Yn dilyn llwyddiant ysgubol prosiect TwmpDaith y llynedd, aethpwyd ati i ail hysbysebu ar gyfer TwmpDaith 2024. Dewiswyd 9 o ddawnswyr a cherddorion ifanc (dau o griw 2023 yn dychwelyd a 7 newydd). Eto ein nod oedd uwch-sgilio bobl ifanc er mwyn rhoi hyder iddynt ystyried datblygu gyrfa yn y maes traddodiadol Cymreig.
Cynhaliwyd wythnos o hyfforddiant dwys yng Nghanolfan Nant Hirwen yn y canolbarth gyda thiwtoriaid ysbrydoledig gan gynnwys: Hyfforddiant Clocsio a Dawnsio Gwerin gyda Meinir Siencyn, Defnyddio System Sain, Galw Twmpath gyda Bryn Davies, Trefniant cerddorol a chwarae fel band gyda Gwilym Bowen Rhys, Addasu dawnsfeydd i fod yn hygyrch i bobl gydag anableddau a galw rhywedd-niwtral gyda Angharad Harrop, a Threfnu digwyddiadau a siarad gyda’r wasg gyda Rhian Davies.
Talodd y prosiect trwy’r cynllun “Ewch i Weld” – i’r criw i fynd i weld Lord of the Dance yn Lerpwl fel rhan o’u hyfforddiant er mwyn dangos beth sy’n bosib ei wneud gyda dawnsio traddodiadol proffesiynol. Roedd un o aelodau TwmpDaith wedi adnabod un o’r dawnswyr Gwyddelig gan ei fod wedi cystadlu yn ei erbyn y llynedd mewn cystadleuaeth unigol. Roedd hyn yn brofiad difyr er mwyn gallu profi i’r bobl ifanc bod safon ein dawnsio traddodiadol yma yng Nghymru cystal â’r Gwyddelod, ond fod angen i ni fod a mwy o uchelgais a ysbrydoliaeth i freuddwydio yn fwy.
Yn dilyn yr hyfforddiant trefnwyd taith o amgylch Cymru ar fws mini yn cynnal twmpathau, gweithdai a sesiynau amrywiol. Fel llynedd, anogwyd y bobl ifanc i gymryd cyfrifoldeb dros bob elfen o’r nosweithiau – o osod y system sain i gytuno a’r “set list” i gyflwyno a rheoli’r noson yn llwyr. Roedd amrywiaeth eang o gigiau wedi trefnu, o dwmpathau mewn neuaddau pentref, i berfformiadau mewn gwyliau cenedlaethol, i weithdai gyda unigolion oedd yn byw gyda’r cyflwr Parkinsons. Y nod oedd rhoi cymaint o brofiadau gwahanol i’r bobl ifanc â phosib, a’u gweld yn hyfforddi ac yn trosglwyddo sgiliau i bob mathau o grwpiau cymunedol.
Uchafbwynt y daith eleni oedd cael mynd i Ŵyl Rhyng-geltaidd Lorient wrth i’r Urdd ymuno â’r prosiect fel partner. Diolch i gyllid Taith Llywodraeth Cymru bu’r daith yn bosib.
Llwyddiant ysgubol arall gyda TwmpDaith eleni oedd gadael i’r bobl ifanc wneud “take-over” o gyfryngau cymdeithasol WYTH. Aethant ati i greu cynnwys oedd yn apelio at y to iau, oedd yn Gymreig ac yn gyfoes ond yn bloeddio balchder yn ein traddodiadau gwerin. Cafwyd dros 205,000 yn gwylio eu fideos ar TikTok (ar TikTok, Instagram a Facebook), gyda’r fideos clocsio yn hynod boblogaidd. Gwelwyd argraff uniongyrchol y poblogrwydd yma yn Twmpath Tŷ Gwerin Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Pontypridd. Roedd y lle yn llawn o bobl ifanc. Roedden ni’n meddwl mai ffrindiau aelodau’r band oedden nhw – ond na, wedi gweld TwmpDaith ar TikTok a dyna pam fod nhw wedi dod i’r digwyddiad! Nododd sawl aelod o TwmpDaith fod bobl wedi dod atyn nhw ar faes yr Eisteddfod gan eu bod wedi eu hadnabod o’r fideos ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol.

What is TwmpDaith?

Following the project TwmpDaith being a huge success last year, it was re-advertised to happen again in 2024. Nine young dancers and musicians were chosen (2 returning from the 2023 group and 7 new members). Again, our aim was to up-skill young people in order to give them the confidence to consider developing a career within the field of Welsh traditional dance and music.

An intense training week was held at Nant Hirwen Center in mid-Wales with inspiring tutors including: clog and folk dancing training with Meinir Siencyn, training in using a sound system, Twmpath calling training with Bryn Davies, musical training as wel as how to play within a folk band with Gwilym Bowen Rhys, training in adapting dances to be accessible for individuals with disabilities as wel as gender-newtal calling with Angharad Harrop and how to organise events and speak to the press with Rhian Davies.

The project established the prosiest “Ewch i Weld” – to apay for the members to watch Lord of the Dance in Liverpool as a part of the training in order to showcase what is possible to create within professional folk dancing. A TwmpDaith member recognised one of the Irish dances for the show as he had previously competed against him in a solo competition. This was interesting as it proved to the young people that the standard of our traditional dancing here in Wales was on par with the Irish dancers, but we have to be more ambition and have to inspire to dream bigger.

Following the training, a trip around Wales in a mini bus was organised to offer a number of twmpaths, workshops and a variety of other sessions. Like last year, the young people were encouraged to take responsibility for all element of the events – from setting up the sound systemto agreeing on a set list to introducing and managing the evening completely. There were a wide variety of gigs organised from twmpaths in village halls to performing in national festivals to workshops with individuals living with Parkinsons. The aim was to give as many different experiences to the young people as possible and watch them training and transferring all types of skills to all types of community groups.

The highlight this year was being able to attend the Inter-celtic festival in Lorient and join the Urdd as a partner. Thanks to the Welsh Government Trip funding  the trip was possible.

Another huge success for TwmpDaith this year was  allowing the young peopleto do a ‘take-over’ of WYTH’s social media. The went ahead to create content that appealed to the younger generation, all in the Welsh language and was trending as well as highlighting their pride in our folk traditions. The video’s generated over 205,000 views on TikTok (shared on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook), with the clogging videos being particularly popular. The effect of these videos was apparent within the twmpath gig at the Ty Gwerin at the National Eisteddfod in Pontypridd. The tent was full of young people. We assumed that they were all friends of the band members – but no, they had seen TwmpDaith on TikTok and that’s why they came to the event! Many members of TwmpDaith noted that people had come up to the on the Eisteddfod field because the recognised them from the social media videos.