For the dancers of folk dance group De Schaop’ndansers from Exloo, it is not all that complicated. Folk dancing is not only great fun and sociable, it is also a form of top sport. “It keeps you moving, but it is also good for your brain,” says native Amsterdammer Tom Harmsen. The dancers would like to continue performing. However, declining membership numbers worry them.
“We now have a total of thirteen dancers,” says chairman Klaas van Apeldoorn. “We perform at home and abroad during all kinds of fairs and festivals. A highlight for us is always the Europeade, the largest Folklore Festival in Europe.”
The number of members has continued to decline over the past ten years. Many other dance clubs have collapsed during the corona period. “We kept our heads above water, but now we see the growing problem that there are too few new members. And that is a shame.” The group is mainly looking for extra men, so that sufficient dance couples can be formed.
According to the participants, it does not have to be due to the image of the folkloric dance. “Some people think it’s old-fashioned, but that’s absolutely not the case,” says Harmsen. Dance teacher Kobie Kuhn: “We do Dutch dances, such as waltzes, polkas and mazurkas, but often with foreign and modern influences, sometimes with a bit more tempo.” The group uses authentic Drenthe clothing from the early twentieth century during performances.