Our Sunday Family Barn Dances make the perfect weekend family bonding activity - and a fun way to dance off your Sunday roast! Accompanied by live music (fiddle and guitar) and a 'dance caller' to teach you the simple moves, these legendary regular events inspire budding dancers to take their first steps, and to discover the world of folk dance and music. Family Barn Dance Sun 1 Feb 3pm-4.30pm @cecilsharphouse Photo by Brian Slater shows children and families dancing together

Merry neets, morris and more: social and display dancing in the Lake District and Cumbria Our second online Library Lecture of the year By Dr Sue Allan, a cultural historian, writer and folklorist who researches and publishes on Cumbrian customs, traditions and dialect. @suecumbria The advent of Romanticism in the late 18th Century saw many literary and antiquarian visitors visit the Lake District, keen to view not only dramatic landscapes but also the local people and their ‘manners and customs’. The reportage of these early tourists, along with the glimpses of music-making we catch in the writings of Wordsworth and his circle, offer insights into the popular social dancing of the time. Concurrently, there was also a blossoming of dialect verse publishing, with local vernacular poets ever-keen to depict the lively scenes at merry neets and country weddings, offering a unique contemporary snapshot of the music and dance traditions of the Lake Counties. Later, at the turn of the 20th Century, interest in ‘Merrie Englandism’ brought morris dancing to the area, while Cumbrian social dances continued to be performed throughout much of the twentieth century, and Lakeland step dancing underwent a revival: altogether a rich northern tapestry of dance traditions. Tue 10 Feb 7:30pm-9pm Online Book now - link in bio - Vaughan Williams Memorial Library: England's folk resource Image: Dr Syntax (1813) Rural Sport

Tarren and The National Youth Folk Ensemble play the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall's Music Room on Wed 18 Feb. Bristol-based @tarrenmusic are an ambassador for New-Folk; making music that is fresh and dynamic, rooted in the English tradition. Sid Goldsmith, Alex Garden and Danny Pedler incorporate minimalist musical forms into traditional-inspired material, producing music that draws the listener in, weaving intricate themes throughout tunes and creating songs that have traditional dance at their heart. The National Youth Folk Ensemble brings together talented young folk musicians from across England. They create their own contemporary takes on traditional tunes from Britain and beyond, with a sound that is distinctive, joyful and diverse. The Ensemble aims to nurture their talents, aspirations and creativity, enabling them to develop into folk performers, educators and leaders of the future. These exceptional 14-19-year-olds meet four times a year for intensive weeks of music-making, led by Artistic Director Jo Freya with top musicians and educators. Book your tickets now - Link in bio @liverpool_philharmonic @nationalyouthfolk

Join us for this lively informal conference and practitioner development day of presentations, short workshops, and opportunities for discussion on safe practice for older people with balance, mobility, cardio, and memory issues. Workshop Leaders and sessions Achievable Adaptations: Enabling Older People to Stay Active using Social Folk Dance Mary Panton, freelance social folk dance caller and teacher Dancing as we age: adapting your dance activity to more safely include people as they grow older Anna Leatherdale, Executive Director, Qualifications, People Dancing @people_dancing_uk (the foundation for community dance) Dances and ‘Moving in the Moment’ Sessions: Improving Health and Wellbeing through Folk Music, Dance and Song FolkActive CIC, social enterprise based in southern Hampshire. @folkactivecic Team, Cath Watkins, Jo Harmer, Tom Gregory, and Chris Nichols Folk Education Development Day: Adapting Folk Dance with Older People Sat 21 Mar 11am-5:30pm @cecilsharphouse Book now: https://bit.ly/48D5E4x

Broadside Day Saturday 14 Feb at @theuniversityofsheffield The Broadside Day is the annual one-day conference for people interested in Street Literature and Cheap Print in all its fascinating aspects – broadsides, chapbooks, songsters, woodcuts, engravings, last dying speeches, catchpennies, news (real and fake), almanacs, carol sheets, wonder tales, and all kinds of cheap printed ephemera sold or distributed to ordinary people in the streets and at fairs, from pedlars’ packs, and in back-street shops, up and down the country. Organised by the @traditionalsongforum with @thevwml in association with @cfrc_folklore Book now - link in bio - Vaughan Williams Memorial Library: England's Folk Resource #BroadsideDay

If the question “what actually is folk dance?” stokes your fire, sign up now for our new online course: Exploring English Folk Dance with Mike Heaney and Chloe Middleton-Metcalfe. Thursday evenings, 7.30pm 19 Feb - 9 Apr Online Book now - link in bio Image: Maltby Phoenix Sword, U.Dance 2012, photo Brian Slater, courtesy Youth Dance England.

