NESD Celtic Faire

Trebuchet Contest Announced!

admin — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 03:16:04 +0000

The NESD Celtic Faire is excited to announce that we will be having a trebuchet contest at this year’s Faire. We are having categories which include High School and College/University teams. Please click the link for a rules list. Click here for Trebuchet Rules.

The dates for this year’s Faire are Sept 17^th and 18^th. We are planning on having this contest on Saturday Sept 17^th. More information will be provided once we know how many teams are participating. We also invite you to pick a team name and a theme with costumes, banners for your trebuchet, etc. Anyone wearing costumes or decorative items on the trebuchet must be safe when handling and operating the trebuchet.

Prizes are still being, so there aren’t any guarantees just yet. It may be simply bragging rights and the fact that you get to show people a cool siege engine.

ARCC Cloggers

admin — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 02:27:39 +0000

The Aberdeen Recreation Cultural Center (ARCC) Cloggers are comprised of teachers, students and graduates with a love of dance. They’ll demonstrate how clogging has evolved from its beginning in the 18th century to include many genres of music including country, bluegrass and pop rock. Clogging is an ever changing dance form, taking style from regional interests and many styles of dance. The ARCC Cloggers have gotten together to perform every year for the NESD Celtic Faire and Games since its inception, and look forward to collectively choreographing new pieces each and every year for the performances.

Family Midday Event

admin — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 00:57:38 +0000

Ross Sutter, Laura MacKenzie and Danielle Enblom will present a program of Irish and Scottish songs, tunes and dances for the whole family. Children will have a chance to play instruments, sing along and get up and dance during this delightful program. Ross & Laura have many years of experience performing and teaching in schools and Danielle is a leading teacher of Irish dancing in the Twin Cities. This program will be presented during the midday on Saturday September 17th.

Danielle Enblom

admin — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:54:04 +0000

Danielle’s interests as a dancer span many genres. From modern dance to salsa, hip hop to ballet, contact improvisation to Appalachian clogging and her latest endeavor and love, the American vernacular, Lindy Hop (swing dancing), her interests continue to expand and morph. Throughout the years and various studies, though, Irish dance has been her central focus. Dancing competitively for many years, Danielle honed the precision and technique that is the foundation of modern Irish step dancing; and, having spent much of her childhood at ceilis and sessions, she was given a strong sense of the tradition, community and soul behind the culture. Stepping away from the competitive world in her teenage years, Danielle went on to spend a year studying Irish music at University College Cork, in Ireland, where she earned a Diploma in Traditional Irish Music and studied under musicians including Connie O’Connell, Bobby Gardner and Matt Cranitch. It was during this year that she was reintroduced to Irish dancing, but this time in the form of old style step dancing, set dancing and sean nós (old style) dancing. In Cork Danielle had the pleasure of learning to dance the polka and slide sets of Sliabh Luachra from the legendary Peggy McTeggert as well as the old step dancing from Peggy’s childhood. An interest was sparked, and Danielle’s focus moved away from the modern step dancing and towards set dancing and sean nós dancing, and then on to other percussive forms of dance such as Cape Breton step dancing, American tap, Appalachian clogging and Quebecois step dancing.

In addition to her performances, Danielle will be teaching several workshops, on Saturday she’ll be doing Sean Nos Dance, and on Sunday “House Dances of Donegal”. Please take a look at the schedule for times and locations of these demonstrations/workshops.

Laura MacKenzie

admin — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:49:55 +0000

“Celtic Music Wizard” – Minneapolis Star Tribune

….Music from Ireland, Scotland, England, Nova Scotia, Central France and Galicia on a dazzling array of wind-powered instruments, including flutes, whistles, concertina, voice, and many bagpipes – Scottish, French and English, bellows and blown.

….Performing in concert, and for community programs, theatrical productions and studio projects.

….Teaching traditional music, through lessons and workshops.

