EFDSS supports the continuing professional development of, and exchange between, artists and animateurs from folk and other arts backgrounds.
It provides training for school staff, music educators, dance artists and other practitioners in using folk song, dance and music in education and community settings.
Associate Artists:
EFDSS is developing a programme of Associate Artists and Artists in Residence focusing on art that takes folk culture for its inspiration; encouraging the forging of links between traditional folk arts, contemporary arts practice and work with communities.
Matthew Cowan – EFDSS’s Visual Artist in Residence for 2009 – Matthew’s role includes curating exhibitions at Cecil Sharp House, making new art work and delivering workshops for adults and children in the local community www.matthewcowan.net
Debs Newbold – EFDSS’s Storyteller in Residence – over the past year Debs has been involved in performing at a number of events at Cecil Sharp House and leading EFDSS education projects www.deborahnewbold.co.uk
Recent artists’ professional development projects:
exCHANGES: morris / contemporary choreographic project
Cecil Sharp House,
30 March – 3 April 2009
Led by morris practitioner Anthony Allen and contemporary choreographer Kate Flatt, this week-long course for 4 choreographers, 16 dancers and 6 musicians aimed to create an exchange of choreographic, music and dance ideas; drawing on the essence of traditional English morris dance to facilitate its use in a creative format, and to develop new and flexible ways of using the material. Through exCHANGES new artistic partnerships, working practices and choreographic material were successfully forged. The week concluded with an informal performance to an invited audience from the contemporary dance, morris and music education worlds with those who were stimulated and inspired by the new choreographic works and possibilities presented.
Please click here for further information about exCHANGES
Clog / contemporary mini residency
Cecil Sharp House, 5 – 8 May 2009
For four days in May 2009, Kerry Fletcher (UK-based traditional clog, step and social dancer) and Vivien Moore (Canada-based contemporary dance artist and clog dancer) undertook a mini residency at Cecil Sharp House to explore the choreographic potential of these forms of dance. It was the first time the two artists had worked together on a creative project and, although brief, the four days were inspiring and productive leading to their creating a new six-minute piece of choreography. At the end of the week the two dancers joined Rachel Elliott, EFDSS’s Education Director, in giving a workshop for the Lilian Baylis Arts Club at Sadler’s Wells. The workshop concluded with Kerry and Vivien presenting their new work: it received great interest and highly positive feedback from the participants / audience present, many of whom expressed that it was the most interesting and enjoyable dance work they had seen in a long time. This experience gave the two dancers great encouragement and affirmation of their working process at the conclusion of the residency: they are now planning to develop the piece further and to perform it within the contemporary and traditional dance scenes.
Please click here for Kerry Fletcher’s report of the residency
