[Callers] Re: The next hot new thing!

I agree the video is a sweet local balfolk ! What got me excited about French Balfolk is Gennetines Le Grand Bal d’Europe in July/August 2024 in France! Check out this video montage from 2024, it starts at 0:36 with Rap en Francais! https://youtu.be/0jjp32OtTTw?t=36 I’ve been teaching a few easy French Balfolk after the break at contra dances (instead of the old hambo slot) when the band can play the tunes. I’m hoping to host a few balfolk events in Asheville, as there will be a big workshop at the LEAF in October (with Annie Fain and Geraud from Brasstown, John C Campbell Folkschool) and we’d like to get folks excited about it. I’m going back to Gennetines this summer to dance more French Balfolk (as well as International folk dances- Israeli, English, Irish, Tango. Etc) Let me know if you’re interested in meeting at camp! Claire Takemori, Dance Caller website <https://clairetakemoridanceteacher.godaddysites.com/> email <mailto:clairedancecaller@gmail.com> Follow on Instagram <https://www.instagram.com/clairedancecaller/> Like my Facbeook page <https://www.facebook.com/ClaireTakemoriDanceCaller/> 408 874-6840 “To live is to dance, to dance is to live” ~Charles M. Schulz Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2025 16:01:38 -0400 From: Luke Donforth &lt;calling.luke(a)gmail.com <mailto:calling.luke@gmail.com>> Subject: [Callers] Re: The next hot new thing! Cc: Shared Weight Contra Callers &lt;contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>> Message-ID: &lt;CAP-w4kLZDdVxzo7adzhBqqgt+YumDYhouQJ2GNcU8zUVS_E_ng(a)mail.gmail.com <mailto:CAP-w4kLZDdVxzo7adzhBqqgt+YumDYhouQJ2GNcU8zUVS_E_ng@mail.gmail.com>> Content-Type: multipart/related; boundary="000000000000f7302c0631bd01b8" I think this video is a good depiction of what balfolk can be: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8OUy5JM6Jw As I understand it, balfolk (or bal folk) means a folk ball. The wikipedia article gives a more in-depth description: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balfolk but as a folk activity, there's a lot of variation and places where it has its own flavor. As for the John Cage link, yes, sorry. I debated between linking to the pertinent wikipedia article <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4%E2%80%B233%E2%80%B3>or this other one <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYBUbBu4W08&t=8s>and apparently in my indecision broke the link. So Balfolk is a real thing, but Bubblefolk is just for April Fools.