~ Laura has learned from many tradition bearers on both sides of the Atlantic, and has herself been recognized as a Master Folk Artist (Minnesota State Arts Board). She has been lauded as a “Celtic music wizard” by the Minneapolis Star Tribune and a “High priestess of Celtic music” by Minnesota Public Radio.

In addition to her performances, Laura will also be teaching an intro to the tin whistle on our workshop stage during the weekend. Please take a look at the schedule for times and places.

Ross Sutter

admin — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:34:27 +0000

Ross Sutter is a very popular performer who plays an impressive array of folk instruments – guitar, bodhran, button accordion, dulcimer, bones – but is best known for his singular baritone voice. Ross loves to sing Irish, Scottish, and Scandinavian songs, as well as favorite American traditional and popular songs. He has performed on radio, television and at festivals, and works regularly in schools teaching the songs and folk dances that he has collected over the years. His rapport with children is extraordinary, but he also possesses the unique ability to thoroughly entertain the parents and adults in the audience as well.

Reviews:

“Few performers to visit the Children’s Museum have had the kind of lasting popularity of Ross Sutter…his shows are an astounding array of story and song.”

- The Children’s Museum of Minnesota

“Many thanks for your Young Arts performance. Your commitment, rapport, and enjoyment of children were all quite evident.”

- Director of family programs – Walker Art Center

“What an extraordinary experience you gave the audience and participants in the Children’s Music Festival! You created in just minutes-a community of people delighted to have the opportunity to participate in the wonderful process of music-making.”

- Director of Graduate Programs in Music Education at the University of St. Thomas

Ross’s work is featured on the recordings Walking on Air, Up the Raw, Crossing the Shannon, Hunger No More, Songs By Heart, Over the Water, and on his popular children’s CD, Mama Will You Buy Me a Banana?

For more information on Ross, please click on this link to his home page http://www.rosssutter.com/

Soda Bread Contest Announced!

admin — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 00:29:26 +0000

New for this year, we’re proud to announce the inclusion of a Traditional Irish Soda Bread Baking Contest. Prizes will be awarded in each of three bread categories. Try out a true part of Irish history and give the Soda Bread Contest a try. Check out the link under our Entertainment section for complete contest information. You can also click here for more info

Twin Cities Metro Pipe Band

admin — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 02:30:24 +0000

We are pleased to announce the addition of a competition pipe band, the Twin Cities Metro Pipe Band to our 2011 entertainment lineup. TC Metro is primarily a competition band competing in Grade 4 in the Mid-West Pipe Band Association (MWPBA). During the summer they regularly attend four to six Highland games around the Midwest and participate in 12 to 15 parades. Please make them welcome and attend their performances during the 2011 NESD Celtic Faire!

Guthrie School of Dance

admin — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 00:00:11 +0000

The Guthrie School of Dance returns for a fourth straight year and will share the beauty of Highland dance and lend its colorful tartans to the 2011 NESD Celtic Faire. A workshop for beginners will be presented for those who would like to give Scottish dancing a try.

Highland Dance is an ancient art form originating in the highlands of Scotland and can be seen today at Highland Games and Scottish celebrations throughout the year.

The Highland Fling and the Sword Dance are among the most famous Highland dances, but did you know there are a number of other dances ranging from reels and jigs to tributes of some of the most interesting characters of Scottish history?

Make sure to take some time and watch this great performance at the 2011 NESD Celtic Faire!

2010 Highland Games Result

admin — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 02:50:49 +0000

The final results for the 2010 NESD Celtic Faire Highland Games are as follow:

Scott Walden—-4606
Steve Jystad—-4514
Mark Renken—-4459
Bryan Fehr—-4200
Darwin Behnke—-4063
Steve Tanska—-3583
Craig Ebert—-3502
Jeff Ganser—-3465
Jeff Watson—-3325
Bart Walker—-3298
Dominic Schmidt—-3165
Bruce Marshall—-2910
Levi Watson—-2108
Kylie Murphy—-2236
Kim Watson—-1461