Danny Hockman from Winchmore Folk Dance Club on how the group brings people together
From the moment you arrive at Winchmore Folk Dance Club you feel you are in a warm friendly welcoming place – and you are!
It doesn’t matter if you turn up on your own, if you’re shy, bold, quiet, loud, or somewhere in between.
It doesn’t matter whether you think you can dance or whether you’re convinced you have two left feet.
Everyone is welcomed with the same warmth, and that makes all the difference.
One of the things I appreciate most is that there’s never any pressure. You don’t have to worry about asking someone to dance, because someone always will. People look out for each other.
If you’re new, someone will guide you through the steps. If you go the wrong way, people laugh with you, not at you. The whole atmosphere is built on encouraging people to join in and not to worry if they get the steps wrong or make a mistake.
The group is also wonderfully inclusive. It isn’t aimed at men or women specifically, nor at any particular age group. It’s so refreshing to be part of something where everyone is treated as an equal, regardless of their background and experience.
The caller plays a crucial role by explaining the steps clearly and guiding the group through each dance. Even if you’ve never done folk dancing before, you never feel lost for long. If the dancers need to go through a dance twice or three times then that’s what the caller will do, just to make sure everyone does as well as they can and feels they get the most they can out of coming to the club.
There is a long tradition of English folk dance music and the club dances to some of the oldest traditional music as well as to more recent compositions.
During our weekly Tuesday meetings, the club uses CDs and often has guest musicians who enhance the occasion, to say the least!
However, at our Saturday night dances the music is provided by Chris Carpenter, whose keyboard and accordion playing are second to none. She is a really great musician and we feel privileged to have her play for us.
There is something incredibly uplifting about dancing to live music, no matter how tough the week’s been.
Most of all I feel at home in the club because it’s a space where people can simply enjoy being together. It’s welcoming, lively, and full of good humour. In a world that often feels rushed and disconnected, the club offers a place where everyone belongs.
For more information about Winchmore Folk Dance Club and how to get involved:
Visit wfdc.co.uk
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