ENGLISH FOLK DANCING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 18 January 1939, Page 8

ENGLISH FOLK DANCING

VACATION SCHOOL IN NELSON PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION TO-MORROW AFTERNOON ON W AINU I HOUSE LAWNS The New Zealand Society for English Folk Dancing, which is holding a vacation school in Nelson will stage a demonstration display on the lawns of Wainui House to-morrow afternoon from 2.30 until 4 p.m. If the weather conditions are not suitable for the outdoor fixture, it will be held in the Cathedral Sunday School rooms. The public is invited to attend tile demonstration.

There are about 50 members from all parts of New Zealand atending the school which was opened by Mrs H. Atmore eariy in the week. Its sessions are being conducted in the Cathedral Sunday School. This new movement has headquarters in Nelson, Mr J. R. Oliver, of Allan street being the convener

The New Zealand Society for English Folk Dancing was founded in January, 1938 It comprises affiliated centres throughout New Zealand, and it is hoped that in the near future it will be ac-

cepted as a branch of the English Folk Dancing Society in Loudon—in which case it will be the first Empire branch overseas. The London Society was founded by Cecil Sharp in 1911 to preserve and foster the tradition of English Folk Dancing and Song, and to reestablish it as part of our national culture. It consists of a parent society with forty-five affiliated branches, which now cover the whole of England, with a membership of over 20,000. The New Zealand Society publishes its own magazine entitled ‘English Folk Lore in Dance and Song.” This contains particulars of all the activities of the Dominion centres, as well as articles on various subjects related to folk music and dancing*.