Supporting our network of folk educators

English Dance and Song Autumn 2017

EDS, the magazine of the English Folk Dance and Song Society, is the world’s oldest magazine for folk music and dance. First published in 1936, EDS is essential reading for anyone with a passion for folk arts. The following sample article is copyright. You are welcome to share it in the format supplied and accompanied by this title page, but you may not reproduce it, in full or in part, by any other means.

Supporting our network of folk educators

Kerry Fletcher, EFDSS’ Folk Educators Group Co-ordinator, discusses the activities of our Folk Educators Group (FEG).

FEG is a flourishing, vibrant national networking group which supports folk educators and promotes and celebrates the best of folk arts education.

The group was launched by EFDSS in March 2011 to address the isolation felt by many folk educators. Anyone working within learning or participation in the folk arts can join the group – whether paid or unpaid; full-time, part-time, or occasional; novice or experienced practitioner.

The 330-plus members from the nine regions in England – plus some from Scotland, Wales and overseas – work across a range of folk arts including dance, music, song, storytelling, theatre and visual arts. FEG is free to join and most events are free to attend.

As well as a dedicated members-only website, we run three one-day events a year – practitioner development meetings and conferences – in different parts of the country. To date, we’ve run 20 events – from Gateshead in the north to Somerset in the south.

In addition to enabling practitioners to share effective practice, network and discuss issues in relation to their work, FEG aims to encourage dialogue with the wider worlds of arts, learning and participation, and offer other organisations a platform through which to consult, or inform, a committed group of folk arts educators. During the last academic year, we’ve presented practitioner development meetings in partnership with DanceXchange, a national dance agency working in the West Midlands; Folkworks at Sage Gateshead; and Essex Music Services, lead partner in the Essex Music Education Hub in Chelmsford.

Meetings are typically co-chaired with one or more regional folk educators and organisations, who bring their valuable regional knowledge and contacts to help programme the days. These have included Jan Reynolds (Folk 3D), Pam Bishop (The Traditional Arts Team), Amy Leach (Folkworks) and Katie Howson (East Anglian Traditional Music Trust).

These are lively days which typically include practical workshops on dance, song and instrumental music, presentations from local music education hubs, youth music, dance organisations and folk educators, as well as information-sharing sessions, discussion and debate. Attendees typically report finding the days invaluable to their work and practice:

“Attending FEG meetings has given me a greater understanding of what I need to do in my teaching and has been helpful to my future plans.”

“Great to see the wealth of enthusiasm and innovative, creative, successful projects.”

“[I value] the breadth of knowledge and experiences of speakers and attendees [and] the chance to network and meet likeminded practitioners

This year, we will be travelling the length and breadth of England. Each day will have its own regional flavour and will no doubt be dynamic and inspiring.

Forthcoming FEG events:

November 2017 – Cumbria

March 2018 – Sheffield

June 2018 – Cornwall

For more information and to join, visit www.efdss.org/folk-educators-group or call 020 7241 8953.