This term I have classes starting in Cromarty for singers and parents and carers with young children.  The classes with the dance group will be re-starting as well, so I will be spending plenty of time on the A832 to Cromarty!

a repeat of last year's highly successful and enjoyable event in aid of the Highland Hospice.

Music for dancing by several bands, including Ceilidh Mor, The Cat's Back and Reel Din. I'll be singing solo and for stepdancing by Hielan' Toe, and there will be clarsach from Anne and Karen Ward and blues from duo Bluebelly AND supper!

Tickets £25 (£5 for under 16s) including supper
on sale from Pavilion 01997 420124, June's Card Shop
and Off The Peg in Dingwall and the Highland Hospice


 

This summer, I'll be teaching Drama using Gaelic song as a starting point at the week-long fèis for youngsters in Fort Augustus, at the foot of Loch Ness.

The Fèis has a range of classes from introductory lessons for 5-8 year olds to PA and Lighting for the 14-18 year-olds, with choices including guitar, bodhran, keyboard, accordion, Celtic art, chanter, drama and stagecraft, fiddle, groupwork, guitar, whistle and shinty.
 

I'll be working alongside stagecraft specialist Jan Culshaw, who recently appeared in the Eden Court Theatre show The Great Cattle Raid.

For more information, or to book a place, visit http://www.feisgleannalbainn.co.uk/summer_feis.html

Throughout April, May and June, I was working with contemporary dance tutor Nicky in Cromarty.  Nicky teaches an enthusiastic group of teenage dancers who will be using a Gaelic song as inspiration for a new piece.

After spending a couple of weeks introducing the group members to the Oran Leannain Sidhe track from the forthcoming 'Haunting' album, Nicky was a little unsure of their ability to work with a piece so very different from the ones they have been using.  The dance group has only been together for a matter of months and the dancers' repertoire of moves is still being built up.

Producer Terry Small has taken the track back to the studio for a total remix, specially for this project, tailoring it to the specifics most useful to the group.

Sadly, personal circumstances have forced Nicky to have an hiaitus in the class programme.  When regular rehearsals start again, the dancers will be introduced to the new mix.

The idea came through Cromarty Arts Trust who have secured funding for it and to have the resulting performance piece filmed.