As has been the custom, the College of St Malachy and its surrounding shire of Adora being blessed with many young people of most excellent grace and vigour, doth each year hold the Flametree Ball, a most entertaining evening of dance, merriment and perchance song to the delight of all who attend.
And so, on Saturday 24th May A.S. XLIII (2008), we again open our shire and college and entreat all who would join hands with us to attend the tenth year of this celebration. In honour of the illustrious tenth anniversary, and the newly formed shire with its dragon heraldry , the theme will be of dragons "brawling" - dancing the bransles.
The hall for the ball will open at 5.30pm for dancing to commence at 6.00pm. Dance practices and a fencing tourney are planned for earlier in the day. As people arrive on site the steward asks that people present themselves to the admissions table. Please also note that entries for the Arts & Sciences Competition are expected by 5.30pm (unless other arrangements are made). Further details on the competition, fencing, and dance practices including the earlier start times are under.
The ball is being jointly run by the College of St Malachy and the Shire of Adora. Offers to give assistance with the running of the ball, dance classes and fencing tourney (eg pre-cooking, setup, cooking, cleanup, marshalling, teach dance or play music) are welcomed!
The ball will include dancing, music, as well as games and a light though generous and filling supper. Please note that in case of changes, notifications are to be made by updates to this web page.
The location for the ball is Bulli Masonic Hall 282 Princes Highway Bulli 2516 NSW Australia and is around 10 minutes north of Wollongong by car.
The site is three minutes walk from Bulli Railway Station (West to highway then South). The NSW State Rail Authority provide a timetable of train services http://www.cityrail.nsw.gov.au/timetable/ttable.jsp?line=sc&day=we&dir=up .
The details of the menu are not yet finalised, though the supper is expected to include at least the following. Please note any special dietary requirements can only be catered for if notified by the 10th May 2008.
Food items expected available include Pumpkin Soup (vegan), Beef ( & vegetable) Stew, Cobb bread loaves, Lombard pasties (with bacon are rectangular in shape, and triangles are just chicken), Boiled eggs, Cold meats (Beef, Ox tongue), Mushroom tarts (vegan & non vegan (with cheese) versions), Macaroons, Digbys Excellent Small Cakes and an Apple dessert.
Water and non alcholic cordials will be available during the day and evening. The entire selection of cordials will be available in the evening - these are lemon, orange, rose, pomegranate and rasberry. Fresh fruits in season will be available during the afternoon as well as evening.
The Steward for this event is Brian le faucheeur. For any email enquiries, please include "Flame Tree" in the email subject line. Billeting may still be possible if required.
Bookings can be made to the steward via email to - flametreex@pinch.net.au - or by person at dance practices. All email bookings received are responded to, so if you do not get a response, at least one email has gone astray. Bookings by post are to be sent to The Flame Tree Ball Steward, University Mediaeval Society PO Box U100, Wollongong University NSW 2522.
Bookings are not required but are appreciated by the 10th May 2008 to give an indication of numbers for catering reasons. If you haven't booked by this date but still intend coming, please still advise the steward.
The cost for members (of a college or SCA member) is $10 and for non members is $15. Please make any cheques payable to the University of Wollongong Mediaeval Society.
Children less than 6 enter free, and a child 15 or under is half rate of the price of the accompanying adult, though both require a parent (or guardian) to be present at all times. Please enquire to the steward about the family rate if you are bringing children.
There are now two Arts and Sciences (A&S) Competitions.
(Existing) Metalwork - not related to armour or weaponry.
This A&S competition is for creation of metal objects based on period objects or period styles which are not related to fighting (ie not armour or weapon related). This permits entry of jewellery as long as it has some metal (eg pewter, tin, bronze, copper, silver etc) and the metal may have treated by any means (eg cast, rolled, hammered, sawn, enamelled etc). Pieces must have been started after last Flame Tree to be eligible for entry in the competition.
This competition is meant to encourage people starting work (please take safety considerations into account), and in addition to any winners tokens there will be an encouragement prize awarded. So for purposes of this competition, pieces may have already been entered in other competitions.
Documentation (eg pictures and sources of original pieces, what techniques were used and safety precautions applicable) also forms part of the competition entry.
This is also meant to form part of a larger Arts & Sciences Display, so people are also encouraged to bring other items for display previously made though not able to be entered in the competition, information on period non armour metail items, as well as the means of used of making these items (hammers, saws, moulds etc).
Entrants are expected to have entries including documentation presented by 5.30pm at the admissions (troll) table or to have let the steward know that the entries will be arriving later.
(New) The Bardic Competition of Céad Amhrán (First Song).
The Shire of Adora welcomes the populace of Lochac to lighten the Flametree ball with their performance in our first bardic competition for the year, the Bardic Competition of Céad Amhrán.
