinning Association troyl
Calstock is twinned with St. Thuriau in Brittany, and on 22nd May Breton guests were entertained by Calstock hosts at St. Mellion Country Club where Hevva performed a troyl for the occasion. Such Cornish-Breton events are invariably enjoyable, and we knew this would be no exception as we had had the good fortune to be invited to play and dance at the equivalent event two years ago.
We were certainly not disappointed, and were even treated to an impromptu performance of Breton music, song and dance during our break!
Godolphin Spring Food Fair
The weather for Godolphin Food Fair on 2nd May was in total contrast to that for our trip to Bude the previous evening. In glorious sunshine, and in the lovely setting of Godolphin House, we gave a display for a large crowd of visitors who also were very willing participants for a couple of dances we called for everyone to join in.
Wedding ceili, Bude
A journey to the farthest reaches of North Cornwall on May Day in appalling weather to play a gig in a marquee in a field might not, on the face of it, seem the most attractive proposition for a Saturday evening. However, when it's for an appreciative wedding party full of enthusiastic dancers, who make you feel very welcome and fill the floor for the whole of the evening, then it suddenly becomes well worth the 120 mile round trip!
King Edward Mine Open Day
The day after Camborne's Trevithick Day is traditionally the date of King Edward Mine Museum Open Day, and so Sunday 25th April saw us back in Troon to perform some music and dance outside the Museum during the morning and afternoon. Once more the weather was kind, and an enthusiastic audience joined in a furry dance at the end.
St. Austell Adventist Church
Saturday 24th April saw a return to St. Austell Adventist Church for a ceili. Having thoroughly enjoyed our last visit, we were looking forward to this one, and were not disappointed!
Pennseythen Gernewek
The Cornish Language Weekend is an annual event organised by Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek (Cornish Language Fellowship). This year it was held at the Sandy Lodge Hotel, Newquay, and Hevva were again invited to perform a troyl on the Saturday evening, 10th April.
This was a bilingual event, with a mix of display dances, music, and called dancing, and was an opportunity for participants at all language ability levels to mix together and enjoy themselves.
Aberfest soirée
Aberfest, the biennial coming together of Cornish and Breton culture, took place over the Easter weekend,
Cornish Dance Society Day of Dance
Seiners at Perranporth was the venue for a CDS Day of Dance on Saturday 20th March. This was a rare opportunity for members of the Society to congregate and have fun together in a dance environment. Each dance group present had been asked to choose a dance to demonstrate and a dance to teach that other groups may not be familiar with. This had seemed a somewhat daunting task, but proved to be very successful.
This was the first time such a format had been used at a CDS event, and the consensus was very much that it should not be the last.
Photo shows Lowenna Hosken of Kekezza teaching a dance composed by Hevva's dance leader to members of Tan ha Dowr. Sums up what the day was all about!
Falmouth Canoe Club
Falmouth Canoe Club held its annual charity ceili at the
Watersports Centre, Falmouth, on Saturday 23rd January.
The chosen beneficiary this year was Shelter Box, a fortuitous choice as it turned out, as by the time the event took place this local charity had become heavily involved in relief work in Haiti after the Port au Prince earthquake disaster.
The evening was a great success, due in large measure to an audience who really knew how to enjoy a ceili!
Garage music in Fowey!
Fowey Christmas lights switch-on
Fowey celebrated the switching on of its Christmas lights on Friday 4th December with a visit by Santa Claus, a band led parade through the town - and music by Hevva. On an evening when the weather was not sympathetic to the occasion we were saved by the offer of a sheltered position in a private garage fronting the street. This was the first time that Hevva has played garage music! Nevertheless, we enjoyed being back in Fowey for this occasion, a town that's lovely in any weather.
Curnow School
Curnow School in Redruth is a special school catering for students with severe learning difficulties. Hevva was approached by one of its teachers who is carrying out a project on Cornish dance with some of the students, which will hopefully culminate in an and of term performance in front of the rest of the school.
We were pleased to assist by providing a couple of members to give a workshop at the school on 24th November, and they were rewarded with an enthusiastic response from the students who rapidly managed to master three different dances. We wish them well with their project!
Illogan Feast
The Wednesday after Lowender Peran, 21st October, saw us at Illogan School performing a Cornish troyl arranged by the local WI. In a hall decked with black and gold, and with Cornish fare to tempt us, we provided a mix of music, display dances, a costume presentation, and of course participatory dancing for all.
Photo: Mark Lawrence
Lowender Peran
Photo: Dominic Lamb
Lowender Peran is Cornwall's annual Celtic festival and took place at Perranporth over the period 14th-18th October. With groups from Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Brittany and the Isle of Man joining those from Cornwall this was a hugely enjoyable few days, with opportunity to both reunite with old friends and make new ones.
Hevva played a full part in the events, providing a Cornish troyl with display and participating in the street pageant and dancing. Now we can't wait till the next one!
Godolphin Autumn Food Fair
The grounds of Godolphin House were the setting for an Autumn Food Fair organised by the National Trust over the weekend of 19-20th September. Hevva were there on the Saturday playing and dancing in glorious sunshine. It was a real joy to perform in this lovely setting on such a day, not to mention sampling the goods on offer!
Camelot Castle Hotel, Tintagel
On Saturday 12th September we were in Tintagel to perform a troyl at a handfasting ceremony. It was a pleasure to play and dance in this romantic setting, and to get everyone joining in some Cornish dances.
Gorsedh Kernow
The Gorsedd of Cornwall took place at Saltash on Saturday 5th September, and Hevva were among the performers on the Gorsedd field providing entertainment ahead of the main ceremony. This is one of the major dates in the Cornish calendar, and we were pleased to be invited by Esedhvos Kernow (the Eisteddfod of Cornwall) to take part.
Trematon Hall
We couldn't have gone much further without leaving Cornwall for this gig, which was held at Trematon Hall near Saltash on August 30th, but it was worth every mile travelled. The event was a 25th wedding anniversary ceili, held in a marquee in the beautiful grounds of the hall, and it was everything a ceili band could wish for, with a wonderful set of enthusiastic dancers on the floor. This was one to remember!
Hobgoblin Wadebridge Folk Festival
In Cornwall August Bank Holiday weekend means Wadebridge Folk Festival. Hevva performed a Cornish troyl at the Churchill Rooms on the Saturday afternoon, and although not as fully attended as perhaps the organisers might have liked, it was nevertheless a lot of fun. A friendly invasion by the allied army of Tros an Treys added to the enjoyment!
Nansmerrow Farm, Tresillian
Saturday 22nd August was the date for a return visit to Nansmerrow Farm near Tresillian to perform a ceili at a fund raising event for Tresillian Chapel. Held in a barn on the farm, there was plenty of space for dancing and those attending made good use of it.
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Saturday 4th September ~ Esedhvos Kernow
Esedhvos Kernow - the Eisteddfod of Cornwall - will be holding its annual festival around the Gorsedd, which this year will take place in St. Ives. Hevva will be sharing the Saturday evening troyl at the Western Hotel with Vaughan Bennett and Bagas Porthia. The evening starts at 8.00 p.m. and tickets are £4.50 on the door.
Click here to visit the Esedhvos web site.
Wednesday 13th - Sunday 17th October ~ Lowender Peran
We are as delighted as ever to have been invited to take part in Cornwall's premier festival, Lowender Peran. This year we will be providing a bilingual troyl on the Saturday evening (16th), and performing a dance display in the Celtic Spectacular on the Sunday evening (17th).
Festival information and a draft programme of events can be found on the Lowender Peran web site.
