Transcript
Page 1: ISTD National Dance History.indd

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The NaTioNal daNce FaculTy

The National Dance Branch, as it was then called, was

founded in 1952 by Irene Grandison Clark (1892–1985)

and Joan Lawson (1907–2002). It arose out of the ISTD’s

General Teachers Branch which had included a section for

National and Historical Dance. It was decided to sub-divide this

section in order to create two discrete branches and Joan Lawson

agreed to prepare the syllabus for National Dance.

This more specialised branch was much needed as during

these post-war years there had been no body of knowledge for

teachers to make an in-depth study of folk dance and very little

opportunity for them to travel in order to gain primary source

material. This had resulted in a lack of authenticity in much of

what was being taught.

The first committee was chaired by Irene Grandison Clark

and included Joan Lawson, Sheelagh Elliott-Clarke, Betty Hassell

and Carol Moverley. Joan Lawson was a great traveller who

visited many European countries, collecting a vast amount of

material related to folk dance, music and costume. She was able

to pioneer much of the work through her teaching at the Elliott

Clarke School in Liverpool and it was at this time that she wrote

European Folk Dance (pub. Pitman, 1953) which became the first

key text for students of national dance.

In 1953 Helen Wingrave joined the Committee and she too

made a great contribution to the development of the branch.

Unlike Joan Lawson, whose particular interest lay in pure folk

dance, Helen Wingrave was keen on using the steps of folk dance

to choreograph solos, duets, trios and groups for theatrical

settings such as dance performances and competitions. She

had a great gift for choreographing dances in this way, many of

which are still in the syllabus today.

The examinations were introduced over the first two years

of the new branch’s existence. They consisted of three levels of

what were then known as Major examinations – Elementary,

Intermediate and Advanced; four levels of Grade examinations

and Bronze, Silver and Gold Medal Tests at Junior and Senior

Established in 1904 the Imperial Society of Teachers

of Dancing (ISTD) is one of the world’s oldest and

most influential dance examination boards. Ever since

its inception the ISTD has developed new styles and

dance genres, and today with 12 faculties, no other

dance examination board has the breadth of genres

that the ISTD offers.

Our mission is to educate the public in the art of

dancing in all its forms, to promote the knowledge

of dance, to provide up-to-date techniques, and to

maintain and improve teaching standards across the

globe. The ISTD is always moving with the times to

keep pace with the latest developments in dance.

We regularly update our syllabi and introduce new

faculties to respond to changes in the world of dance.

Above: Image from the ISTD archives

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levels. All the examinations were very well received by teachers

and students alike and went on to be very popular.

The Major syllabus consisted mainly of folk dances chosen

because they were still being performed in their country of

origin. The syllabus also included lists of individual steps,

fi gures and holds (ie the various ways of holding partners and

other dancers in a group) for each country which also had to be

studied together with details of style, music and costume. As

well as being valuable information for the candidates, it was also

extremely useful for teachers who wished to create their own

dances for theatrical purposes.

The Grade syllabus consisted of group dances and solos and

the Medal Tests comprised solos only and were designed for

students who were interested in focussing on solo performance

but who may not have had the opportunity of working in a class

situation. Apart from a few minor alterations and additions, this

basic syllabus structure has remained the same throughout the

branch’s existence.

In the early 1960s, Robert Harrold became a committee

member and examiner. He worked very closely with Helen

Wingrave and made an important and lasting contribution to

the development of the branch through his teaching, writing

and choreographing of many dances both for the syllabus and

competitions.

In 1972, Helen Wingrave conducted the fi rst overseas

examinations which were held in New Zealand. There was great

enthusiasm for the work which subsequently spread to other

countries such as Canada, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Mexico and

South Africa.

In 1977, Audrey Bambra (1917–2004) became Chair of the

committee following the retirement of Irene Grandison Clark.

This was quite a departure from the norm as she was not an

ISTD teacher or examiner. She had been principal of Chelsea

College of Physical Education in Eastbourne for many years but

had an understanding of the ISTD through being a member

of Council. Although she did not have a detailed knowledge

of the ISTD national dance syllabus, she was extremely

knowledgeable about folk dance in general and over the years

had visited many folk festivals and countries where folk dance

was still practised. This resulted in her book Teaching Folk

Dancing (Batsford, 1972) co-written with Muriel Webster. She

laid great stress on the in-depth study of the style of each

country and arranged several courses delivered by specialists,

which concentrated on one country only. She was an excellent

Chair who was very clear thinking and who brought a very

educational approach to the branch.

In 1985 Robert Harrold was elected Chair. This was also the

fi rst year of the Choreographic Competition in which there

were cups awarded for the choreography of a solo and a duet.

After a few years, this competition became the Grandison

Clark Awards, in which the performance rather than the

choreography was judged.

Top left: Helen Wingrave

Centre left: Joan Lawson

Above left: Robert Harrold

Top right: Irene Grandison Clark

Centre right: Audrey Bambra

Above right: Nigel Allenby Jaffé and

Margaret Dixon-Phillip (Mrs Allenby

Jaffé)

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In 1986, Margaret Dixon-Phillip, another key contributor to

the branch, joined the committee. She too travelled a great deal

and, together with her husband Nigel Allenby Jaffé, produced

several books on national dance which are invaluable sources of

information for both teachers and students.

Another important development in the 1980s was the

introduction of Folk and National Character streams in both

the Grades and Major examinations, thus enabling teachers to

make a choice of how they entered their candidates. A further

development at this time was the introduction of Folk Dance

Studies. These are assessments in which candidates present

traditional group dances chosen by the teacher together with

a written, visual or practical project, in order to build up the

required units for the various levels.

In 1993, the Scottish Dance Branch came under the umbrella

of the National Dance Branch; it established a sub-committee

which sent a representative to report at National meetings.

This arrangement lasted for about eight years until there was

a further decrease in Scottish examination entries, after which

Council reluctantly decided to close the branch.

There is still a nucleus of interest in the National Dance

Faculty, as it is now called, with a number of very enthusiastic

and loyal followers. In accordance with the needs of the 21st

century and government recognition, most of the examinations

have been revised and streamlined by a very able team drawn

from the committee, consisting of Heather Rees, Marion

Roberts, Barbara Simons and Robina Smith.. The Grandison

Clark Awards, which are held every two years, still attract a

substantial number of high quality entries, and a teachers’

summer school continues to be offered annually. Although the

Faculty, chaired by Jacqueline Ferguson since 2001, is not large,

there are many teachers who choose to teach the work and find

it to be an extremely useful addition to their timetables, as

it offers their pupils an opportunity of working together and

co-operating with each other in a skilled and very enjoyable

dance activity. There are also a number of students, both in the

UK and overseas who still take the teaching qualifications, thus

ensuring, for the foreseeable future, a continuation of the work.

Dame Ninette de Valois DBE, formerly Patron of the National

Dance Faculty, wrote in her foreword to European Folk Dance

Series: The Netherlands (Allenby Jaffé, N & M, p.9) “Folk dance

offers a wealth of material to choreographers, teachers and

dancers and they in turn must understand its value and

potential”. She concluded by saying “I should like to see every

ballet school in the country have a weekly folk dance class in its

curriculum”.

On a more general note, in today’s multicultural society

National Dance has a particular relevance as, through the

study of the various movement patterns, styles, historical

and geographical backgrounds, it helps to enhance an

understanding of other European cultures.

Jacqueline Ferguson

ReFeReNceAllenby Jaffé, Nigel & Margaret

(1982) European Folk Dance Series:

The Netherlands, Skipton: Folk Dance

Enterprises

Image from the ISTD archives


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