Isle of Sheep 09

The annual end-of-summer thing in Helsinki region is the "lavatanssit" in Lammassaari. The event arranged by this group of activists as a communal effort is called "Isle of Sheep" and it attracts lots of different kinds of people.

"Lavatanssit" is a term which I had hard time finding adequate translation for, so instead, I try to explain it. Places called "lava" can loosely be translated to stage, platform or perhaps a pavilion or a barn. They are traditionally places, where likeminded people gather once or twice a week to listen and dance to live bands playing. In the older times these events were very popular among all generations of people, but nowadays it attracts mostly the enthusiasts. - Enthusiasts meaning people who absolutely love to dance couple-dances like waltz, tango, jenkka, humppa and so on. Summer is logically and naturally the high-season, and there is something happening more or less every evening on the "dance-barns" throughout Finland. They even broadcast some of this in tv, so if you cannot attend personally, you can do it virtually in your livingroom =).

This is how it looks like at "lavatanssit" (photo by valmu.com)

Okay, perhaps I got the topic cleared out somehow, although I do apologize to the enthusiasts if I didn't get the terms 100% correct. So, in Lammassaari, little island on the Vanhankaupunginlahti, they organize every year this dance-event to celebrate the season finale. Many of my friends have attended already for many years, but I never managed before to get all the way there. This year I invited my dear friend Favela to go with me.

Although the weather wasn't so promising, we headed out to eastern Helsinki in early evening. Hopping out of the tram in Arabia, we went southward and finally reached the long and winding duckboards that lead you through reed and willows to the island itself.

Favela halfway there

It wasn't all dark yet, but the innovative little quiding led-lights on the bushes made already nice effects in the twilight. On the front yard of the building was a large gathering of relaxed people. Many of them had really dressed up in proper dance-pavilion outfits: girls in high heels and wide hems, lace gloves and flowers in the hair, guys in straight dress-pants and shiny patent leather shoes. And everybody really seemed to want to dance. I guess this was exactly the reason why I ended up choosing not to, the dance floor was ways too crowded for my liking. But I had great time nonetheless.

Little guiding lights

I had planned to go there with Favela and hoping to bumb into some other friends too, but there was ways more of them than I could ever have imagined. So many old dear friends from Väs and Teak, whom I hadn't seen in ions!! So cool! I was brilliant to have a chance to catch up on everybody and just chill out for a while.

And it was great to experience this kind of event after a long time. I like the kind of family-event feeling about it.For me it's been something like fifteen years since the last time I went to a barn-dance. And, anyway, I did sort of grow up in thesekind of surroundings, my mom being a part-time singer in a "humppa"-band =O.

I'll definately do the Isle of Sheep again, if only I'm in the region at the time!!

On the top of the craggy hill is quite large wooden building.

Variety of participants in front of the entrance.

Band of the evening "Vallilan Tango".