Children with an interest in either playing traditional folk music or learning more about Manx dancing have the chance to take part in a weekend of workshops and sessions next weekend.

The annual ’Big Bree Workshop Weekend’ takes place on Saturday and Sunday, October 26 and 27, at the Kensington Road youth arts centre.

The weekend gives children aged between 10 and 18 years the chance to learn Manx songs and tunes from some of the local specialists in folk and traditional music, and to take part in group playing, arranging, song-writing and composing techniques, along with classes for Manx dancing and drama.

The group will put together a concert, which they will perform on Sunday afternoon.

Bree, which is Manx for ’vitality’, was created 13 years ago by Culture Vannin, and is led by the Manx music development officer Chloe Woolley.

Alongside the big weekend, Bree holds monthly music sessions, competes in the Manx Folk Awards, performs at community events, and members often go busking in aid of local charities.

’Bree aims to both introduce and develop Manx culture within the island’s young musicians and dancers and ensure that it remains a living tradition,’ said Chloe.

’It’s been wonderful over the past 13 years to see the youth movement Bree develop and flourish.

’Although we’ve had the likes of professional fiddle player Tom Callister and BBC Radio 2 young folk musician of the year, Mera Royle, as members in the past, the annual Big Bree Workshop Weekend remains an event that newcomers can get involved with and discover Manx culture for the first time. ’Even if they’re not all that confident about singing, playing or dancing, we find that the children invariably enjoy every minute and make lots of new friends.

’Every year we have a theme, and this time we plan to take a lesser known Manx fairytale and turn it into an all-singing, all-dancing show, all created by the students and tutors within just two days.’

More details about the Big Bree Workshop Weekend, which costs £10 to take part in, are available by contacting Chloe on 694758 or emailing on [email protected]