Hi Shambles. Sorry but err (at the risk of sounding pedantic) i thougtht the Countess asked 'what's a genuine folk enthusiast' which i did take to mean folk music and dance (sorry if i assume wrong countess).

Agree with your second sentence i.e. 'The only reason to play, sing or dance is because it makes you and/or someone else feel good'.

Not sure of your gist in the last sentence tho. If in 'preserving' you mean keeping behind glass or in a safe to be untouched, altered, adapted or passed on etc then i would agree that it denies acces to a lot of people and is therefo not benficial.

I'm trying to say that a 'folk (music) enthusiast' puts the 'music' and its enjoyment by as many people as possible first and foremost. That's why people like Kate Rusby, Fairport, Elisa Carthy, Duncan McFarlane etc are so important cos they try to reach a wider audience
with 'so much fine music' as you refer to.

Or am i still missing something. Doh!