Well, we are just about recovered from our AGM weekend!
The AGM itself only takes half an hour, but we have so much more to talk about!
The forms and processes are being polished for applying for, deciding, and following up bursaries following our achievement of Charity status last year.
We hosted successful events at Sidmouth last year, and have interesting plans for next summer, based on ‘the Role of Competition’.
We have raised our profile in the English Dance and Song magazine, with articles by Alex Fisher, Jenny Reed, Heather Clarke, and Simon and Jo Harmer. We hope to continue with more this year.
All the documents from Tom and Joan Flett’s collection referring to English Dance, apart from just a few letters, have been digitised, indexed and linked on the website, representing a large body of reference material for dancers and researchers.
Individual members have been making progress with their own projects as well. Heather Clarke has completed her PhD on Social Dance and Early Australian Settlement. Mats Melin has written a further book ‘A Story to Every Dance : The role of lore in enhancing the Scottish solo dance tradition.’
Toby Bennet is involved in the organisation of the Stepping Up conference to be held in November, and is encouraging submissions.
Alex Fisher’s Clognet project is gathering pace as more schools are becoming involved. She teaches and supports the teachers, who run the clog sessions in their primary schools. The mixture of dance, heritage and fun works well and she is looking to extend the programme into Cumbria.
The Team talked about a five year plan and have a wealth of projects we would like to move forward, based on further research, dissemination of our archives onto the website and beyond, and encouraging wider participation in percussive dance.
