Kingston Primary Schools' Folk Dance Festival

June 2005 - TBC
if fine:Tolworth Girls School in field
if wet: Edinburgh Hall, TRC, Tolworth

This Festival is open to all Kingston Primary Schools for a nominal fee and is a wonderful opportunity to learn new dances and perform them in a relaxed and enjoyable environment. English and South Asian folk dances are taught through a series of twilight teachers' sessions.

The teachers then pass these dances on to a class group or dance club before all schools come together to perform at the Folk Dance Festival. This charming Kingston tradition has been running for well over 30 years and is now facilitated by Kingston Music and Arts Service in conjunction with the Kingston Primary Schools' Dance Association.

ARTS IN SCHOOL

Kingston Music and Arts Service aims to enrich the lives of all young people in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames by providing opportunities for them to become actively involved in a wide variety of arts activities.

The arts have a vital role to play in the delivery of a broad and balanced curriculum. Each art form has an invaluable contribution to make in helping young people develop skills in different cognitive areas. A visit by an artist will provide new and exciting contexts and situations in which pupils can learn and develop their existing knowledge and skills.

The greatest resource possessed by any nation is the imagination of its people. Imagination nourishes invention, economic advantage, scientific discovery, technological advance, better administration, jobs, communities and a more secure society. The arts are the principle trainers of the imagination.

Professor Kenneth Robinson, The Arts in Schools Kingston Music and Arts Service employs a specialist Arts Co-ordinator who initiates and manages arts in education projects. The Arts Co-ordinator offers support, advice and practical help to schools wishing to develop arts activities. Each term the Service runs a variety of projects in Kingston schools. Past events have included:

• Large scale three dimensional art at Malden Parochial Primary School

• Storytelling and dance at Latchmere Junior School

• Drama workshops and INSET at Buckland Infant School

• Creating a permanent mural for the entrance of Burlington Infant School

• Dance and drama collaborative project with New Malden junior and secondary schools

• Dance composition and performance with Coombe Girls' School and Beverley School

• Arts Weeks at St. Pauls' Junior School, Robin Hood Primary School and Maple Infant School

• In-Service Training for Teachers

How to arrange an arts project
Each project is tailored to the specific needs and interests of the host organisation. An initial free consultation with the Arts Co-ordinator will establish the school's particular areas of interest, costs and possible sources of funding. The Arts Co-ordinator will then draw up a project proposal, suggesting suitable artists and time scale without any cost or obligation on the part of the school.

Once the project proposal has been accepted a planning meeting with the relevant artist(s) is arranged, funding sought, if necessary, and the project timetable agreed.

Kingston Music and Arts Service will continue to support the school and artist throughout the project. Whenever possible a member of the Service will visit the school whilst the project is running to ensure that all is going to plan. After the project, participating teachers are requested to complete a short evaluation sheet which helps to ensure that the Service maintains the highest possible standards.

Register of artists
Kingston Music and Arts Service holds a register of approved artists with expertise across a range of disciplines including – Dance, Drama, Poetry and Creative Writing, Storytelling and Visual Arts. Along with their own specialist skills and knowledge, each artist on the register has a wealth of experience of working with young people and facilitating projects in schools and other educational settings. Available with this pack are a number of sheets profiling a selection of approved artists, all of whom have worked in Kingston schools in the past year.

Twilight teachers' session
Each term Kingston Music and Arts Service runs twilight teachers' sessions which are available to all Kingston teachers. Each session introduces a different artist and provides practical ideas that can be used in the classroom. More in-depth training can be arranged at individual schools, including advice and support for planning a scheme of work, opportunities to observe, coteach, evaluate and forward plan.

For further information about any of the activities detailed above please contact the Arts Co-ordinator on 020 8391 9248.