Dancing with the Friars
In late 2019, the Gypsy Folk Ensemble had the opportunity to dance at one of California's premier historical sites, Mission San Luis Rey in Oceanside. The Mission was founded in 1798 and was the largest of the Spanish missions in California. The former mission is now the home of the Mission San Luis Rey parish, served by the Franciscan Friars of the Order of Friars Minor. A fundraiser, titled "Evening with the Friars: A Taste of Italy", was held on the evening of November 15, 2019. The sold out event was held in the Serra Center and featured food and drink from various regions of Italy. Gypsy provided the dance entertainment with a series of Italian Folk Dances, a different dance being presented with each course of the meal.
Some pictures from the evening:
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One of the highlights of the evening was getting up the guests (including the Friars) to learn and join in an Italian Tarantella, complete with tambourines! The fundraiser was a success for the parish and we had a great time "dancing with the Friars."