2007 Folk Festival Schools Project

We’ve just completed our school project for 2007, we were in Oxon CofE Primary School between June 26th – 29th, and had a hugely successful and rewarding time with the pupils and staff from Oxon.

We had Emily, Sophy and Ian from 422 providing music and dance workshops to reception and years 1,2,3 and 5; and had Dave Hunt and Steve Rowley from Sunshine Arts working with years 4 and 6 on a Mummers play and various Caribbean elements including a tuk band, landship dance and playground games.

Friday afternoon saw performances from every school year - the weather held, parents were invited and every year put on a performance that was as memorable as it was enjoyable.

We started with some songs and playground games from Barbados which was followed by a Landship Dance (a performance which symbolizes and reflects the passage of ships through rough seas whilst having a dig at the British Navy!), which was in turn followed by a Tuk Band (authentic Caribbean band of two drums, penny whistle and bells).

Year 6 then performed the Oxon Mummers Play – a traditional Shropshire Mummers play that was adapted and now stands as a distinct play. Some great performances, lines (and costumes!) made the play a real hit with the audience.

422 then performed with the groups they had worked with over the week – we had (and needed) a sound engineer who provided PA for the audience of around 500 adults and children.

Emily, Sophy and Ian played and directed a number of excellent elements including social dances from years 5 & 3 (Belgian Clapping Dance, Virginia Reel, Circassian Circle), we had a clog dance from Yr 5, and we finished with everybody singing ‘Apples and Bananas’.

There were two highlights of 422s set, reception and yr 1 danced ‘Jump Jim Joe’ a simple social dance that grows exponentially with every verse, by the 5th verse the whole school was dancing with children and staff all together on the playground.

It was Year 2 who stole the show, with what can only be described as a spirited rendition of The Rattlin’ Bog – there’s no doubt that every single yr 2 pupil had a great time performing the song and it’s many verses!

The staff, pupils, musicians and organisers all had a fun and rewarding time over the week – as a festival we have committed to providing instruments to the school and a number of family tickets to the pupils and their parents, and we intend to continue our work in the future.

Our 2007 school project was funded by Awards for All (National Lottery), and we thank them for recognising the importance of the project and backing our bid.

Thank you to Dave, Steve, Emily, Sophy and Ian, the staff at Oxon for embracing the project and most of all the children who threw themselves into the week and made it memorable for all. Thanks!