Stepping out for the dance festival

FOUR days of dancing got under way today with the opening of the annual Damhsa Fest, Cork’s international folk dance festival.

The festival programme includes a daily schedule of interactive street performances by dance troupes from Egypt, France, Estonia and Ireland in venues around the county.

Festival highlights include a brush dance world record attempt in Fermoy this Saturday, where organisers hope to assemble more than 500 dancers to beat the current title of 490 set in Eyre Square, Galway.

“Whether you can dance or not, bring your own brush, we plan to clean up the world record,” programme director Fionan Cogan said.

Mayor of County Cork Tim Lombard was treated to a performance by the Egyptian Anfounsi group, representing the Alexandria region, for yesterday’s opening ceremony. The group later took its Egyptian folk dancing on to Opera Lane.

Folk dancers from western France take to the streets today, with a live band of musicians to step out a series of waltzes and polkas in the traditional French style.

Les Compagnons de la Claire Fontaine will return again on Saturday in a bid to teach shoppers some steps.

Estonian folk dance ensemble Sõprus, which translates as ‘friendship’, will offer its street performance on Friday and the festival continues over the weekend with a performance on Spike Island on Sunday as part of Cork County Council’s drive to attract more visitors to the former prison island.

Local groups performing over the four-day festival include the Owenabue Valley Traditional Group and the Kiely Walsh Academy of Irish Dancing.

Venues include Blarney Castle, Ballinspittle Festival and Carrigaline Town Park.

“It brings the multiculturalism that we have in Cork out on to the street.

“The public can join in, the events are free and interactive,” Mr Cogan said.