Nos Lowen
Nos Lowen is a style of Cornish social dancing and to a certain extent also an associated subgenre of Cornish traditional music.
Nos lowens are less formal than ceilidhs, generally more trancy but also quite upbeat and energetic at times too: With a strong sense of place here in Cornwall, including some very ancient traditional Cornish elements, but also much that comes from the vibrant living tradition of nos lowen dancing that has exploded here in recent times.
For some specific guidelines on playing music for nos lowen dancing click here and for some background on nos lowen dance steps click here.
Since the 1970s, there has been a revolution in the music of Cornwall, especially in the traditional dance scene.
A major revival has happened in the Celtic music and dance of the region. Two distinct formats for Cornish social dancing have emerged.
From the early days of the revival, in the 1980s there was the ‘troyl’ and then - with the turn of the millenium came the ‘nos lowen’.
These are basically two different interpretaions or ways of presenting the same traditional 'raw materials'. The ‘troyl’ approach is similar in style to Scottish or Irish ceilidhs, whilst the ‘nos lowen’ approach is more akin to the Breton fest noz.
There has always been a close cultural link between Cornwall and Brittany and some of the inspiration for the Cornish nos lowen came from the success of the Breton fest noz, which came to prominence there in the 1960's.
Nos lowen dances are all old traditional Cornish dances, or dances written more recently in the tradition using the old steps or formations.
The dances at a nos lowen are usually simple enough to be learnt quite quickly just by following other dancers,
so there is no need to have a 'caller' to explain dances. This in turn means that the music can be more continuous, and the flow of the night uninterrupted. At nos lowens in Cornwall there are usually enough people who know the dances to be able to lead them off, but it is also common for bands to bring dance leaders with them to get things started if the audience is new to nos lowen dancing. Nos lowen literally means 'happy night'.
You may also see earlier spellings of this, especially 'noze looan'.
The common 'formations' of nos lowen dances are: serpent dances (people holding hands in a line), circles (holding hands or linking arms in a circle), various forms of couple dances, such as furry dances (couples in front of each other), and dances for individual couples (ie. not in a formation).
Some of the most popular nos lowen dances are: the hedley, kabm pemp/Cornish five step, jowster, and furry step serpents; circle dances such as Mr Martin's Reel, ros vean; furry dances such as Helston, Tregajorran, North Cornwall Furry, Oll adro; and other couple dances such as Kabm Dew, Hand in Hand, and occasionally, pan-European favourites like the waltz and the schottisch!
The nos lowen style includes the oldest and the newest elements of the Cornish tradition, and nos lowen music is amongst the most lively, adventurous, and beguiling music on the Cornish music scene.
Nos lowen music ranges from gentle and/or hypnotic pieces to fast and furious dance-music and singing-for-dancing in Kernowek (Cornish language) and in English.
There is much room for improvisation too, with players often improvising around the traditional themes used,
and sometimes taking 'solos' over repetitive riffs derived from these themes. Nos lowen music, like its main players, has travelled the world and picked up many influences along the way, but it remains solidly anchored in the granite of our peninsula.
For more about nos lowen bands featuring Neil Davey see: Skillywidden, Dalla Duo, and Davey & Hunt
There are numerous other nos lowen bands too, and many nos lowen events: See the nos lowen Facebook page for updates.
Video clip:
- St Piran Nos Lowen with Skillywidden
Lots more clips on Youtube, just search for 'nos lowen'.
"...to dance at a nos lowen is to become part of something much bigger than yourself - not just joining with those around you but with generations who have danced these steps in Cornwall before"
Nos lowens are less formal than ceilidhs, generally more trancy but also quite upbeat and energetic at times too: With a strong sense of place here in Cornwall, including some very ancient traditional Cornish elements, but also much that comes from the vibrant living tradition of nos lowen dancing that has exploded here in recent times.
For some specific guidelines on playing music for nos lowen dancing click here and for some background on nos lowen dance steps click here.
Since the 1970s, there has been a revolution in the music of Cornwall, especially in the traditional dance scene.
A major revival has happened in the Celtic music and dance of the region. Two distinct formats for Cornish social dancing have emerged.
From the early days of the revival, in the 1980s there was the ‘troyl’ and then - with the turn of the millenium came the ‘nos lowen’.
These are basically two different interpretaions or ways of presenting the same traditional 'raw materials'. The ‘troyl’ approach is similar in style to Scottish or Irish ceilidhs, whilst the ‘nos lowen’ approach is more akin to the Breton fest noz.
There has always been a close cultural link between Cornwall and Brittany and some of the inspiration for the Cornish nos lowen came from the success of the Breton fest noz, which came to prominence there in the 1960's.
Nos lowen dances are all old traditional Cornish dances, or dances written more recently in the tradition using the old steps or formations.
The dances at a nos lowen are usually simple enough to be learnt quite quickly just by following other dancers,
so there is no need to have a 'caller' to explain dances. This in turn means that the music can be more continuous, and the flow of the night uninterrupted. At nos lowens in Cornwall there are usually enough people who know the dances to be able to lead them off, but it is also common for bands to bring dance leaders with them to get things started if the audience is new to nos lowen dancing. Nos lowen literally means 'happy night'.
You may also see earlier spellings of this, especially 'noze looan'.
The common 'formations' of nos lowen dances are: serpent dances (people holding hands in a line), circles (holding hands or linking arms in a circle), various forms of couple dances, such as furry dances (couples in front of each other), and dances for individual couples (ie. not in a formation).
Some of the most popular nos lowen dances are: the hedley, kabm pemp/Cornish five step, jowster, and furry step serpents; circle dances such as Mr Martin's Reel, ros vean; furry dances such as Helston, Tregajorran, North Cornwall Furry, Oll adro; and other couple dances such as Kabm Dew, Hand in Hand, and occasionally, pan-European favourites like the waltz and the schottisch!
The nos lowen style includes the oldest and the newest elements of the Cornish tradition, and nos lowen music is amongst the most lively, adventurous, and beguiling music on the Cornish music scene.
Nos lowen music ranges from gentle and/or hypnotic pieces to fast and furious dance-music and singing-for-dancing in Kernowek (Cornish language) and in English.
There is much room for improvisation too, with players often improvising around the traditional themes used,
and sometimes taking 'solos' over repetitive riffs derived from these themes. Nos lowen music, like its main players, has travelled the world and picked up many influences along the way, but it remains solidly anchored in the granite of our peninsula.
For more about nos lowen bands featuring Neil Davey see: Skillywidden, Dalla Duo, and Davey & Hunt
There are numerous other nos lowen bands too, and many nos lowen events: See the nos lowen Facebook page for updates.
Video clip:
- St Piran Nos Lowen with Skillywidden
Lots more clips on Youtube, just search for 'nos lowen'.
"...to dance at a nos lowen is to become part of something much bigger than yourself - not just joining with those around you but with generations who have danced these steps in Cornwall before"