WARFFUM – The Festival Op Roakeldais in March of last year was still unable to offer a large audience. Last Friday evening, a function was organized for 56 people^e This year, make it festive again. Over a hundred people, volunteers, sponsors and enthusiasts came to the festival’s home base, Op Roakeldaishal in Wharfum, to watch and hear the dance troupes present and perform this edition..

Op Roakeldaishal was set up as a small indoor ceremony area for the event. People there can drink together and meet each other. At eight o’clock, Jori van der Werf, President of the Festival Op Roakeldais Foundation, opened the evening. First, two volunteers were taken into consideration. Jantje Sikkema thanked him for his many years of dedication as a board member, a key part of which was as secretary. And Zia van der Schoot, who has been a volunteer for over thirty years, is stepping down as coordinator of host families. Both the volunteers have been appointed as meritorious members by the committee, which means they will be permanently associated with the festival. After a speech, a plaque on the wall, a bunch of flowers and a voucher for a nice dinner, loud applause from those present.

Then it was time for the presentation of the 56 dance troupes^e A version of the Festival Op Roakeldais. Countries, dance groups, bands, performers and new program elements were presented to the public with a superb presentation film by the festival’s artistic director, David Klusterhuis.

This year too, many countries from all over the world will participate in the festival. “All continents are represented,” says the art director. Peru and Colombia, two colorful and rhythmic groups, represent Latin America. Apart from the breathtakingly well-traveled group from South Africa, once runners-up in ‘South Africa’s got’s talent’, there is also a special participation from China, who will be visiting Europe for the first time. The group represents the Hessen, a Chinese minority from northeastern China. They will showcase their traditional dance and music on the festival stage. Other dance groups came from Croatia, the United States, Uzbekistan and New Zealand. In addition to Maori culture, the New Zealand team will present culture from Samoa and the Cook Islands. Eichelsachsers and Consemble hail from the Netherlands. “A versatile program with amazing performance, it can produce an amazing performance,” says David Klusterhuis.

After the presentation film, David Klusterhuis gave a brief explanation of the new program components. Firstly, together with Kunstkerk Hogeland, we are working on a special project for young people, in which they will participate in parts of the show beforehand. This ultimately results in Friday afternoon performances for secondary schools.

CIOFF, the world organization for festivals and popular culture, has developed a program to visit traditional dance festivals with their patrons. Their eyes fell on the festival Op Roakeldais. They will come from Op Roakeldais to Warffum at the weekend, celebrating the festival with their own show at the Zuiderhorn camp.

Then the glass was raised and we toasted together the beautiful show and the busy production that now follows the Op Roakeldais Festival run-up from 28 June to 2 July 2023. The trio still had Ache Cubano music, so they could dance and talk. Volunteers are looking forward to organizing this wonderful festival for a large number of visitors. At the end of June, the world will return to Wharf and thousands of people will come to witness and celebrate this celebration of the brotherhood of cultures.

Photo: President Jori van der Werf and Jantje Sikkema