Bal with Helen Gentile and Lewis Wood

Helen Gentile and Lewis Wood are playing a balfolk at The Hub Hazelwell on Wednesday 28 October, starting at 6:30pm. If you've never come across the term, a balfolk is a social folk dance that draws on styles from across France and beyond — mazurkas, waltzes, bourrées and Breton dances are the sort of thing you'll find. It's a night for dancing rather than just listening, and there's an introductory workshop to get you started if you've never tried any of it before.

Gentile and Wood are one of the UK's leading balfolk duos, playing clarinet and fiddle. Their repertoire runs from traditional tunes to contemporary balfolk composers, along with their own writing, all shaped into loose, ever-evolving arrangements that leave room for improvisation. That's the thing about this kind of music: it's not played the same way twice, and it's built for the dance floor rather than the stage.

So, the evening starts with a workshop to show you the steps, and then the dancing takes over. Tickets are from £8.80, which includes the booking fee, and they're sold through WeGotTickets. The whole thing kicks off at 6:30pm at The Hub Hazelwell in Birmingham on Wednesday 28 October.