Wren Music are hosting an English Folk Dance & Song Society (EFDSS) Folk Education Development Day in Okehampton on 6 June. The event, at Church Hall in Market Street from 10.30am to 4.30pm, is for anyone involved in folk arts in education, heritage, and participation settings.
The development day has the theme of ‘Fostering a Living Tradition’. It will be looking at the connection between people and folk art, with presentations, practical workshops, discussions, and networking.
Some of the Wren Music team will be taking part. Jon Dyer and Jenny Read will be leading a warm-up which showcases techniques we use in our ‘All Together Now’ work in schools for children with special education needs or disability.
And Marilyn Tucker, Paul Wilson, Sarah Owen and Rebecka Lyons will be presenting a session entitled ‘Creating Folk Songs of Tomorrow’, showing three methods we use to create new English folk songs when working in the community.
Marilyn said: “EFDSS are our sector’s lead body and what they do in folk education is nationally significant, so we are pleased to be invited by them to help organise their folk education development day in the South West.
“We’re also delighted to be sharing some of the work that we do in SEN/D schools and our work with the living tradition, sharing how we work to make songs relevant to today’s audience.
“It should be a fantastic day of sharing and networking for professionals across the South West region,” she added.
This professional development day is free, but tickets must be booked in advance through the EFDSS website, where there is also an itinerary for the day.
