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I have been playing the Harmonica since I was ten years old - don't ask how many years that is..!! I play by ear and can play most dance tunes & anything else you throw at me. I've played in the Colonial Dancers Up to Scratch Band and my most fun time is playing with members of the Emu Creek Bush Band and particularly at the Nariel Creek Folk Festival where I session with them most of the festival and play at the dances - when I'm not dancing..!! I won the Encouragement Award and a Blues Harp for harmonica playing at the 1993 Port Fairy Folk Festival in Association with the Australian Harmonica Guild. I also played with the National Mouth Organ Band at the Finale concert at the 1999 National Folk Festival in Canberra. My next goal is to learn to play Blues Harp. I get a lot of pleasure realising I can play most tunes - music has added a lot of personal achievement to my life.
Cajun Dance. I got the idea to start teaching Cajun dancing in Melbourne and started off with a Cajun dance workshop for the T.S.D.A.V. (Traditional Social Dance Association of Victoria) in 1995.
This was followed by a special commission to teach Cajun dancing at the National Folk Festival in Canberra in 1995. Since then I have given numerous Cajun Dance workshops at many festivals around Victoria and Interstate. Now my life has an added enjoyment from my love of music and dance and Festivals.
I have also been involved with the Melbourne Colonial Dancers since 1983 and have been the Costume Co-ordinator and Display Events Co-ordinator for several years.
Click here to see a picture of the Melbourne Colonial Dancers.
I have also designed the current costumes worn by the dancers for display events after consultation with Sovereign Hill in Ballarat Victoria and other sources.
If you or some coming event needs a display of Colonial Dancers with live music or to tapes please email me and I can organise it for you.
Margot as a Musician - The year 2000 has brought the added interest of playing in a number of bands with my new Frottoir - a Cajun/Zydeco rub-board.. I have two rub-boards especially made for me, the latest one has the added interest of breast plates… which make an interesting sound when played… !!! I also play Cajun Triangle and am learning the Button Accordion, and my recently acquired present from Los Angeles, of a key-board. If you need me as a musician for your band email me…!!!
Margot as a tap dancer.. My latest achievement happened Friday 23rd February 2001 when I ventured out to tap dance with Billy Abbott and his band The Nudgells, at the Central Club Hotel in Richmond. I also played rub-board & Cajun Triangle that night so it was a lot of fun.
Tap dancing I do is a combination of Appalachian and Flat-foot clogging & other steps I have learnt to combine my rhythm from my hands to my feet. I've had taps on a pair of shoes for a while but this is the 1st time I've been game to do it in public. I loved doing it and want to continue to tap dance and learn more Appalachian clogging.
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