Recent Events
Some events during the past twelve months...
Martinique
Our longest trip to date took us to the Caribbean, to Ville du François in Martinique. We were there to perform in the island's Quadrille Dance and Music Festival, and what an amazing experience it was! The islanders are wonderful people, and made us so welcome. Our hosts made sure that we enjoyed ourselves not only at the festival, but also with a fascinating trip to a rum factory and a day out by boat for a swim on a reef followed by a delicious beach barbecue.
We have returned with so many great memories to look back on.
Royal Cornwall Show
The Royal Cornwall Show hosts the Cornwall Festival of Dance, and Hevva were there on the show Saturday, 10th June, to perform during the day, with spots in the morning and afternoon. this has become quite a regular event for us, and something we look forward to each year.
Lanlivery Feast Week
On 12th May we paid a visit to Lanlivery to perform a ceili for the village's Feast Week. The unusual venue was the lovely setting of Lanlivery Parish Church, where we were relieved to discover the pews are moveable! With a very lively set of dancers of all ages, this was a boisterous and fun event that kept our caller on his toes all evening!
Nos Dons Kernewek
The Cornish Dance Society decided to change the format of its annual Day of Dance this year, and instead ran an evening of Cornish dance - Nos Dons Kernewek. This proved to be very popular. The event was held at Porthtowan Village Hall on 5th May, with a ceili provided by musicians and callers from the various Cornish dance groups, and each group performing a short floor spot during the evening.
Pennseythen Gernewek
We were delighted to be asked by Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek once more to perform a bilingual ceili at its annual Cornish Language Weekend. The event took place in Newquay on 8th April, where we played to a full floor of Cornish speakers and learners, and also displayed a few dances. Cornish culture at its best!
The Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek web site is at www.cornish-language.org.
Cwlwm Celtaidd
Our first festival of the year was a return visit to Porthcawl, Wales, over the weekend 10th - 12th March for Cwlwm Celtaidd. This was a full weekend, with school visits, stage performances, a workshop and street dancing, but hugely enjoyable.
The festival web site can be found at www.cwlwmceltaidd.org.
Photo: Eiry Palfrey
The Grove, St. Austell
On a cold February afternoon, Saturday 11th, we enjoyed the warm hospitality of The Grove care home in St. Austell, where we entertained the residents with a display of dances, music, a costume presentation and a talk about the origins of the dances we were performing.
St. Gerrans and Portscatho Old Cornwall Society
A very pleasant outing to the Roseland in Cornwall to end the year. We were invited to help celebrate the 40th anniversary of the St. Gerrans and Portscatho Old Cornwall Society at Gerrans on December 14th. We displayed a variety of dances, talked about their history, and gave a costume presentation. After which, society members joined in a couple of dances to round off the evening.
Photo: Cheryl Hicks
Lowender Peran
We had a very enjoyable Lowender Peran festival. Held for the second year at Newquay, 2nd - 6th November, we performed on the Sunday at a Cultural Expo event, and later the same day we gave a Cornish dance workshop.
This was the first outing with us for several of our newer members, who are already looking forward to next year's festival!
The Lowender Peran web site is at www.lowenderperan.co.uk
Minions
On 26th July the 10m high mechanical giant Man Engine, the largest puppet ever made in Britain, passed through Minions on its journey from Tavistock to Pendeen. The project is to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the granting of World Heritage status to the mining areas of West Devon and Cornwall, and Hevva were performing at Minions to help the celebrations along.
More on this project can be found at www.themanengine.org.uk.
Morwellham Quay
The first of our events to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the granting of World Heritage status to the mining areas of Cornwall and West Devon took place on July 3rd. This was just outside Cornwall, at the wonderful open air museum at Morwellham Quay on the Devon bank of the River Tamar. The Museum comprises a working village (once the largest copper port in Queen Victoria's empire), a mine and a craft centre, and is well worth a visit. We performed two display spots in the museum building, and enjoyed the sunshine and museum sites between times.
The Morwellham Quay web site is at www.morwellham-quay.co.uk.