27th Dunedin International Folk Dance Festival
17-20 July 2025
Featuring music & dance from Scotland, France & Hungary
Performances in Edinburgh & Stirling
Celebrate our different cultural links through Scottish, French and Hungarian music and dance.
The occasion is the return of the Dunedin International Folk Dance Festival in its 27th edition, taking place 17-20 July, with indoor and outdoor performances in Edinburgh, and Stirling.
The Festival’s Gala Opening Performance & Ceilidh at the Mary Erskine School in Edinburgh is one of the highlights, with folk dance and music performances from ‘Les Pierrots de la Vallée’ – from Normandy, France and ‘Csata Táncegyüttes’ – from Isaszeg, near Budapest, Hungary.
These visiting groups will perform alongside two Edinburgh dance groups, Dunedin Dancers and ‘New Scotland’, featuring the range of Scottish dance – country dancing, highland, hard shoe stepdance and ceilidh with live music.
The opening showcase, and only scheduled indoor performance, takes place on the evening of Thursday 17 July in the Mary Erskine School Hall, Ravelston Dykes EH4 3NT. Tickets are £22 full price; £17 concession and £5 for under 18s. You can book tickets through the EventBrite link on Dunedin Dancers website www.dunedindancers.org.uk or at the door on the night (if not sold out).
All the other festival performances are in the afternoon: outside The Scottish Parliament (Fri 18 July), St Andrew’s Square (Sat 19 July), and Stirling Castle (20 July), and are free – though admission to Stirling Castle needs to be paid. Ideal for families looking for activities during the school holidays.
The 27th Dunedin International Folk Dance Festival is organised on a voluntary basis by Dunedin Dancers in association with Edinburgh University New Scotland Country Dance Society (EUNSCDS).
More information at:
www.dunedindancers.org.uk or e: [email protected] or tel: 0795 191 8366
Or look at the following detailed listings...
Programme listings 17-20 July 2025
Thursday 17 July: EDINBURGH
Gala Opening Performance + Ceilidh 7.30pm
Mary Erskine School Hall, Ravelston Dykes EH4 3NT
Scotland, France & Hungary will be dancing in this indoor event. The concert will run 7.30-9.45pm then we’ll enjoy some ceilidh/social dancing until 11pm! Bar & snacks will be available. Tickets: £22 full price; £17 concession & £5 for under 18s—book through the Eventbrite link on the Festival page on Dunedin Dancers website. You can turn up on the day though if we are fully booked we may not be able to grant admission.
Friday 18 July: EDINBURGH
Performance 2.30-4pm
The Scottish Parliament*
Scotland, France & Hungary will be performing outside the
Scottish Parliament. FREE – donations welcome.
*Wet Weather Venue: French Institute/Institut Français d’Écosse, West Parliament Square, EH1 1RN
Saturday 19 July: EDINBURGH
Performance 2.30-4pm
St Andrews Square*
Scotland, France & Hungary will be performing at St Andrews Square in Edinburgh’s New Town. FREE – donations welcome.
*Wet Weather Venue: Edinburgh New Town Church, 13 George Street, EH2 2PA
Sunday 20 July: STIRLING CASTLE
Parade & Performance 1.30-3.30pm
Queen Anne Gardens
Scotland, France & Hungary in their last performance together in the stunning location of the Queen Anne Gardens at Stirling Castle Parade 1.30pm; Performance 2-3.30pm. Not to be missed! (Stirling Castle admission is required £20.50/£16.50/£12.50 + family ticket options are available & tickets are cheaper if bought online)
*for weather updates visit www.facebook.com/DunedinInternationalFolkDanceFestival
Thanks to Mary Erskine Stewart Melville Merchant Schools, the City of Edinburgh Council, Essential Edinburgh, The Scottish Parliament, The French Institute of Scotland/Institut Français d’Écosse, Edinburgh New Town Church, Historic Environment Scotland for their support with festival venues and to R&I MacDonald Kiltmakers - www.macdonaldkiltmakers.co.uk and SRPS Rail Tours - srpsrailtours.co.uk - for helping support our printing costs!
About the groups involved:
The festival is organised by Dunedin Dancers, in association with Edinburgh University New Scotland Country Dance Society. Dunedin Dancers was formed in 1970 by members of New Scotland who wanted to return the favour to groups they had visited at Folk Festivals around Europe. The first Dunedin Festival was held in 1971, and has been held every two years since (with the exception in 2021 which was cancelled by Covid), hosting two to three visiting groups each time. 2025 is the 27th Dunedin Folk Dance Festival.
The two Scottish groups come together to perform Scottish Country Dance, Highland and Scottish stepdance (hard shoe), to music played primarily on the fiddle, accordion and bagpipes. For more information about all our activities, including this festival, phone 0795 191 8366 or visit our websites: www.dunedindancers.org.uk; www.eunscds.com Dunedin Dancers is a Scottish Charity Registered No: SC011896
NB: The use of ‘Dunedin’ comes from the Gaelic name for Edinburgh ‘Dùn Èideann’ – which also inspired the city in New Zealand’s name and alliterates nicely with ‘Dancers’!
Les Pierrots de la Vallée – from Normandy, France
Created in 1987 in Garennes Sur Eure, a small village located on the border of Yvelines and Eure et Loir, the Folkloric group "Les Pierrots de la Vallée" aims to keep Norman popular traditions alive.
Due to its proximity to the capital, the Eure Valley was influenced by Parisian fashion from an early age. "Les Pierrots de la Vallée" is the only group in Normandy to wear the "déshabillé" (women's cotton costume). The headdress called "Pierrot" gave the group its name. As for the men, they wear frock coats and top hats.
Made up of a majority of young people, the dances practised throughout Normandy take on a lively rhythm which makes them more cheerful and more enjoyable for both the dancers and the spectators. Apart from sewing for the maintenance and reshaping of the 7 costumes, the group makes a point of passing on the learning of bobbin lace, the jewel of the town of Bayeux.
The primary goal of the association being to make its folklore known as widely as possible, what could be better than exchanges? This is how the Garennes Sur Eure International Folklore Festival was born in 1991 and has been held every two years ever since. Dunedin Dancers attended this festival in July 2024! https://lespierrotsdelavallee.jimdoweb.com/
Csata Táncegyüttes – from Isaszeg, near Budapest, Hungary
Csata Táncegyüttes was formed in 1968, taking its name in memory of the Battle of Isaszeg in 1848-49, and has been a defining figure in the cultural, public education and artistic life of the city of Isaszeg ever since.
The aim of the ensemble is to present and introduce the dances, folk songs and traditions of the Carpathian Basin, while respectfully preserving the values of the past. They create modern performances that combine elements of Hungarian folk dance with current artistic trends - presenting the dances and traditions of Isaszeg so that younger generations can learn about them and pass them on.
For them, folk dance is not only a form of movement, but also a lifestyle, in which community, respect for traditions and artistic expression all play an equally important role. At this festival they are looking to present the beauty and richness of Hungarian folk dance so that the participants can get a good idea of the culture of Hungary and gain insight into its past, present and future.