Home
Jan Pirrewit is a childrens folkdancegroup, founded in 1968 by Gustel Verbeelen in the shadow of the World Festival for Folklore in Schoten. The group started in the beginning as pure leisure but became after a while a real and independent childrens folkdancegroup. Because of their high artistic level they were invited several times to neighbour countries as Holland, France, Germany, Luxembourg and Great Brittain. But also to other countries as Bulgaria, Tjechoslovakia, Sweden and even over the ocean in Puerto Rico, USA and Taiwan.
The group counts about 75 members, of which 60 dancers and 15 musicians. The dancers are between 6 and 15 years old, divided in a kidsgroup from 6 to 9 and a group of teenagers between 10 and 15. The artistic management is a result of tradition within the group itself: dance instruction and musicians are conducted by former dancers of Jan Pirrewit.
The repertory is based upon authentic Flemish songs and music about 100 years ago and attempts to create an athmosphere of old games, folkdance and festivals. In this style choreographies are created and performed with typical clothes and dresses from the early 1900’s.
Jan Pirrewit has not the purpose to send little adults on stage. They try in the first place to show a happy childrens folkdancegroup with cheerful dances that illustrate kidslife about one century ago. The athmosphere in the group feels like a big family in which the children immediately feel at home and have fun.
The dancegroup is always accompanied by a live band of enthousiastic musicians. Most of them were dancers of Jan Pirrewit in earlier days with a classical music education. Later on they’ve got a specific training for old Flemish folkmusic, but also dance and folklore in whole Europe.
The boys of Jan Pirrewit bring alive again the tradition of banners. Old historical writings of the guilds mention about the habits of banners in Flanders in the 16th century. With this tradition Jan Pirrewit brings an extra dimension in their varied program.