Last evening was the first anniversary of the 'chants de marin' sessions we have been going to at Binic, on the north coast. So we had a bit of a do - in fact we had a really smashing evening, with standing room only and sore throats afterwards from all the singing.
Note from the poster for the evening (above) - we are now included as residents/regular singers! Feels really nice to be included - some brave souls are even starting to join in with some choruses in English. Etienne & Etienne (next two pictures below) are two thirds of the group 'Fortunes de Mer' and originally started the session. They always strike me as an unlikely looking combination, but they sound really good together as well as singing individually.
Edwige and her husband Pierre-Jean (next two pictures below) are the couple who first told us about the session back last January. They also took part in the concert we gave last June.
Hervé and Hélène (pic below) kindly invited us to stay over with them last night - saved us an hours drive back in the freezing cold. Hervé is a local Breton, and Hélène is from Quebec, and speaks French with the most outrageous accent possible! What I struggle to understand at the best of times becomes practically impossible!
Hélène took along her dancing dolls which are traditional to Quebec. They are the same dancing dolls that are common in the northwest of the UK, particularly around Liverpool. You support the doll just touching the board, which you 'twang' with your thumb in time to the music, to make the doll dance. It is really very effective!
So if you are coming to visit, plan to be here for the third Thursday of the month (except in august, of course) and make sure you have a sea shanty you can sing or a hornpipe you can play!
Note from the poster for the evening (above) - we are now included as residents/regular singers! Feels really nice to be included - some brave souls are even starting to join in with some choruses in English. Etienne & Etienne (next two pictures below) are two thirds of the group 'Fortunes de Mer' and originally started the session. They always strike me as an unlikely looking combination, but they sound really good together as well as singing individually.
Edwige and her husband Pierre-Jean (next two pictures below) are the couple who first told us about the session back last January. They also took part in the concert we gave last June.
Hervé and Hélène (pic below) kindly invited us to stay over with them last night - saved us an hours drive back in the freezing cold. Hervé is a local Breton, and Hélène is from Quebec, and speaks French with the most outrageous accent possible! What I struggle to understand at the best of times becomes practically impossible!
Hélène took along her dancing dolls which are traditional to Quebec. They are the same dancing dolls that are common in the northwest of the UK, particularly around Liverpool. You support the doll just touching the board, which you 'twang' with your thumb in time to the music, to make the doll dance. It is really very effective!
So if you are coming to visit, plan to be here for the third Thursday of the month (except in august, of course) and make sure you have a sea shanty you can sing or a hornpipe you can play!
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