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
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 <calling.luke@gmail.com>
Subject: [Callers] Re: The next hot new thing!
Cc: Shared Weight Contra Callers
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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.