Community

EFDSS are hosting a new Facebook group for traditional folk dancers from all cultural backgrounds to network, meet each other, share resources and talk about traditional and contemporary folk dance performance and participation today. Thanks to Jen Cox at EFDSS for getting this going.
 This group is facilitated by EFDSS and was inspired by Dancing Dialogues and a wish to capture the great legacy of collaboration and sharing that has come about at our events.
 Please come and join the group! Members are welcome to post and introduce themselves, chat, and ask questions or for advice. EFDSS also runs The Folk Dance Calendar at https://www.efdss.org/calendar-events, where people can upload details of events for publication. Facebook link is below, so do come and join!

Jerri gave a keynote at the 'Everyday Creativity' conference organised by the AHRC Everyday Creativity Network in association with Creative Lives, held at Cecil Sharp House. She spoke about the Dancing Dialogues project and showed an excerpt of a video of Morris dancing to give honour to speaking in the home of the English Folk Dance and Song Society. Camden Clog who are based in Cecil Sharp House opened the event with their performance. In the evening, Cecil Sharp hosted the Creative Lives awards, with wonderful and moving stories of groups around the country who are engaging with all forms of creativity, including dance, greatly enhancing individual and community wellbeing. https://www.creative-lives.org/awards 
We hope that dance groups involved in the Dancing Dialogues networking will get in touch with Kelly and go for awards next year!

The Santo Domingo Centre of Excellence for Latin American Research (SDCELAR) and the Learning and National Partnerships at the British Museum are delighted to invite you to the event Andean and Afro-Peruvian Rhythms and Heritage. 

  

Join us on Saturday, 12 October at 11:00 AM at the British Museum to meet Peruvian artist Nereida Apaza Mamani, dance group Baila Peru UK, and collaborating artists for a full-day programme of performances, artist talks, curator tours, and storytelling.    

  

Programme:  

11.00 - 11.30: Storytelling by Baila Peru and collaborating artists 

Wellcome Trust Gallery, North East Corner  

  

11.45 - 12.00: Guided tour of the Peru and Andean World Case with SDCELAR curator and Nereida Apaza Mamani   

Wellcome Trust Gallery, North East Corner  

  

12.15 - 12.45: Dance performance by Baila Peru and collaborating artists 

Great Court  

  

13.00 - 14.00: Artist talk with Nereida Apaza Mamani   

Stevenson Lecture Theatre  

  

14.45 - 15.15: Collaborative performance by Nereida Apaza Mamani and Baila Peru 

Great Court  

  

15.30 - 15.45: Guided tour of the Peru and Andean World Case with SDCELAR curator and Nereida Apaza Mamani 

Wellcome Trust Gallery, North East Corner  

  

Free entry. Reserve a ticket at: https://www.britishmuseum.org/visit 

*Limited entry and seating capacity may apply.* 

Kerry Fletcher from Folk Dance Remixed added ‘Ask a Friend’ Report which is ‘Thoughts about folk singing in England from people outside of the on folk scene’. 

 

Kerry says: ‘It's a great report, clear and to the point, and I really liked that it gives such useful and practical ideas about how to make the scene more accessible. I hope it gets a wide readership and is taken on board by many organisers and encouraging individuals, as well as suing this across genres, such as dance too!!

Kerry Fletcher from Folk Dance Remixed responded to the Dancing Dialogues Workshop Day (see Events):  ‘It was such a joy to share and meet likeminded people from different dance backgrounds and to learn from each other, share similarities and enjoy differences too - such a rich day! I for one also made a fabulous connection with Ania [Szpek], a Polish dancer and teacher [from Karolinka, Polish Song and Dance Company], and was able to adapt a Polish social folk dance to work in our Folk Dance Remixed Ceilidh Jam at an Interational Children's Festival, just a couple of weeks later - and it went down a storm! Huge thanks to Ania and Dancing  Dialogues!

 

Kerry added: Access Folk’s report on ‘Strategies for Widening Participation in Folk Arts’ – ‘Reflections and experiences from seven European folk arts organisations’. 

 

Kerry says: ‘The knowledge exchange report on the European links with folk organisations is fascinating and really helpful to get an idea of how they discussed connections and engagement across heritage. It has fabulous visuals too, which I found super helpful!!’

EFDSS is the national development agency for protecting, preserving, disseminating and promoting the folk arts at the heart of England's rich and diverse cultural landscape. We increase access to the folk arts by encouraging participation, celebrating diversity and promoting equality. Find out more about EFDSS at https://www.efdss.org/ 
- We deliver a broad reaching education programme including dance and music classes, both at our venue Cecil Sharp House in London, and across the country. See https://www.efdss.org/learning for more details.
- We offer annual mini-grants for dance projects.
- Cecil Sharp House hosts regular participatory dance events, see https://www.efdss.org/whats-on?subcat=27 for more details.
- We run the Folk Education Network, a free network offering CPD events and networking opportunities. Membership is free, see https://www.efdss.org/learning/practitioners/folk-education-network for more details and to join the network.
- We have a large resource bank of learning materials available free at https://www.efdss.org/learning/resources
Follow us on socials at www.facebook.com/EFDSS, @the_efdss, or get in touch for more details - email dancedevelopment@efdss.org

In line with our goal to preserve Bhangra, we run a world-class 'Lok Naach' Academy programme to provide up-and-coming talented youngsters a platform to take their skills to the next level.

Dancers aged 7-16 undergo professional training and work towards public performances. Since our launch, our teams have secured multiple awards and performed at various events, including the Hanwell Carnival, The lord Mayors Show, and Diwali Celebrations at Brent Cross Shopping Centre.

We are proud to share that our training programme is supported by Arts Council England, which ensures our programme runs to the highest level of quality, with state-of-the-art studios and equipment and also stays affordable to our students. This is a core value at Bhangra Dance London.

We are always looking for support to help develop our organisation. If you are a local business wanting to sponsor the great work we do at the Academy, please contact us.

Our ethos is to now share the knowledge for the next generation. The future is bright, the future is Bhangra Dance London.

I had a wonderful evening visiting the community class at BDL in Hayes. There were around thirty dancers of all ages - one dancer proudly told me she was a grandmother. The speed and energy of the dance they were learning were astonishing and all managed to achieve it by the end of the session. So well in fact that they had a two team dance off!
     With all the concerns about young people getting exercise and socialising beyond their social media, it was heart warming to see so many enthusiastic and talented young dancers. I received a very warm welcome and will aim to go and join in next time. If you are near one of these community classes do give it a go.
Libby (PI for Dancing Dialogues Project)

Creative Lives celebrates, encourages and advocates for people being creative in their everyday lives. We promote the benefits creative activity can bring, both physically and mentally, especially when people come together to have fun, learn new skills and support each other as part of a group.

Visit the Creative Lives website at www.creative-lives.org to find out more about what we do, including:

Creative Lives Awards – Our annual awards celebration, shining a spotlight on creative groups across the UK and Ireland that are making a difference in their community. Nominations open until 13 May 2024.

Creating Learning – Our online learning sessions, delivered by experts and tailored for creative groups. 

Creative Network – Monthly sessions on a range of topics, bringing people together to share ideas and connect.

Creativity Map – Add your group to our online map, or find an activity near you. 

Resources – a range of publications and information briefings on topics such as fundraising, GDPR, risk assessments, publicity and more.

Inspirational case studies – Stories of groups and places where creativity flourishes.

Social media – Get in touch if we can help share your events or achievements on our social media channels. Follow us @CreativeLivesCL

Arts volunteering opportunities – Looking for volunteers to help run your group? Send in the info and we’ll help spread the word.