Resources

New Wave Folk Dancing - resource for schools

A high quality resource is available including cassettes, videos and notations. It is used in a great many NZ pre-schools, well over half the country's primary schools, many intermediates, and quite a few high schools. Some beginning adult groups find a quite substantial repertoire there.

A map of the world would show an interesting sprinkling of schools using it on every continent and on islands from Indonesia to the Falklands! International schools in China, India and Russia use it, teachers' training colleges in Singapore and throughout NZ.

The videos are available in NTSC as well as PAL.

See Rae's New Wave page ... her contact details are:
Tel. (09)524-9504, Fax (09) 522-9154, E-mail:

Sit­dancing

Sit Dancing International is a dance programme based on traditional folk dances and music from around the world that have been adapted and/or transformed to enable people of all ages and (dis-) abilities to enjoy dancing while sitting down and/or standing. The programme provides physical fitness, muscle toning, coordination, relaxation, fun, and opportunities for self-expression, social interaction, and emotional release.

Sit Dancing International was developed by Marcel Baaijens (MSc, M.A.A.E.) and first introduced in New Zealand in 1988. It is still used today in new Zealand, Australia and The Netherlands. Marcel Baaijens is a professional dance tutor, choreographer, artist/videographer and art facilitator.

Sit­Dancing by Marcel Baaijens: go to sit-dancing.blogspot.com.

After the session one 95 year old woman came up to me and said "I have never seen so many people smile at any given time as today, and I have been here for 5 years."

[Folk dance] is hard to resist, as it stirs emotions and this stirring becomes and an internal motivation to move, as little as the tapping of toes or clapping of hands. Being able to participate in a dance at a simple but appropriate level can provide people with much needed self-esteem. Folk dancing is a social activity, and promotes interaction.

Folk Dance Problem Solvers

from the Society of Folk Dance Historians

The FDNZ Library includes a full set of Folk Dance Problem Solvers. These are a series of booklets published annually since 1987 that give notations for many international folk dances, and often including their history and other interesting information. The booklets are published by Ron Houston at the Society of Folk Dance Historians in the U.S.

To find out what is in the booklets you can download the cumulative contents pages [SoFDH_cumul_index.pdf, 7 pages, 340 Kbytes].

Loans from the FDNZ library are only available to FDNZ members. Click here to find out how.

Others who are interested may purchase copies of the Problem Solvers from Ron Houston directly [e-mail fdhist at yahoo.com].

Resources for Events Organisers, Fund Raising and Teaching

If you'd like your folk dance or ethnic cultural event to be listed in our events page, contact the web master:

A bunch of hot tips circulated by the Wellington City Council are reproduced here...

Wellington Courses for Events Organisers

From time to time the Wellington City Council runs training courses for community groups on organising community programmes and events. Contact Esther Bukholt,

Get Set Go materials are available on-line at: wellington.govt.nz/services/eventplnsup/training/training.html

Also they run seminars for those applying for grants: wellington.govt.nz/services/grants/seminars/general/form.php

The Wellington Community Law Centre runs legal courses for community groups:
PO Box 24-005, L2, 84 Willis St, Wellington

Running a Club in NZ

If you're wanting to obtain or retain charity status in 2006, including IRD tax exemption and donee status, you'll need to register with the Charities Commission. Registrations are likely to open in June 2006, and you'll have to register by April 2007 or lose your status as a charity (info current as at November 2005). Go to:

www.charities.govt.nz/

If you're planning to incorporate your club or society, all the information you need is at:

www.societies.govt.nz/cad-docs/F/FS_Start_Inc_Soc.html

Other Dance-related Resources

Magazines and Periodicals

Click here to go to our page of New Zealand dancing periodicals.