Our first Trad Night of 2026 is coming: Keith Kendrick and Sylvia Needham. The uncannily compatible duo produce a striking a cappella harmony sound in their interpretations of traditional English songs. Wed 21 Jan @cecilsharphouse Book now - Link in bio

Tomorrow evening! Dorothy Marshall and the Women of West Sussex - talk by Dr Elizabeth Bennett The talk will explore the folk song collector Dorothy Marshall, and the vital contribution she made to the first folk song revival in West Sussex. It will also consider the women she collected from around the Rother Valley and the songs they shared. Through the story of Dorothy Marshall and these singers, the wider narrative of women in the first folk revival is discussed, and Bennett argues for feminist approaches to archives. Book now - link in bio Image: Chithurst Tipteerers 1912

Don't miss this weekend's Family Barn Dance, a chance to fulfil new year resolutions to be more active and to spend more time with the family, that is actually fun! Live music inspires the dances from Britain and beyond, and friendly callers guide the moves with simple instructions and gender-free calling. For this dance, our caller is Mary Panton, with musicians Jenny Newman and Andy Glass. Sun 11 Jan, 3pm-4:30pm Book now - link in bio Image by Brian Slater, shows parents and children dancing together

Learn folk songs and singing from the comfort of your home with our online course, led by Georgia Shackleton @georgia.shackleton These weekly sessions are suitable for singers of all abilities. All material is taught by ear. You will learn songs from our tutor’s extensive repertoires as well as harmonies that you can sing with others, but focus will be less on multi-part arrangements and more on developing as folk singers (at any level) in a supportive environment. You will get to listen to different interpretations of songs, see examples from archives and field recordings and learn about the tutor’s approach to their singing and folk songs. Monday evenings, 7pm-8:30pm Book now: Link in bio

Don't miss the first of this year's Library Lectures. Tuesday 13 Jan, 7:30pm Dorothy Marshall and the Women of West Sussex - talk by Dr Elizabeth Bennett @drlizziejbennett It's online, so you can stay indoors in the warm! The talk will explore the folk song collector Dorothy Marshall, and the vital contribution she made to the first folk song revival in West Sussex. It will also consider the women she collected from around the Rother Valley and the songs they shared. Through the story of Dorothy Marshall and these singers, the wider narrative of women in the first folk revival is discussed, and Bennett argues for feminist approaches to archives. Book tickets for all four Library Lectures for £15, a saving of £5. Book now - Link in bio Image: Chithurst Tipteerers 1912

First Family Barn Dance of the year! Live music inspires the dancing and friendly callers guide the moves with simple instructions and gender-free calling. For this dance, our caller is Mary Panton, with musicians Jenny Newman and Andy Glass. No experience necessary! Sun 11 Jan 3pm-4:30pm Cecil Sharp House, London Book now - https://bit.ly/4j3t1rE Image by Brian Slater, shows children and parents dancing together.

The last in our series looking back at the past year. December 2025 highlights: 1-2 Cecil Sharp House Choir and Sounds Like Home at the annual Festive Gathering 3-4 A sold-out Queer Ceilidh Dance Party and successful inaugural Chilled Queer Ceilidh 📸Honor Wicks #2025Review #FolkMusic #FolkDance

November 2025 highlights: 1-2 The Kennedy Hall dancefloor lights up with the second Bhangra Ceilidh at Cecil Sharp House 📸Rachel Elliott 3 Traditional Tunes and Popular Airs Conference led by @thevwml takes place over two days at Cecil Sharp House 4 Family Barn Dance 📸Brian Slater 5 Folk Education Development Day: Working with Rural Communities in Cambridge #2025Review #FolkMusic #FolkDance📸

October 2025 highlights: 1 Gambian Kora player, singer and percussionist Suntou Susso performs at Cecil Sharp House 2-3 National Youth Folk Ensemble embark on their first residential of Cohort 10 at Halsway Manor 📸Roswitha Chesher 4-5 Marie Bashiru and Angeline Morrison perform at the inaugural Black British Folk Takeover at Cecil Sharp House 📸Sammie Squire 6 Cecil Sharp House Choir at Bloomsbury Festival 📸Stuart Keegan 7 Our ever-popular Family Barn Dance delights participants young and old(er)! 📸Brian Slater #2025Review #FolkMusic #FolkDance

