Welcome Yule! Music, Dancing and Revels.

Joy. My tickets for the Revels have arrived so today I would like to share Cari Ferraro's post titled "Why I Revel". Here is an excerpt:

True magic can happen in a darkened theater, and Revels knows how to enchant. Whether it be the Abbots Bromley horn dance, a 900-year-old mummer's dance performed on a twilit stage with six antlered dancers and four other strange characters, or dancing out of the theater with audience and cast at the end of every first act to The Lord of the Dance, year after year in a joyful celebration, I am always moved.

Enjoy.

Sia

Related Posts:

Yule & Solstice Links

Lord of the Dance

Yule Recipes from Iceland

Art: from the Portland Revels
which is featuring music and dance from the Scandinavian countries. Different companies choose different themes. Here is a list of performances to be found in the U.S.


Notes from the Portland site:
Moon wanders its silent way...only Tomte is awake.

This midwinter the Christmas Revels follows the North star to the land of Kalevala, of Nordic gods and Julebukking, ofkantele, nyckelharpe, and hardingfele, in a happy celebrationof the solstice. Audiences will enjoy songs from Norway,Sweden, Finland, and Denmark, including carols new to many ears yet sounding familiar. Among the choral works will be Paul Hillier’s arrangement of “Personent Hodie” from Finland’s "Piae Cantiones," an arrangement of the advent carol “Folkefrelsar, till oss com” (Saviour of the Nations Come) by Linn Andrea Fuglseth of Norway’s Trio Medieval vocal ensemble, and Edvard Grieg’s stunning setting of “Ave Maris Stella”. This show will feature a number of individual performers. The Karelian Folk Music Ensemble—Igor Arkhipov, Sasha Bykadorov, and Arto Kalinkina—will bring their Finnish repertoire of songs and instrumental music, and international artist Loretta Kelley will be featured on the hardanger fiddle, joined by Portland Revels’ own fiddling master, Betsy Branch. Karin Brennesvik, with dance partners Eivind Bakken and Ola Narverud, from Oslo, will strengthen the large dance component of the show and Portland’s own..

Lord of the Dance

She danced on the water, and the wind was Her horn
The Lady laughed, and everything was born
And when She lit the sun and its' light gave Him birth
The Lord of the Dance first appeared on the Earth

(Chorus): Dance, dance, where ever you may be
I am the Lord of the Dance, you see!
I live in you, and you live in Me
And I lead you all in the Dance, said He!

I danced in the morning when the World was begun
I danced in the Moon and the Stars and the Sun
I was called from the Darkness by the Song of the Earth
I joined in the Song, and She gave Me the Birth!

I dance in the Circle when the flames leap up high
I dance in the Fire, and I never, ever, die
I dance in the waves of the bright summer sea
For I am the Lord of the wave's mystery

I sleep in the kernel, and I dance in the rain
I dance in the wind, and thru the waving grain
And when you cut me down, I care nothing for the pain;
In the Spring I'm the Lord of the Dance once again!

I dance at the Sabbat when you dance out the Spell
I dance and sing that everyone be well
And when the dancing's over do not think that I am gone
To live is to Dance! So I dance on, and on!

I see the Maidens laughing as they dance in the Sun
And I count the fruits of the Harvest, one by one
I know the Storm is coming, but the Grain is all stored
So I sing of the Dance of the Lady, and Her Lord:

The Horn of the Lady cast its' sound 'cross the Plain
The birds took the notes, and gave them back again
Till the sound of Her music was a Song in the sky
And to that Song there is only one reply:

The moon in her phases, and the tides of the sea
The movement of the Earth, and the Seasons that will be
Are the rhythm for the dancing, and a promise thru the years
That the Dance goes on thru all our joy, and tears

We dance ever slower as the leaves fall and spin
And the sound of the Horn is the wailing of the wind
The Earth is wrapped in stillness, and we move in a trance,
But we hold on fast to our faith in the Dance!

They danced in the darkness and they danced in the night
They danced on the Earth, and everything was light
They danced out the Darkness and they danced in the Dawn
And the Day of that Dancing is still going on!

I gaze on the Heavens and I gaze on the Earth
And I feel the pain of dying, and re-birth
And I lift my head in gladness, and in praise
For the Dance of the Lord, and His Lady gay

I dance in the stars as they whirl throughout space
And I dance in the pulse of the veins in your face
No dance is too great, no dance is too small,
You can look anywhere, for I dance in them all!

Tune: "Lord of the Dance" (Christian song), or "Simple Gifts" (Traditional)
from Bardic Arts

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Photo of male fawn titled Run! Groundhog! by Deerluvr

For DG -
In honor of your birthday.
As always, SV