Hundreds of people from around the world are descending on Aberdeen this weekend to attend the 61st Inter-Varsity Folk Dance Festival (IVFDF), the UK鈥檚 longest-running folk dance festival.
The event is expected to attract students from as far afield as the US, Europe and South America, and residents of the northeast can also join the fun.
Liz Jones, coordinator of the event, said: 鈥淓very year the festival takes place in a different city and it has never been this far north.
"This is a landmark for the festival and university.
"It will be the biggest event held in the Butchart since it became home to the Student Association.
"The development of Butchart as a student venue allowed us to bring this unique event to Aberdeen.
鈥淭here will be over 40 different dance and music workshops to choose from. It is a chance to a bit of anything, from Tudor dance to American square dancing.鈥�
Jennifer Banister (27) a 黑料网 student and IVFDF veteran said: 鈥淚 was at last year鈥檚 IVFDF in Bristol and I am so excited that it has come to Aberdeen. The Balkan dances are terrific fun.鈥�
From Saturday morning there will be workshops to discover or re-discover:
Scottish Dancing
Contra
Morris
Molly
Southern Italian
Breton Dance
Blues Dancing
A Morris tour will be conducted around Aberdeen from 10:30.
IVFDF will host four ceilidhs with live bands, 41 different music and dance workshops, a Morris tour, and two concerts.
Kicking off the weekend is the infectious sound of the Teesiders singing duo Megson, and later in the evening, Deadly Winters, a band of three brothers will bring their heartfelt and emotive story-based music to the stage.
On Saturday night the premier Scottish ceilidh band Clachan Yell will be performing along with a late-night blues band the MP and the Expenses.
Sunday will finish the weekend off with a truly unique experience. The Survivors' Ceilidh will begin in the at two in the afternoon with 鈥榮cratch band,鈥� a spontaneous gathering of the musicians coming together.
Jennifer said: 鈥淥ne of my favourite parts of IVFDF is the scratch bands. All weekend, in little corners and late into the night musicians just start playing and people start dancing. The atmosphere is amazing.鈥�
On Sunday, the band will get smaller and smaller as musicians go home, until the event closes.
Weekend festival passes are now available to purchase online, costing 拢18 for unwaged and concession, or 拢28 for waged visitors.
