Penzance Guizers - our story
Penzance Guizers were formed in May 2012 to learn the art of guising from Tudor times to the present. The workshops run by Helen Musser with accompanying musicians, now cover all forms of Cornish dance and its revival history, historical folk and court dance, with an accent on technique. We occasionally compare and learn dances from other Celtic lands. We are a happy band of musicians and dancers who meet regularly and enjoy active workshops creating new pieces and resurrecting existing material. WE MEET EACH WEDNESDAY FROM 5.30-7pm at the YMCA, ALVERTON ROAD, PENZANCE,TR18 4TE. Come and have a go! We also offer:
Workshops
Through experiencing our workshops, you can embrace the Cornish culture and heritage. We’d love to run a workshop for your organisation! It’s a wonderful way to develop team spirit and enjoy the company of your work colleagues in a different environment. All ages can benefit from the art and fun of dancing. We can tailor our delivery to your needs. Be it an hour, half a day or longer, let us know by contacting us. Displays
Let us bring a dash of colour and culture to your festival or heritage day, craft fair or special occasion: large or small, we will entertain your guests! The display lasts from 20 to 30 minutes, and we are happy to perform several times during the event if you so desire. We also offer historical dance displays, in full period costume. Mummers Plays
Fancy something a little bit different to get your party started? A riot of slapstick, music and dance, all combined in a colourful chaotic piece of traditional theatre, will entertain you and your guests, with the opportunity to join in if you so desire. Mummers Plays are lively and embrace the spirit of community, historically performed to celebrate special occasions especially Christmas and Twelfth Night. Experiencing a Mummers Play will evoke a sense of revelry, creativity and definitely some mischief…
Ceilidhs
We offer an accomplished band of musicians and a caller to ensure the success of your special event. Whether it is a wedding, special birthday, fund-raiser or any other celebration, Penzance Guizers will entertain and guide you and your guests through the dances. Ceilidh dancing will appeal to all your guests, yet at the same time the music doesn’t drown conversations in the same room! Our caller has experience in Cornish ceilidhs, Scottish ceilidhs plus a mix of Barn dances to suit your requirements. Band line-up; Melodeon, fiddle, guitar/clarinet and drum/bodhran. Caller is Helen: Dancer teacher and practitioner/workshop leader and Bard of the Gorsedh. Together we will make your event go with a swing….……a polka, reel, jig and waltz too! Bad knees??? Sit back and enjoy the live music. Contact us for a quote for your celebration ceilidh. Education in schools
From a one hour workshop to a full day, we can provide a professional experience for your students. Within Penzance Guizers are educational practitioners alongside other skilled individuals. Do you need support and enhancement within your Cornish curriculum? We can offer dance, art and drama linking into your individual scheme of work. “Children dance all the time if they’re allowed to, we all do,” Sir Ken Robinson said in his seminal TED talk. “We all have bodies, don’t we? Did I miss a meeting?”
Read more at https://inews.co.uk/news/education/creativity-schools-arts-education-sir-ken-robinson/
Community
We have played and danced with a wide range of groups within the community, including Farmers’ Markets, Feast Days, Craft Fairs and running workshops for Brownies and WI groups. Exciting plans are afoot to bring a Cornish dance display and workshop to a village near you!
“There is evidence to show that cultural participation can contribute to social relationships, community cohesion, and/or make communities feel safer and stronger. Research has found positive links between cultural participation and improved social skills and engagement with the wider community, and evidence that culture can play a role in tackling crime.” Department of Culture Media & Sport The Culture White Paper, 2016
Historical dance
In 2014 Penzance Guizers were an integral part of Penzance’s Charter Day anniversary. This celebrated the granting of the Royal Charter by James I to Penzance in 1614. On this special anniversary the group added colour to this important celebration, delighting the audience, and have since performed in various venues to great praise. Our fabulous costumes will add a sense of occasion to your event and we are more than happy to mingle with your guests and talk about Jacobean/Elizabethan entertainment. Collaborative projects
In 2016 Penzance Guizers were involved in a thrilling project to celebrate and support an exhibition of paintings by the artist Ithell Colquhoune with Penlee House Gallery and Museum. This collaboration was something that we all enjoyed a lot and would love to work with other art forms in the future. Recently, we performed in the Hard Rock Museum at Geevor, a World Heritage Site, and have provided entertainment at various fairs throughout the region. These performances have been met with enthusiasm. We are confident that we can enhance your project, be it an exhibition, craft fair, open day or a theatrical performance, with our repertoire of music and dance, traditional and historical.
