Ballyvourney is a small town in County Cork. In Irish, the name means "Town of the Beloved" and it is the home of the medieval monastic site dedicated to St. Gobnait, the patron saint of bee keepers. 
You can see the bees in the stained glass image surrounding St. Gobnait's head and neck. 
One of the things that first attracted me to take up set dance is the sense of place that each dance represents and the layers of engagement it provides. The physical challenge of the dance is apparent and needs no explanation but that just scratches the surface of its allure for me. I, like most people that explore their ethnic dances, get great spiritual and emotional satisfaction in coming closer to my own history. This is something we all share, no matter what the dance heritage. People worldwide can identify with it.
When I first started dancing, early in 2012, I was embarrassed about my lack of cultural awareness. And I was intimidated by the speed and seeming complexity of the patterns and footwork involved in successfully performing the dance. I persevered because, even early on, there were moments when I knew I had it and was able to internalize the rhythm and form. This kept me going.
At my first class last week I had the added delight of seeing old friends. Many of the dancers were people I knew when I was here earlier and it was a pleasure to see them again. Although Pat doesn't like picture taking in his class, I was able to snap the photo below at the end of the evening. From left, Una and Noel started in our class in 2013 in preparation for the dance they would do at their wedding. He is from Kerry and wanted to help Una learn their regional dance as a surprise for his friends and family. Now they are regulars and both dance beautifully. Geraldine was my partner that first night and also a member of our walking group. It was a pleasant surprise for both of us to meet up there. I can't wait for tomorrow night!
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