Second LGBTQ+ ceilidh to be held in Exeter

A FOLK dance for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer plus (LGBTQ+) people and friends will be held at Exeter Phoenix in Gandy Street, Exeter on Saturday, April 1.

The ceilidh, which will run from 8pm to 11pm, is being run by Gender Free Dance, an organisation that promotes folk dancing in a safe and non-discriminatory environment.

Gender Free Dance held its first such ceilidh, which was well-attended, in Exeter in November.

Jeremy Child, originator of the project and organiser of the ceilidh, said: “Gender Free Dance is not just about putting on safe dances for the LGBTQ+ community, but about making ALL forms of folk dance equally welcoming to anyone, regardless of Sexual Orientation or Gender of Birth/Expression.

“For too long members of the LGBTQ+ community have been discouraged or even excluded from folk dancing because of the different roles traditionally assigned to men and women. It is time for this to change.”

Jeremy was inspired to start the project after experiencing its equivalent in the United States last year.

He said the American project is run by Lavender Country and Folk Dancers and has been running gender free dances since the 1970s.

Jeremy added that many people and organisations have given their support to the Exeter-based project, including the MP for Exeter, Ben Bradshaw and the Intercom Trust, the South West’s main LGBTQ+ support and resource organisation.

Further information about gender free dance can be found on the website: www.genderfreedance.net  and details of the ceilidh at: http://bit.do/genderfree .