The dancers hop and skip during the Saturday evening bal at the Halsway Manor Blowzabella festival. Watch a clip here https://youtu.be/Z7XPKRRyX80?si=XsOU9n8n6TvS11o5 Catching up with holiday photos.
After my late night, we were both spark out till 8am when breakfast started, so had to shower quickly and hurry down. Sat outside in the morning sun after breakfast, watching spotted flycatchers flitting from their nest in the library porch into the surrounding trees, catching insects en route.
Morning workshop with Paul James's ensemble working on Horizonto, Willow Runnel and the Rose of Raby - a lot of us, so at times chaotic. Lunch of jacket potatoes before an afternoon workshop going through the weekend end tune with Jo F, Carl Wark.
Had a quick practice with the ensemble for our bal showcase before wine outside with chickpea and vegetable tagine and an apple sponge tart thing - sat on the lawn benches with Anna, L and P, W and E, as well as Matt and C joining us for the bal.
At the evening bal, our ensemble played first followed by the proper musicians Garenne and Blowzabella. Garenne joined them on stage for the last few numbers. Struggled somewhat with the dancing, my legs not feeling all that steady what with the dodgy knees.
After the official bal, I joined some of the other musicians in the long room for an informal late night bal. Lots of hard or unknown repertoire but I did get my second box out. As the dancers drifted off, some of us practised the Leveret tunes for the course starting on Monday. Late again to bed at 2.
