Galician Dance
This workshop delves into the energetic dances of Galicia, a Celtic-influenced community north of Portugal. Accompanied by gaita (Galician bagpipe), we’ll focus on the *muiñeira*, a social dance specific to Galicia, as well as the *xota* and other social dance forms of the region. All levels welcome, no partner needed, athletic shoes recommended.
About Adrienne Simpson
Adrienne Simpson has studied a diverse range of traditional and social dance styles, from Ballet Folklorico and English Country Dance to blues, belly dance, tap, hip hop, Argentine tango, and many genres in between. Mostly a social dancer noted for her energy, playfulness, and rhythmic precision, she has also competed in Balboa and performed in community musical theater. As a teacher, Adrienne takes great joy in making dance accessible to others. Vibrant and articulate, she weaves together clear instruction and nuanced detail in an inclusive, exploratory atmosphere. Adrienne has taught French, Breton, and Galician dance at Lark Camp since 2008, and has led Fest Noz and BalFolk events in California and Oregon. She had the honor of co-teaching and performing Galician dance with Javier “Xisco” Feijoo at Alasdair Fraser’s Sierra Fiddle Camp, was a guest choreographer at Mendocino College, and has taught swing, historical ballroom, Breton, French, and Galician dance at numerous weekend and week-long camps in California. Adrienne has also earned a Master Gardener certification, plays diatonic accordion and pandeireta, and sings in a Renaissance and Baroque quintet. Together with Shira Kammen and Jim Oakden (also on Lark staff), Adrienne leads French and Breton dance events as Farther Shore | Aod Belloc'h
About Jonathan Parker
A native San Diegan from a pioneer California family, Jonathan has held a deep interest in traditional music and culture from an early age, and began attending Lark Camp in 1982. He plays a wide variety of musical instruments including the fiddle, tin whistle, mandolin, and various bagpipes. As a founding board member of the nonprofit organization San Diego Folk Heritage, he promoted and managed concerts, workshops, and festivals for many years. He has worked as a musician, actor, luthier, cabinetmaker, graphic artist, and arts administrator. Jonathan has studied and performed the traditional instrumental music of Ireland, England, Sweden, and Spain for more than four decades, and has played extensively for dancers and in many musical ensembles, including The Perfect Cure, The Boxty Band, The Gallowglass Collective, and The Racket Club. From 2014–24 he served as Director of the World Music in the Schools program for the Center for World Music, and is now a member of their board of directors.