Had a dance-filled weekend. Started on Friday evening around 20:00 with the first instruction lesson. Both Matthijs and I were in group 1 of 3. We did attend a few balls and knew the basics, but we were never instructed in leading and following and the mazurka still posed some problems. Wen and Louise, two balfolk enthusiasts, gave the instructions. Anter dro, scottish and 'tovercirkel' if I remember correctly. The night ended with a ball with music from Violet and Christian. Danced a very nice mazurka with Frank, one of the Gonnagles, even though he did more variations than actual mazurka basic steps. And I learned a waltz in five!

On Saturday we started at 09:00 with a bio-breakfast and at 10:00 with the next instructions. Groups 2 and 3 could choose which workshops they wanted to attend, group one continued with the basics. Variations on the scottish, the an dro, the jig and mazurka. I can now say that I have the steps of the mazurka down, but recognizing it in the music is still hard. Especially when exactly the first mazurka-step starts. Mazurka consists of these steps: ma-zur-ka-one-two-three-ma-zur-ka-one-two-three. On the 'ka' you don't put your foot down.

We also did some exercises concerning leading and following. We led our partner, who had the eyes closed, through the room while criss crossing the other pairs. And the leading was only to be done with either a held hand or a hand laid flat on the back or on the hip. It was very enlightening. Some people can follow/lead very well, others had a bit more difficulty. And of course we practiced it in dancing as well. I danced the male part every now and then and I can say that with the right partner I can lead pretty well.

Saturday night was an open ball, so people who didn't attend the stage could come as well. Unfortunately my right knee (not even my bruised toe but my knee...) was giving me a hard time. So I had to skip several dances. And I'm still too reserved to actually step up to some of the more experienced men and ask them to dance with me. Did have some good dances though with a few of the group 2/3 men, Wen and Frank. Did a nice scottish, a very long one, with Marjoke with me being the man. Ah, and with some of the mazurka's it was me who remembered the steps and corrected my partner when he/she forgot a step. So proud! Though of course it is nowhere near as graceful as some of the more experienced dancers do it.

Also got quite some compliments during the weekend for my outfits. I made one black with green set for the lessons and I have a silver-green and a red-black-silver set for the balls. Saw a lot of great skirts on other people as well and a few very nice pants. Like harem pants, wide but 'cuffed' on the ankle. I need to make myself a pair of those, they look so comfortable. With a gypsy skirt on top they'd look wonderful. Matthijs was hailed because of his help with the technical part of the balls. He had volunteered to help with the sound tech and received a book about it as a thank you present. Oh boy.. a new time consuming hobby?

On Sunday everybody was tired and sore with muscle-ache. My bruised toe and right knee were both aching so I skipped some of the waltz instruction. I already knew the dance, heck I'd done it in five, so skipping parts of the instruction was not much of a problem. Also had some exercises on recognizing the dance from the music. Practiced some more on the scottish variations we had learned and repeated the mazurka. We did a jig and 'tovercirkel' in one, with me doing the jig as a man. Lesson was over too soon, for lunch, and then a one hour ball. The last of the weekend.

Learned quite some things, mainly about the leading and following and I think I got the basic mazurka down now. I think that we'll be able to sign up for group 2 next year. And this month, the 28th, there's a ball here in Enschede where we can practice some more.

Had to get home quickly to drag our two couches all the way downstairs (3 floors) because my mother (and girlfriend and foster son) were coming over to deliver their old couches. They have firmer pillows that don't slide down every time you sit on the couch. So those two had to be dragged up for 3 floors. We had invited my brother, would be convenient if he could help, but due to problems with the trains he arrived just as we put the last couch in place. Fortunately my mom could help with the last couch because I was just broken.

Thus ended the weekend with a nice family dinner and some hanging on the 'new' couches. Tonight last rehearsal for the Musilon's Friday 13th concert, tomorrow a free evening.