New Wave Folkdancing has been compiled in New Zealand, but it is an international collection, and it can be purchased from anywhere.

It is dedicated to sharing the traditions of community dancing, old and new, for the fun, enrichment and bonding of today’s children, teens and adult groups.

First published in 1990, it was updated between 2008 and 2017. More fun was added, and samples from many more cultures, especially those now represented in the New Zealand population. All the dances were freshly videoed, performed by local Auckland schools and specialist ethnic groups. And much fascinating information has been added in the books, for Dance Studies and everyone’s interest.

There is one major gap: Maori dancing, and almost all Pacific cultures. It was unavoidable, for both practicality and spirit. The cultural owners are right here, and have been left free to choose and present their own representative samples in their own contexts. However, I apologise for any offense or disappointment caused by the omission.

A backgrounding historical book grew to nearly 100 pages before work on it stalled, one of the unfinished chapters being the very one that needs writing up, the New Zealand story. One of these days it should be finished – and emailed out to those who have asked for it.

Meanwhile I wish community dancing, including international folk dancing, were officially recommended to the schools. This is age-appropriate social dance, and it lays down the basic skills, habits and can-do for a lifetime of activity and joy that can long outlast participation in most sports. It can NOT be replaced by creative dance, which is as distinct from community dancing as creative writing is from reading.

I hope some of the notes the NWFD book gives with particular dances help lively-minded classroom teachers with cross-curriculum insights, and they can add more for their kids. This dancing can offer a beautiful bridge between life and subject teaching, eg applied spatial and numerical maths. Indoor PE, moves for sports, music listening skills, history and geography, all these and social learnings can be served while the children are having fun!

And what about the deep need to wrap the learning day inside a bonded and enjoyed little community? What could do it better than an all-weather activity of dancing or singing together? On a shut-in day that might call for a new funny dance that can be done amongst the desks.

If anyone would like to initiate a Folkdancing forum on Facebook or some other social medium, I would be happy to cooperate in it as best I can.

– Rae Storey

Lifelong teacher, with experience from kindergarten to university

Teacher-trainer for folkdancing

MA (Wellington), MA (Toronto), Dip.Tchg (NZ), Ex-President and Life Member FolkdanceNZ, QSM