Our friends at Alliance Française Wellington hosted a wonderful event to celebrate Bastille Day in New Zealand. The day focused on teaching local residents balfolk dancing, a form of folk dancing that is popular throughout Europe, with many dances having French origins. You will find that many European regions will host an annual balfolk festival, unlike other forms of folk dancing which feature historical costumes and elaborate choreography, balfolk is intentionally simple and an audience participation event. It is rare to participate in a balfolk dance and have a permanent dance partner, it encourages old and young to dance together with fun and enjoyment being the priority.

As the grand finale of the event, a selection of traditional French pâtisserie crafted by our chefs and Diplôme de Pâtisserie students was provided to the tired and hungry participants. We are grateful to our friends at Alliance Française Wellington for creating a wonderful event that highlights French culture and encourages human connection. We look forward to assisting with next year's celebration.

Want to learn how to create traditional French pâtisserie? Join one of our pâtisserie programmes or keep an eye out for one of our many short courses.