| Thursday 30th | |
| 18:30 | Doors |
| 19:30 | Initiation |
| 20:30 | Fahrenheit |
| 23:00 | Viadeyra |
| 01:00 | Jam-session |
| Friday 1st | |
| 10:00 | Couple Dancing Workshop |
| 14:00 | Hilde Van Belle invites |
| 16:30 | Laouen |
| 20:30 | Floris & the Flames |
| 23:00 | Marasc |
| 01:00 | Jam-session |
| Saturday 2nd | |
| 10:00 | Scandi Dances Crashcourse |
| 14:00 | Emelie Waldken |
| 16:30 | Platane le groupe |
| 20:30 | Trio Loubelya |
| 23:00 | OSSO |
| 01:00 | Jam-session |
| Sunday 3rd | |
| 10:00 | Morning yoga and meditation |
| 14:00 | Trio MD & A |
| 16:30 | Loogaroo trio |
One, two, three, four.
You find yourself in the middle of a Circle, dancing to ancient Latin lyrics, hand claps tightening around the musicians’ pulse. Another turn and suddenly you are spinning into a Scottish sung in a Sephardic language, on a journey where space and time stretch and movement takes shape through sounds from another era. Welcome to the world of Viadeyra.
The project brings together musicians active between Italy and France, coming from groups deeply rooted in the European balfolk scene (Le Driadi, Duo L’hêtre Heureux, Oraj) and engaged in a shared exploration of ancient European music.
The melodies draw their roots from troubadour ballads, Sephardic songs, medieval Italian music, traditions from Central Europe, Greece and Jacobite Scotland, opening connections with musical worlds from the Caucasus and the Armenian area. Traces that have travelled across centuries, migrations and languages, now brought back to life through arrangements and compositions conceived for balfolk, serving ancient and traditional dances.
Active on the European balfolk scene, Viadeyra has performed in Italy, the Netherlands and Germany, and took part in the latest edition of the Boombal Festival (2025). The project is currently working on its first album.
Ever since she was a kid, Hilde’s been singing her way through life. Her love for folk music started as a dancer in the Balfolk scene about twelve years ago. For the past eight years, she has been performing at balfolk events in Europe both as a solo performer and with her duo Rokkende Vrouwen.
Hilde writes her own songs in Flemish, but also sings songs in many other languages. She’s absolutely in love with romantic mazurkas and irregular waltzes, but also likes some good vocal improvisation in magic circles, jigs and bourrées. Prepare yourself for a mix of soft romance and intense craziness!
This fiery foursome delivers a blend of virtuosic classical, danceable folk, and blazing rock.
From Bach to The Beatles, from Stairway to Heaven to Highway to Hell: a musical rollercoaster where classical masterpieces and original compositions burst with energy and joy.
Violinist Floris Willem, classically trained in Vienna, leaps and dances across the stage as if his bow were on fire. He’s joined by Gert Peeten on piano and guitar, Dries Peeten on bass, and Simon Schrooten on drums and electronics.
From BOZAR to Gentse Feesten and Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, Floris and the Flames combine finesse with fireworks in an explosive live show. Sparks have flown internationally as well — including performances in Vienna, Warsaw, Prague, and at the World Expos in Osaka and Dubai.
Marasc is a new balfolk duo, founded by Nathalie Van Meirvenne (flutes, tuba, vocals) and Jeroen Werbrouck (accordion) in 2024. Nathalie and Jeroen met in Ghent during a folk ball and immediately felt a connection to create music together. Marasc performs original, danceable compositions. Their fresh arrangements, featuring various ways of playing their instruments, are sure to move dancers and listeners alike.
Jeroen Werbrouck | Accordion
Let in the fresh air and intense fiddling, as is typical for Nordic folk music! Emelie Waldken heads from the vast forests of Sweden, where polskas are queens and bows rarely leave the strings. With nyckelharpa and song, she will carry you through schottis and bourrée, slängpolska and mazurka, mixing continental balfolk with Scandinavian traditions without restraint. Be prepared for crazy bowings, delicate ornamentation, probably some tuning and lots of unashamed blue notes.
Three voices that soar, persist, and tell stories.
They reinvent themselves, stretch out, and drive the beat.
Platane hits hard. Let’s feel the rhythm.
At once intimate and eloquent, virtuous and popular, a Trio Loubelya ball is moving and ever-changing—much like the bond forged between its members as they traveled the dance floors of Europe.
The accordion’s sublime breath creates a playground where subtle, playful clarinets and saxophones challenge the round depth of the double bass.
Three strong personalities—Marie Constant, Florent Lalet, and Rolland Martinez—who merge here to form a fourth: Trio Loubelya.
Loubelya means alive.
The duo OSSO is an experimental project for dance (fest-noz & folk ball) where the Le Breton brothers, inspired by the tradition of "sonneurs de couple," replace acoustic instruments with synthesizers. Using the codes of electronic music, they produce immersive soundscapes through four-handed, real-time performance.
After a decade of sharing the stage in various ensembles, Florian De Schepper (guitar) and Pablo Golder (accordion) have stripped back to the raw, intimate power of the duo. Despite their contrasting backgrounds—one classically trained, the other playing entirely by ear—the pair find a perfect "middle ground" where intricate melodies meet driving rhythms and spontaneous improvisation.
Since the 2022 release of their debut album Nautilus (Trad Records), Loogaroo has been making waves across the European folk scene. Their music is described by folk legend Riccardo Tesi as a "breath of fresh air"—surprising, moving, and brilliantly original.
"Both are excellent composers and offer fresh and original music... It’s a real breath of fresh air within the panorama of world music. Don’t miss it!"
Ready to dive into the world of Nordic folk dances? Join Emelie Waldken for a high-energy, accessible introduction to the most iconic Swedish dances.
Emelie is a regular guest at major European festivals like Balfolk Dansstage and BalMostFolk. Known for her intuitive teaching style, she uses creative metaphors and exercises to help dancers understand the "why" behind the movement, ensuring you feel the rhythm in your body rather than just memorizing steps.
In this "crashcourse" format, the focus is on keeping things simple, social, and fast-paced. You will learn the foundations of:
Based in Uppsala, Sweden, Emelie is both a sought-after dance teacher and a professional musician. Her deep understanding of how live music interacts with the dance floor allows her to guide beginners and advanced dancers alike with ease. Her workshops are celebrated across Europe for being inclusive, insightful, and full of energy.
https://www.emeliewaldken.net/For those looking for accommodation, we have a limited number of spots at Aan de Jordaan in Boutersem (7km from the venue). At the end of a paved road, the hustle and bustle of the world seems to fade away, replaced by a sense of paradise. With its Icelandic horses, beautiful pond, and lush nature, the Jordan Valley invites you to slow down at this ecological retreat.
What are the sleeping arrangements?
Please note that indoor capacity is limited (available for 30 guests total across the site). The following options are available:
Food is a community effort here! Our meals are prepared by our lovely volunteers and supervised by Chef Arnoud. You can pre-order vegetarian or vegan meals via the registration form for the following moments:
Note: Meals for Thursday evening and Sunday evening are reserved for volunteers only. Feel free to bring your own picnic!