Welcoming The EFDSS #folkeducators to Cornwall

Summer fun with the EFDSS Folk Educators Group in Liskeard!

We were delighted to host the first ever EFDSS (English Folk Dance and Song Society) Folk Educators Group meeting on home turf here in Liskeard, Cornwall on June 21st 2018 for a jam-packed inspirational day of presentations, sharing and practical activity, and the day after Liskeard Lions Carnival Week Furry Dance.

Back in 2012, I had the joy of presenting a session on Cornish dance back at the 6th Folk Educators Group meeting in Halsway Manor, and joined the 20th meeting last year in Essex, as the #cromer2cornwall project began taking shape*.

Over 35 delegates and presenters joined us from across Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and our friends from the EFDSS, Kerry Fletcher (co-chair and Dance Development Officer), Rachel Elliott (Education Director) and Sarah Jones (Programme Manager – National Youth Folk Ensemble).

Fellow Cornish dancer and musician, Dr Merv Davey, Telynor Weryn (Folk Harper), Grand Bard of Cornish Gorsewdh and director of An Daras Cornish Folk Arts Project opened the day, highlighting some of the excellent outreach work by Lowender Peran Festival, with singing in Cornish and English, including Bre Kammbronn /  Camborne Hill.

Richard Trethewey Cornish community musician and music therapist shared some great insight into his music therapy work with young people. Jack Morrison from FEAST highlighted the opportunities for arts projects in Cornwall. Dartmoor step dancers, Lisa Sture and Jenny Read shared the amazing Taking Steps - Dartmoor Stepping project, with a practical stepping workshop.

We learned about the new Certificate for Music Educators qualification Wren Music's Marilyn Tucker.  Anna Leatherdale of People Dancing : the foundation for community dance took us through some of the challenges and opportunities for professional development in dance.

Rachel Elliott, EFDSS Education Director shined a light on the education work across the country, including the Dance Development programme and the National Youth Folk Ensemble.

Fellow Cornish dancer and #folkeducator, Helen Musser & I ran two very practical sessions on Cornish scoot and social dance, with music from our Liskeard-Penzance-Bude musicians!

HUGE THANKS to . . . Liskeard Town Council for the use of the Public Hall, Barnecutt Bakery for exceptional pasties, especially the #glutenfree ones, and to the wonderful Kerry Fletcher for bringing our EFDSS friends from London all the way down to sunny Cornwall.

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If you're a #folkeducator and interested in joining the next Folk Educators Group Development Day, you'll find all the details here.

If you'd like to support the folk arts through the EFDSS, you'll find all the details here.

* #cormer2cornwall :: tracing step dancing from the remote setting of Cromer down to Cornwall via all the stepping sessions and new & old feasts and festivals along the way