A focussed event for all social folk dancer callers, organisers and educators. Mutual support and sharing of thoughts, experiences and challenges ahead as we get back to dancing in person post Covid-19 restrictions.
Online meeting hosts: Laura Connolly (EFDSS Dance Development Manager) and Kerry Fletcher (Folk Education Network Co-ordinator), with Rachel Elliott (EFDSS Education Director).
Speakers (in order of appearance):
Jane Curry and Andrew Findlay from The London Barn Dance Company
Who run the acclaimed monthly contra dance at Cecil Sharp House and are trialling a hybrid model of live stream and live in person dancing.
John Sweeney, folk dance caller and organiser of Kent Ceilidhs and Contrafusion
Who has already started back with some of his regular dances, with precautions, and is building confidence in his dancers to return.
Dr Wendy Timmons, Vice Convenor of the Traditional Dance Forum Scotland and Programme Director, MSc Dance Science and Education, University of Edinburgh
Wendy has many years of professional arts practice and experience teaching and training dance artists, young dancers and dance teachers and has recently been running a micro-grant funding programme, Getting Back to Dancing, to help callers and community dance artists to plan and /or run dances in person. Wendy was joined by Catherine Coutts, recipient of one of the Getting Back to Dancing micro-grants and organiser of autism-friendly ceilidhs.
Our Dance Development programme, which aims to support the development and flourishing of English folk dance in areas such as youth and adult learning, participation, and practitioner development
Our Folk Education Network, the national networking group for folk arts educators from across England and beyond. Membership of the Network is free, as is attendance at its real-life and online Folk Education Development Days.
