Celtic spirit combines Irish and African music (Includes interview and first-hand account)
By
Joseph Boltrukiewicz
Published
Due to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games last year, most of the green events, including the St.Patrick’s Parade were cancelled and usual time of green colours present everywhere was replaced by red-and-white Canadian national colours. Now it seems that the Irish spirit very well survived and Vancouver Irish community prepared even better celebrations that are now supported by still improving weather.
N’ato Camera, a vibrant and spirited dancer from the African team, AfroCeltic Dance Party at the Stadium Club, Edgewater Casino, Vancouver.
The main collection of the celebrations are between March 16 and 20 but first of them came to the venues of Vancouver as early as March 11th with Inaugural St. Partick’s Day Luncheon at Fairmont Hotel. The program lists numerous Festival Picks amongst which there are The World Greatest St. Patrick’s Day Céilidh at Yale Pub which is a social gathering or party with music and dancing, Big St. Pat’s Night Out! featuring Spirit of the West at The Vogue Theatre, Brewmaster’s Dinner, scotch tasting, Celtic film shows and numerous other events that anyone can come across once on the streets of Vancouver in these days.
Celtic team during AfroCeltic Dance Party at the Stadium Club, Edgewater Casino, Vancouver – Boris Favre (bass), Boris Sichon (multi-instrumentalist), Amy Stephen (accordion, flute) and Stephanie Cadman (violin, dance).
The Stadium Club and the Edgewater Casino was was a stage for highlighted AfroCeltic Dance Party on Friday night and was opened by BC Regiment Irish Pipes and Drums band, a 24-member band, one of the five serving Irish regimental pipe bands in the world.
The event was a Canadian premiere to merge both African and traditional Irish music played, danced and sung by African and Celtic performers. The Irish team was represented by Amy Stephen (accordion, flute), Allan Dion (drums), Boris Favre (bass) and great entertainer, accomplished multi-instrumentalist Boris Sichon. The African team included Alpha Yaya Diallo (guitar), Yoro Norkoussi (percussions) and dancer N’ato Camera.
In the front row – part of African team, Yoro Noukossi (percussions), Allan Dionne (drums) and Alpha Yalla Diallo (guitar), AfroCeltic Dance Party at the Stadium Club, Edgewater Casino, Vancouver.
The performance featured awarded fiddler, singer and dancer Stephanie Cadman from Ottawa who holds three-step dancing titles from Pembroke Championships.
The event was a very successful premiere of combining the different music from distant places and once again a proof that music knows no borders since the performers get into the tune of creation of something new and entertaining.
Amy Stephen (accordion, flute), Stephanie Cadman (tap dancer, violinist) and Boris Favre (bass), Allan Dionne (drums), AfroCeltic Dance Party at the Stadium Club, Edgewater Casino, Vancouver.
Apart from making the music together, every performer had a chance to present own skills in their solo parts that made many people start dancing on the floor right in front of the stage. The event was hosted by Todd Wong who, in spite of his Oriental background, converts himself into Toddish McWong for the occasion of St. Patrick’s celebrations.
Performers of AfroCeltic Dance Party and dancing audience in front of the stage at the Stadium Club, Edgewater Casino, Vancouver.
St. Patrick’s Day celebrations have many sponsors: the Festival is presented by Edgewater Casino, the Festival Funding Sponsor is Downtown Vancouver and the St. Patrick’s Parade is presented by Pacific Centre. There are also event sponsors (Impark, Granville Entertainment Group) and the Parade Supporters (The Ireland Fund of Canada and The Celtic Treasure Chest).
Colourful and lively N’ato Camera, dancing, dancing and dancing… at AfroCeltic Dance Party at the Stadium Club, Edgewater Casino, Vancouver.
