Cortesian community joins viral Witch Dance this month

A woman in a green rocky field next to a stand of trees looks surprised as she pretends to fly away on her broom.
Resident creative, Meinsje Vlaming, is guiding community members in the ‘Witch Dance’. Photo by Loni Taylor.
Loni Taylor - CKTZ - Cortes IslandBC | 24-10-2023
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A mystical dance is being shared with the Cortes public this month, both in Mansons Landing and Whaletown. Meinsje Vlaming, a local creative, is leading anyone interested in the “Witch Dance”.

The special dance was first introduced by a German group of women called the Wolfshäeger Hexenbrut, or the Wolfhunter’s Coven. In 2016, during a flash mob performance at a Walpurgis celebration. Walpurgis is an annual gathering of witches derived from German traditions. According to the Coven’s website, 127 countries have performed the dance.

The main move of the dance is called “Schüttel”. Vlaming offered a translation of the word saying, “Schüttel, which means shake, dein- your, and speck, which means bacon. Schüttel dein speck: Shake your bacon.”

Vlaming has been welcoming all to join and learn the dance every Friday, outside at the Commons next to the Mansons Friday Market, at 3:15pm. This Friday October 27th will be the last practice before the 31st. On Halloween at the Gorge Hall in Whaletown, at 4pm, Meinsje is hoping to teach youth in attendance to do the “wobble”, a special move in the dance, and that will be a part of the interactive performance. 

To hear more about the Witch Dance, listen to the CKTZ News Update below: