Musical roots ring out at workshops

Yodeling in unison are (from left) Carol Mackay, of Oamaru, Monica Barkman, of Dunedin, Katie Thompson, the festivals director of marketing and artist liaison, event host Peter Cairns, Gary Lindberg, of Western Australia and Anna, from Puhoi, north of Auckland. PHOTOS: GEMMA SINCLAIR

A trio of song and dance workshops took place to Gore last week as part of the Tussock Country music festival, offering the chance to learn how to yodel, play the ukulele and line dance.

Jackie Knowles, who ran the ukulele workshop, said it was ‘‘all about not judging and getting amongst it’’.

Dancing in sync are couple Angela and Steve Lamaletie (foreground) alongside 46 other line dancers at a workshop at the Gore Town and Country Club last Thursday. Brian Elder is directly behind Mr Lamaletie. PHOTOS: GEMMA SINCLAIR

Dozens did so and flooded into the Esplin Room of the Gore Town & Country Club for the line dancing for beginners workshop, instructed by Diane Perkins.

The attendees made their way through six numbers, with three or four steps in each.

Brian Elder, 92, of Gore said ‘‘once you’ve got the steps, you can work on the rhythm’’.

Whenever given a chance to cut shapes he would ‘‘get on the feet and go’’.

His lifelong dancing started with ballroom and he had line danced for the past eight years at the Gore RSA on Monday mornings.

Athol couple Angela and Steve Lamaletie tried out the choreography for the first time.

‘‘We are absolute beginners ... but we’ve been wanting to do it for years and years and years,’’ Mrs Lamaletie said.

She found the line dancing so enjoyable she wanted to attend the weekly class Mr Elder rarely missed.

Five four-string ukuleles rang out during the workshop that combined strumming, chords and singsong.

Five people entered the Mackay room, ready to learn the ukulele from 10am.

Mrs Knowles, who had played the ukulele for 10 years, said the instrument was easy pickings.

‘‘It’s just such a joyful instrument, you can’t get it wrong,’’ she said.

Mrs Knowles who founded the Te Anau Ukulele Festival, taught strumming, chords, and songs. One was Billy Ray Cyrus’s Achy Breaky Heart.

From 9am, five people trickled into the Mackay Room to learn the art of Swiss-born yodel from past Gold Guitar award winner and music teacher Peter Cairns.

He said the event was about ‘‘just learning the art of getting a break in your voice’’, which was known as a ‘‘glottal flip’’,

Learning the art of the ukulele are (from left) Graeme Postlewaight, of Auckland, Grant Dickie, of Gore, Anne Postlewaight, of Auckland, Isobel Agnew, of Gore, teacher Jackie Knowles and Brian Ward, of Hokitika, at a workshop part of the Tussock Country Music Festival.

‘‘You’re flipping from your lower register into your head voice, so higher register falsetto.

‘‘And it’s ... [about] being able to get that flip cleanly, and at speed,’’ he said.

Patrons tried their hand yodelling individually and to the beat of Mr Cairn’s guitar.