An Dro

An dro or en dro is a Breton folk dance in 4/4.
 
The dancers link little fingers in a long line, swinging their arms, and moving to their left by taking longer steps in that direction than when stepping right. In the generic case the arm movements consist first of two circular motions going up and back (at about chest level) followed by one in the opposite direction (down then front); these are done quite close to the body. This is then followed by a circle in the same sense as the last (down then front) but with full arm extension and extending behind the body. The cycle then repeats. Stepping is on the beat throughout, moving to the left on the close arm circles and in place (or sometimes to the right) on the second two. The stance is upright, with soft knees. A full set of steps takes 8 times, divided in two half-steps:

• 1st half-step, 4 times:
  • 1st time: the left foot moves on the left
  • 2nd time: the right foot joins the left foot
  • 3d time: the left foot moves again
  • 4th time: the feet don't move, the body still supported by the left foot
• 2nd half-step, 4 times:
  • 5th time: the right foot joins the left foot
  • 6th time: the left foot marks time (up & down in one time)
  • 7th time: the right foot marks time (up & down in one time)
  • 8th time: the feet don't move, the body stands on the right foot.

It is easy to do this dance within a short time of practice; this allows full beginners to quickly join the line during the festoù noz.

Home By Bearna

The Wraggle Taggle Gypsy O

"The Gypsy Laddie" , also known as "Black Jack Davy" and "The Raggle Taggle Gypsies" among many other titles, is a Border ballad, possibly written about 1720 on the Scottish side of the border. The ballad has often been used and recorded in many different variations in Scotland and England from the 18th century, the United States, Canada from the 19th century, and more recently Ireland from the 1970s.

Miss Mc Murray (O'Carolan)

Jolie Louise

A song by Daniel Lanois, a Canadian Songwriter

Karantez Vro

A heavenly song from brittany, brought by the beautifull Nolwenn Leroy.
Today it's my birthday and this is my gift to myself!
The translation of this song in English:

For Love of Homeland

In my heart there lays a wound,
Since my youth the scars were there
Because, alas, the one I loved
did not love what I loved.
He liked only the city,
Not the vast sea and the farway;
I liked only the countryside,
the beauty of the country of Brittany.
I had to choose between two great loves,
The love of homeland, and the love of a man;
To my country I offered my life,
And there my beloved could never follow
Since, I never saw him again,
I never knew what happened to him -
In my heart the wound still bleeds,
Because what I loved he did not love.
Each one of us must live by Fate
Thus, it is in this world.
Bruised, indeed, was my heart,
For what I loved he did not love
To him, honors and wealth
To me, a despised and humble life.
But I would not exchange it for any treasure,
My country, my language and my freedom.

La ville de Rochelle

A traditional song from Brittany