We
practice our dances and music at workshops held throughout the month.
Sunday afternoon workshops are held at the
VFW Post 4380 in Plano
beginning at 2:00pm and running until 4:00pm. Friday evening
workshops are typically held at
Frisco Dance Force, near Stonebriar
Mall in Frisco, Texas. They begin at 7:00pm, and we usually
wrap up by 8:30pm. Then it’s off to a local watering hole to
wet our whistles and have some nice conversation with friends.
Visitors are
always welcome at our workshops, and we’d really like
to meet you! We don't practice every week, so be sure to check
our
calendar of events to find out exactly when and where we
will be practicing.
We have a large repertoire of Bavarian and Austrian folk dances that we learn, practice and perform. These dances are generally from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, and can be basically described in three categories:
Ländlers: Intricate figure dances
where couples flirt with each other. From a hand-in-hand stroll down
a mountain path, to the “open window” where the man tries to steal
a kiss, these courtship dances tell the story of the Farmer’s Daughter.
Specialty Dances: These numbers typically tell a story,
or honor an occupation like lumberjack, miller, or weaver. Some of
these are traditional dances and others were choreographed for the
cabarets in the 1920’s and 30’s.
Schuhplattlers: Powerful,
boasting dances where the men slap their thighs and the soles of their
shoes in a rhythmic fashion to show off for the girls. Yeah,
Ok... this style of dancing might have received a lot of [comic] attention
in the movie "European Vacation", but the real thing is a lot different..
and more interesting! Which guy can slap harder, jump higher,
and stomp louder? And which guy is tough enough to catch the
ladies’ eyes?
