Name: Creating Accessible and Inclusive Folk Dance
Start: 2025-03-15T11:00:00+00:00
End: 2025-03-15T17:30:00+00:00
Location: 2 Regents Park Road, NW1 7AY London, United Kingdom

Creating Accessible and Inclusive Folk Dance

Join us for this lively practitioner development day presented by our Folk Education Network and Dance Development programmes.
11.00am - 5.30pm (with registration and networking from 10.30am)
This workshop and discussion day is for anyone who is interested in broadening the accessibility of folk dance teaching practice and performance, or anyone who is interested in finding out more about accessible and inclusive practice. Our focus will be on disability inclusion. There will be opportunities available for all to participate in dance and discussion.
This event is suitable for ages 18+.
We make our Folk Education Development Days events free or as low cost as possible to ensure accessibility for those with no or low incomes. If you feel you can buy a Supporter ticket, you will be helping us do exactly that. Thank you.
Speakers:
We are delighted to be able to put the lived experience of disabled people at the forefront of this day’s workshops and talks.
Janet Bell – Janet grew up in ceilidh tents, fostering a lifelong passion for folk dance. Over the years, she has honed her skills as a dancer on feet, wheels, and using electric wheelchairs. With nearly two decades of wheelchair dancing and teaching experience, Janet is a highly skilled and inspiring wheelchair dancer and a dedicated advocate for accessibility. Janet will be our keynote speaker.
Lisa Heywood and Poppy Price Dowhan - both experienced ceilidh* callers and folk dancers, Lisa and Poppy have been collaborating to research the experiences of Disabled ceilidh dancers. With funding from an EFDSS mini grant they have surveyed over 100 dancers, and will be presenting their findings. There will also be a practical opportunity to join in with an accessible ceilidh dance.
Louise Katerega – Head of Professional Development, People Dancing and freelance dance artist, performer, teacher, choreographer, consultant, strategic thinker, dramaturg and creative producer. Louise is especially acknowledged for her national and international development work in dance by, for and with disabled people. She will talk about People Dancing's work with disabled people and professional development programme. People Dancing: the Foundation for Community Dance is the development organisation for community and participatory dance, driving forward inclusion and excellence and supporting a UK-wide network of members - dance artists and organisations - who make great dance happen in all its diversity.
Penny Lury – Co-Leader, Milkmaid Molly and former SEN/D school teacher. Milkmaid Molly are a music and dance performance group for adults with learning disabilities and non-disabled dancers and musicians, based in Bury St Edmunds. Penny will present a Case Study and screen a short film of a performance by the group.
Sara Marshall-Rose – Co Director and dance artist, FOLK3D, and Dance Movement Psychotherapist in private practice. Sara will talk about her work, including Folk 3D’s mini grant from EFDSS in 2024 to develop an inclusive daytime ceilidh series aimed at older adults in the local community, and their families. Followed by a short practical workshop. FOLK3D creates exciting and innovative Folk Arts Programmes with schools and communities and were recently commissioned to work with the Morris Federation's successful Old Dances, New People, New Age project (aka Buzzing Britain project). Based in the East Midlands, they work with people of all ages and abilities across the UK to connect with local and national culture, tradition and heritage.
Emmie Ward – Lead tutor, and Roary Neat, tutor, EFDSS’ Inclusive Folk programme for learning disabled young people will present their learning resource, Dancing Days: Using Folk Arts in Inclusive Settings. The session will include a short practical workshop based on the resource.