Let's Dance! Put on your red shoes and dance folk🎶 8 March is Let’s Dance Day - a national campaign to inspire everyone in the UK to embrace dance as a way to improve their health, connect with others, and have fun. If you are new to dancing, new to folk dancing, or a seasoned pro, we have a dance session for you at Cecil Sharp House: Learn Morris or English Country Dancing in our weekly drop in classes. Join a Ceilidh or a Barn Dance with our Family Barn Dances, Queer Ceilidhs, Bhangra Ceilidhs and Chilled Ceilidhs. We look forward to seeing you strut your stuff soon! #letsdance2026 Image shows parents with young babies at one of our Family Barn Dances. Photograph by Brian Slater@theangelarippon

National Youth Folk Ensemble Open Days We’re thrilled to announce the dates for National Youth Folk Ensemble’s Open Days for 2026. Taking part in these free days is a brilliant way to play folk music as part of a band, meet the tutor team, and find out more about the Ensemble. @cecilsharphouse London - 27 May 2026 @exeterphoenix - 28 May 2026 @leedsmusicdrama Conservatoire - 30 May 2026 > Take part in a band for a day > Develop your creativity > Play by ear > Learn from inspiring professional musicians > Explore folk music with other young people > Find out about the National Youth Folk Ensemble @nationalyouthfolk Link in bio - National Youth Folk Ensemble

Resource of the Month Swords and Stars: Rapper Sword Dance for Primary Schools Enjoy this introduction to Rapper sword dancing, including information, diagrams, and tune recordings, created for us by Bryony Griffith @bryonygriffithmusic and Lucy Huzzard @lucyhuzzard Link in bio Image: St Godrics and St Marys Betty and rapper lock - Roswitha Chesher

Photography Exhibition: Celebrating 10 Years of the National Youth Folk Ensemble An exhibition in the stairwell of Cecil Sharp House featuring photographs from the first 10 years of our Award-winning National Youth Folk Ensemble @nationalyouthfolk The photographs are also available to view on our website. Photographers include; @camilla_greenwell , @roswithachesher and @neilfatea Exhibition runs until Thursday 27 August Cecil Sharp House London Free Find out more and view online - link in bio During the exhibition on 2 April, The National Youth Folk Ensemble will be playing a gig celebrating their 10th anniversary

Our next online Library Lecture: Lucy Wright - Folk is a Feminist Issue! Artist and researcher, Lucy Wright @lucy_j_wright has long been intrigued by—and kinda angry about—the underrepresentation of women and those of marginalised genders in the British folk arts—especially seasonal customs. In this talk, Lucy will describe some of her ongoing field-based research in the north of England—taking in juvenile jazz bands and entertainer troupes along the way—as well sharing some of the ways she is using her practice as a visual artist to advocate for a more expansive and inclusive approach to folk as 'the stuff we make, do and think for ourselves, and its radical potential'. Tue 10 Mar 7:30pm-9:00pm Online Book now - link in bio @thevwml

Announcing Hannah James as the next National Youth Folk Ensemble Artistic Director "I’m completely honoured and so happy to have been appointed as the next artistic director of the National Youth Folk Ensemble. As a folk musician who has had many fantastic mentors over the years it feels important to be able to carry on that tradition of passing on skills and ideas to the next generation, and to be a bridge between these young musicians and the wonderful guest musicians and teachers who I intended to bring onboard. I can’t wait to be part of the NYFE team!" Read more via 'Latest News' link in bio. #folkmusic #folkmusicians #clog #youthmusic

Hannah James @hannahclogbox and Sonia Sabri @sonia_sabri_mbe_global recently spent a week at Cecil Sharp House working on a a new project which focuses on women in percussive dance and examines what it is to be a folk artist whose art form has a connection to a particular place and culture. The EFDSS Creative Bursary will support time researching and developing ideas and repertoire with their respective skill sets - Kathak dance, clog/step dance, body percussion, vocals, storytelling and composition. We can't wait to see the final piece! You can also see Hannah James performing with Toby Kuhn on 19 March at @cecilsharphouse #kathak #clogdance #folk #percussivedance

Join Jen and Kerry and our great line up of Speakers for the Folk Education Development Day: Adapting Folk Dance with Older People. 21 March at Cecil Sharp House Book now - link in bio

Our new online course starts this Thursday - book now 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.

Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the National Youth Folk Ensemble! 🎉 “For a decade, the National Youth Folk Ensemble has nurtured the energy and talent of young musicians and enriched the folk traditions of our country with new diverse voices, while championing the future of our musical heritage. Arts Council England has been proud to invest in an ensemble that has supported so many aspiring folk musicians and inspired such vibrant and creative music-making.” - Darren Henley, Chief Executive of Arts Council England The National Youth Folk Ensemble has started its 10th year by winning an ABO Impact Awards, we will continue the celebrations throughout the year with: An exhibition of photographs at @cecilsharphouse House from now until 27 August Performances at Cecil Sharp House, @folkeast and @purbeckfolk Purbeck Valley Folk Festival A series of Open Days so young musicians can find out if they would like to join the Ensemble themselves. Find out more - Link in bio - Latest News

Two Folk Song Arrangements for Choirs For this month's Resource of the Month , these two choral arrangements of folk songs, both produced by Caroline Price as part of The Full English project in 2014: The Factory Operatives Call on Humanity, for SATB choir; and The Trees They’re So High, for SAB choir. Link in bio - Resource Bank: free educational materials https://www.efdss.org/learning/resources/a-z/2510-efdss-resource-bank-the-factory-operatives9+ https://www.efdss.org/learning/resources/a-z/2511-efdss-resource-bank-the-trees-theyre-so-high

National Youth Folk Ensemble performance in Liverpool Music Room, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Wed 18 February 8pm The National Youth Folk Ensemble @nationalyouthfolk bring their distinctive and joyful sound to Liverpool, joined by the dynamic New-Folk band @tarrenmusic Book now via @liverpool_philharmonic

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. 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 Image: Bewick Dancers

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 the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library @thevwml in association with the Contemporary Folklore Research Centre @cfrc_folklore Book now - Link in bio #BroadsideDay

We're looking forward to our day trip to @pallanthousegallery to see @eynshammorris dance near our painting 'Chairing the Feathers; The Eynsham Morris at the Gates of Blenheim Palace' which is on loan for the William Nicholson retrospective. We shall be looking closely to see what changes Eynsham have made to their kit since they modelled for this painting in 1903. Come and join us! Saturday 14 March Pallant House Gallery, Chichester Eynsham Morris dancing at the gallery at 11.30am and 1.30pm

National Youth Folk Ensemble receives an ABO Impact Award at the Association of British Orchestras Awards 2026 @aborchestras The ABO Impact Award for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion was presented to the @nationalyouthfolk , collected by Rachel Elliott, Education Director at the English Folk Dance and Song Society. The Ensemble has significantly increased Global Majority representation through projects such as its Bhangra Ceilidh collaboration with Kuljit Bhamra MBE @kuljit.bhamra reaching over 6,000 people. By placing creative diversity at the heart of its work, the Ensemble is shaping a more inclusive and innovative future for folk music. The awards were presented by @classicfm presenter Ritula Shah @ritulashah , with the ABO Award presented by Sophie Lewis on behalf of the ABO Board and ABO Impact Awards supported by @classicalmusicmagazine and the Royal Philharmonic Society @royalphilsoc Image shows: Katy Spicer, EFDSS CEO; Jo Freya, NYFE Artistic Director; Rachel Elliott, Education Director; Kuljit Bhamra MBE; Ritula Shah, Classic FM presenter

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