Moving Borders collaboration set to premier in Galashiels

Moving Borders, a joint music and dance show between Selkirk-based band Dere Street and Galashiels-based Ward School of Irish Dance comes to the Volunteer Hall on Friday and Saturday, March 16 and 17.

This first time collaboration will cover themes of conflict and union, emigration and home coming, with all the money raised from the shows going towards helping the school kit our its young dancers in the eye-catching costumes associated with Irish dancing.

Based in the Focus Centre in Galashiels, the school, formed in 2000, had around 80 students afed from three years upwards.

And no stranger to the stage, the dancers regularly perform at all kinds of events fromm fundraiser and school fairs to their own touring shows collaborations such as “Essence of Ireland” and “50 Shades of Green”.

The young dancers, under the instruction of teacher Joanne McGowan with help from a committee of parents, also like to compete and attend and travel to various competitions and through this have held successful titles including Scottish, British and European Open Champions in recent years.

However, this will be the first time they have put on a two-night collaboration with Dere Street, who themselves are no strangers to the stage.

The Selkirk-based ceilidh style rock band regularly plays for dances and weddings across the area and is well known for its mix of traditional music and their own compositions.

Originally formed over a decade ago as a folk duo by piper and lead singer Keith Leisk and guitarist and songwriter Gary Smith, the band has since expanded around six year ago to a full ceilidh band which includes Gary’s son Chris Smith on bass guitar and Murray Charters on drums.

Tickets costing £8/£5 for concessions, are available from [email protected] or 07840701021. They are on sale at various venues around Galashiels including Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall; Bannerman Burke; image 22; Border Bingo; Hi-Q Tyres and Exhaust; Channel Salon and Trophy Guy.