East Preston Dance Circle
International Folk and Circle Dancing
Our little group at East Preston has folded; numbers were never high but we had managed to keep going for eleven years. Recent problems with the hall didn’t help - like waiting in the rain for thirty minutes for the door to be un- locked, rent rises and ailing older members.
But the plan is to reappear in a new guise a couple of miles further along the coast as the “Not The Last Wednesday Of The Month Dance Club”.
The plan is for two classes - an adult class (2pm - 3.30pm) followed by a children’s class (3.30pm - 4.30pm), which will take place on Wednesday afternoons during termtime (not the last Wednesday of the month!) in Worthing at the Goring United Reformed Church Hall. It is the same hall that the ‘Dance International Worthing’ group use for their Friday evening meetings.
In addition to the East Preston group, another daytime class - the Worthing U3A International Folk Dance class, which Iris Birch initiated, has also ceased to be. So we hope to pick up a few supporters from them as well.
My experience of very little dancers in Bognor has been so encouraging that I am inviting children age four upwards to the second class. Time flies, and before you know it they have mastered the basics and are ‘teaching’ new- comers.
The East Preston Dance Circle alternates between 2 styles of dance, though some of the dances are the same. During the
international folk dance evenings, only traditional national dances are danced whilst modern choreographies are included in the circle dance evenings.
The repertoire of the group is mainly dances that are danced in lines, circles and spirals in a mixed range of slow, moderate and
high energy level dances with a similar mix of difficulty (something for everyone!). One reason for choosing these type of
dances is that there is no need for a partner. Anyone can come along on a Thursday evening and enjoy dancing with other people.
International Folk Dancing at East Preston
1st,3rd & 5th Thursdays
This is an associated group of the Society for International Folk Dancing (SIFD).
The East Preston International side have a huge range of dances, but there is always a reminder lesson of the steps
before each dance, and new or old (half forgotten) ones are taught thoroughly. The dances are all folk dances from around
the world, which have been researched and collected over the years.
Current favourites are: TaiTai (Greece), Zonoradiko Karoti (Greece),
Erzeroumi Shoror (Armenian), Dagh Gorani (Armenia), Ajsino Oro (Albanian), Vosle Sadu (Russia), Joc de Ulita (Roumania), Azerbeycan (Turkish),
Shifers Tanz (Yiddish Roumanian), Tik (Greece), Kumanovka (Macedonia), Pogonissios (Greece), Bufkansko (Macedonian),
Lugawonka (Russia), Pivna Jagoda (Russia), Kakpri Balkye (Russia), Ambee Dageets (Armenia), Iste Hendek (Turkey),
Dodi Li (Israel), Miserlu (Greece), Stiga misa momne le (Bulgaria), Pomasko Sirto (Bulgaria), and Sepastia Bar (Armenia).
Part of the true experience of a traditional dance is feeling how the appropriate costume affects the style of dance
i.e. long heavy skirts would restrict movement, some shoes make one style of dance impossible whilst facilitating
another. On these evenings you are encouraged to imagine the situation the dance evolved from to appreciate its
qualities.
Dancers who are interested in doing more are encouraged to join the display team - the Bognor Regis
International Dance Ensemble.
Getting to East Preston Dance Circle
From Arundel, follow the A27 eastwards from Arundel to the Angmering exit, follow main road (Arundel Road) through
Angmering, turning into Station Road and then cross the A259 into East Preston (see below).
If you are coming from the
east, leave the A27 and follow the A280, bearing right to enter Angmering and continuing through to join Station Road (see
below).
Alternatively if a drive through Angmering does not suit, continue until you reach the A259, turn right (west)
and continue along the Roundstone Bypass road until you turn off left into Station Road towards the Angmering and
East Preston Railway Station(see below).
From Littlehampton, follow the A259 and turn south at the East Preston roundabout into Station Road (towards the
station). Of course there are several ways to get there from Littlehampton but, if you are unsure, this is the best route.
Once you know where the hall is, you can explore the alternatives on your return to Littlehampton.
Once in East Preston
Continuing south, cross the railway line and take the first left (at the mini-roundabout), signposted to East Preston.
Turn 2nd right into The Street (also signposted to East Preston) and follow it to the end. Turn right, then immediately
left into Vermont Drive – the church hall is in the car park on the right. Note: if you are walking from the station,
it is just over a mile.
