Manx dance team, Skeddan Jiarg, has been invited to represent the Isle of Man at the Marrakech Folklore Days Festival in Morocco.
The festival in October is one of the largest annual folk dance gatherings in Africa.
Performing alongside groups from Morocco, Congo, Ukraine, Greece, Senegal, Germany, Bulgaria, Mali, Switzerland and Ireland, Skeddan Jiarg will be the first act to ever represent the Isle of Man at this long running international festival.
Dancing in Morocco
With 60 dancers aged between 7 and 50, the group will bring both traditional and contemporary Manx dances to the stage, accompanied by a live band made up of local musicians.
Entirely run on a voluntary basis, the team has been working tirelessly behind the scenes, from designing and making new costumes to perfecting choreography, in preparation for Marrakesh.
“This is an incredible opportunity for us to share our Manx dance culture on the international stage,” said the group leader, Gráinne Joughin.
“We’re honoured to be ambassadors for the Isle of Man and to stand alongside many talented performers from around the world – it’s very exciting!”
Funding support for Skeddan Jiarg’s participation at the festival has so far been provided by Peel Charity Shop, Culture Vannin, and the Marg McGee Community Awards.
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