The ‘Veillée de danse’ (an informal evening dance party in the folk tradition), was included in 2015 in the official Registre du patrimoine culturel du Québec where it is described as follows: ‘A veillée is a festive gathering based on the collective practice of folk dance, mainly the square dance, contra dance and the quadrille. There is usually a caller, who directs the dancers in the movements of the dance. He or she collaborates with the musicians, weaving the music for the evening from the traditional Quebec folk repertoire. A veillée is a party that combines different forms of artistic expression with social practices. It is participative: experienced and new dancers come together in a spirit of community and conviviality.’

Along with the caller Yaëlle Azoulay, Bon Débarras will provide the entertainment for your own evening dance party, preserving and perpetuating this precious oral tradition, by word of mouth and right down to your dancing shoes! They will draw the evening pieces from the Quebec traditional folk music as well as songs from their own repertoire, working with Yaëlle to find the right music to fit with the dance, to the delight of the dancers. Everyone, take your places for a set!