September 2025 highlights: 1 Alan James Creative Bursary winners are announced, including Kathak dance artist Sonia Sabri (pictured here) who will collaborate with Hannah James 2-3 Jo Sealy’s Black Artisans photography exhibition opens at Cecil Sharp House, featuring Moussa Dembele, multi-instrumentalist, teacher, and craftsman from Burkina Faso, and other black artisans at work 📸Jo Sealy 4 The iconic Queer Ceilidh Dance Party returns to Cecil Sharp House 📸Rosie Reed Gold #2025Review #FolkMusic #FolkDance

August 2025 highlights: 1-3 National Youth Folk Ensemble dance to live music from Gadarene at Kings Cross Summer Sounds 📸Alex Sturrock 4-5 The EFDSS Ceilidh Band, who take part in our Sunday Folk Music Workshops, perform a set at Sidmouth Folk Festival 📸Kyle Baker 6-7 Haitian Guest tutor Germa Adan works with members of the National Youth Folk Ensemble 8 Bhangra Ceilidh band and callers at Kings Cross Summer Sounds #2025Review #FolkMusic #FolkDance

July 2025 highlights: 1-3 Social dance fans up on their feet at Arts Trust Summer in Greenwich Park 📸Roswitha Chesher 4-5 National Youth Folk Ensemble perform live at Arts Trust Summer in Greenwich Park 📸Roswitha Chesher 6-8 Young dancers enjoy our Bhangra Ceilidh workshop at U.Dance National Festival 📸Dani Bower #2025Review #FolkMusic #FolkDance

Merry Christmas! We continue with our June 2025 highlights: 1-3 London Youth Folk Ensemble and friends take over Cecil Sharp House for a day of music making, dancing and an evening performance 📸Brian Slater #2025Review #FolkMusic #FolkDance

May 2025 highlights: 1-3 Dancers enjoy the annual Family Barn Dance: Maypole Special 📸Roswitha Chesher 4 Folk Uncovered online library course series begins, with ‘Folk Song in England’ with Steve Roud 📸Cecil Sharp 5 Christine Kydd performs at our unamplified Trad Night in the intimate Storrow Hall #2025Review #FolkMusic #FolkDance

We continue to look back at some of our notable activities this year. April 2025 highlights: 1 Our lively Morris Dancing class is sketched by students from the Royal Drawing School 2 London Youth Folk Ensemble play a gig in Trafalgar Square 📸Charlotte Turner 3-5 Folk Unlimited participants and tutors have fun during music and dance workshops 📸Brian Slater #2025Review #FolkMusic #FolkDance

We continue our backward glance at 2025. March 2025 highlights: 1 A participant enjoys our Folk Unlimited workshops for disabled young people 📸Brian Slater 2-3 Emma Reid and Ellika Frisell play Swedish polskas for dancers in Kennedy Hall 📸Jane Bird 4-5 Folk Education Development Day at Cecil Sharp House: Accessible and Inclusive Folk Dance 📸Rachel Elliott #2025Review #FolkMusic #FolkDance

Our reflection on this year continues… February 2025 highlights: 1-5 National Youth Folk Ensemble perform at The Fire Station in Sunderland 📸Amelia Read 6-7 Cole Stacey launches his album ‘Postcards from Lost Places’ with an intimate gig, accompanied by special guest Emilija Karaliute on Lithuanian kanklės 📸Kate Pasterfield #2025Review #FolkMusic #FolkDance

A look back at 2025 reminds us of what English Folk Dance & Song Society has achieved and enjoyed over the past year. There is much to celebrate from a special year filled with folky fun. Over the next few weeks we invite you to join us in revisiting some of these highlights in our review of 2025! January 2025 highlights: 1 Young dancers enjoying our much-loved Family Barn Dance 📸Brian Slater 2 The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library @thevwml lectures kick off with Peter Harrop: ‘Looking for a new England?' 3 A new year often means new intentions, and our selection of classes and courses, including English Country Dancing, are a popular choice for people after a new folk adventure! #2025Review #FolkMusic #FolkDance

Start 2026 off right with a Family Barn Dance! Live music inspires the dancing and friendly callers guide the moves with simple instructions and gender-free calling. For this dance, our caller is Mary Panton, with musicians Jenny Newman and Andy Glass. No experience necessary! Sun 11 Jan 3pm-4:30pm Cecil Sharp House, London Book now - Link in bio Image by Brian Slater, shows parents with babies dancing together.