Entrants are to perform one short song or poem from any period or SCA related subject. Judging will be based on performance with bonus points for original compositions and documentation.
All those who intend to enter are asked to contact the steward prior to the event. Adorans and Malachites should note their performances in this will also count towards the selection of the next shire bard.
A Fencing tourney is planned. Lists open 1:00, Tourney starts 2:00pm, and continues as long as people wish to fence.
As in previous years, the tourney will be run in the grounds of the hall while dance classes are being conducted inside the hall. In the event of inclement weather, it will be possible to learn dance.
There is no cost for the fencing tourney. Fencing marshalls are required for the tourney. Can you please contact the steward if you are available to marshall.
Dance Classes will be held on the day of the ball (24th of May 2008). However, as dances are not taught at the ball, it is thought best to attend as many dance practices as possible prior to the day.
Dance Classes held on the day of the ball (24th of May 2008) will begin with Beginners dance classes at 10.00am which will finish at 12pm (a 2 hour practice). More dance classes will occur from 2pm to 4.30pm (an additional 2.5 hour practice). This may include an additional practice of dances taught earlier depending on demand, as well as including teaching of additional dances. There is no charge for just attending the dance practices, and although water, cordials and fruit are provided, lunch during the break is not.
Dance practices known to be planned prior to the day of the ball are on at:-
St Malachy Dance Collegium 5th Jan 2008:-
5th Jan 2008 2.00pm - 5.00pm at FairyMeadow Community Centre - Guest Park Fairy Meadow Cnr Princes Hwy / Cambridge Ave Fairy Meadow 2517 .
This is the intersection (with a sign to Guest Park) on the western side of the highway, just North after the model car place on the Highway, and is just behind a bus stop. About 9 minutes walk from the train station (west to highway then north).
Cost is $4.00 to put towards hall hire cost and cordials.
St Malachy Dance Practices:-
These are being held weekly on Mondays in 2008 during University session at the University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave Wollongong 2500. Currently Room 19.G026 has been booked for dancing from 7:30-9:30pm. There is no cost to attend, and you only need to bring shoes suitable to dance in and an enthusiasm to try different dances.
St Ursulan / Rowany Dance Practices:-
Each Thursday evening, from 7pm at St Peters Town Hall on Unwins Bridge Rd Sydenham. Dancing is in the upstairs hall. From the Sydenham Station exit, turn left and then rurn Left down Unwins Bridge rd. It's approximately 2 minutes out of the station. There's also parking on the street for those driving. Cost: $2
As in all previous years, the tradition for the balls 10th anniversary will be maintained and the ball will open with the "Known World Four".
The symbols (TDM), (TDA) and (T) appearing next to the dance have the following meaning.
(TDM) are dances to be taught in the beginners class in the morning of the day in the ball. (TDA) include those dances which may be taught on the day in the afternoon practices. More dances than this may be taught, or just practised, as time and dance teachers permit. (T) are those dances intended to be taught (or have been taught) at the St Malachy Dance Classes in the lead up to the ball.
Court Set - Known World Four
|
Cutte Bransles. (T)
|
| The Merry Merry Milke Maids (T) | Chestnut (T) |
| Rufty Tufty (T) (TDM) | Saltarello la Regina (T) |
| Black Allemande (T) | Korobushka (T) |
| Ballo del Fiore (Il Ballarino) (T) (TDA) | La Fiamma d'Amore (Il Ballarino) |
| Petit Vriens (T) (TDM) | Lorayne Allemande (TDM) |
| Newcastle (T) (TDA) | Simple Bransle |
| Hearts Ease (T) | The Wherligig (TDA) |
| Grimstock (T) | Argeers (T) (TDA) |
| Contentezza d'Amore (Il Ballarino) (TDA) | Goddesses (TDA) |
| Picking of Sticks (T) | Gelosia - Lords then Ladies (T) |
| Bransle de l'Official (Officers Bransle) | Sergeants Bransles (Unofficial Bransle) |
| Ly Bens Distonys (T) (TDA) | Horses Bransles (then Sharks) (T) |
| Simple Bransle | Gathering Peascods (T) |
| Childrens Bransle | Requests on the evening if possible |
The phone number for contacting the stewarding team on the day of the ball is to be provided here closer to the day of the event.
Counter Statistics on the usage of this page are being kept and can be viewed by using the icon at the bottom of this page or alternatively clicking on this link to http://w.extreme-dm.com/?login=flametb3.
Copyright notices: Images of dances and musicians are from Ernest Flammarion's 1935 French publication Danse by Francis de Miomandre. This is apparently one issue in the series Voir ... et ... Savoir. These are used only on the belief that copyright has since expired and the publishers were not able to be located.
