2025 Summer Course in Early Dance

beautiful & … bizarre baroque

Wednesday 8 to Friday 10 January, 2025
in North Sydney

An invitation to our 15th Summer Course in Early Dance.
The Baroque era of the late 17th & early 18th century is our focus again, as we explore both the beautiful and bizarre.
Noble dance technique was common to both ballroom and stage. It could be elegant and charming, flattering the noble dancer with grace and apparent ease. On stage it could also be majestic, dramatic or comic, as the occasion demanded, and as records show.
Why learn baroque dance?
18th-Century dance notation provides a rare window into some favourite choreographies of the era, for the ballroom, and for the theatre. They allow the possibility of embodying the experience of the courtier: the posture, gesture & dance forms forgotten over the centuries. This is invaluable physical insight for musicians, actors, dancers & historians: into musical rhythms and forms, into manners, deportment, gesture, performance & aesthetics.
The Summer Course provides an opportunity to develop an appreciation of this distinctive dance heritage.
Over three days, students will learn movements, steps & sequences in preparation for excerpts & whole dances in different rhythms. Fundamental technique will be introduced for newcomers, while experienced students will refine technique & style, and build repertoire.

No previous dance experience required. No need to bring a partner.
Go to https://earlydanceconsort.com.au/EDC_Archives/EDC-2025/Summer-2025.htm

Winter Weekend of Baroque Dance

Historic Dance Delights invite you to a…
Winter Weekend of Baroque Dance, 2 -4 August, 2024, Canberra
Workshops presented: by Fiona Garlick & John Barnard of
The Early Dance Consort (Sydney)
Dates: 2 August (Friday evening)  – 4 August (Sunday afternoon)  
Venue: Church Hall, All Saints Anglican Church, 9-15 Cowper Street, Ainslie ACT 2602  
For Details & Schedule: https://www.earlydanceconsort.com.au/news/news.htm
Bookingshttps://events.humanitix.com/host/63129d888b09f6126d4d9470

Questions: contact historicdancedelights@gmail.com
Historic Dance Delightshttps://historicdancedelights.org.au/

Early Renaisssance Dancing on the Green

Early Renaisssance Dancing on the Green – led by Fiona & John for
Petersham Bowling Club’s Medieval Day, Saturday 17 August 2024, 12 noon to 5pm

*Renaissance dancing at 1pm on the top green
*Traditional garb is encouraged with best dressed prizes for young and old
See https://www.thepbc.org.au/medievalday for more information about the displays of ancient martial and peaceable pursuits, and refreshments on offer.
The day is a free event for all, presented by the not-for-profit, community-owned, pokie-free – Petersham Bowling Club. 77 Brighton Street, Petersham NSW 2049

EDC Spring Ball 2023 – Thursday 16 November

An Invitation to a Ball to Celebrate the Spring
(which seems to have been somersaulting into Summer)
Date Thurs 16 November 2023 (=Term 4 Week #6)
Time 6.15 for 6.30pm—9.30pm
Place 181 Blues Point Rd, North Sydney (Class venue)
Entry Free for currently enrolled students
$10 for visitors/friends (See Invitation for payment options)
Wear Spring colours, costume if desired, dance shoes
 essential, but try to avoid high heels or trailing skirts
Bring Finger food (ready to eat) or
non-alcoholic drink (cups, plates &c provided)
RSVP: 11 November, SMS 0400 104 969
enquiries@earlydanceconsort.com.au

Evening Classes Term 4

Our Evening Classes in Court Dance resume for Term 4 at 6.15pm on October 12, at 181 Blues Point Road, North Sydney. The term will run for 10 weeks until 14 December, when we will have a little Christmas-End-of-Year gathering. Week 6 of the term, November 16, will be our Spring Ball – the first such event for 4 years since COVID. We have missed seeing so many EDC friends in that time, so we hope that you’ll be able to make it. 

With Timbrell and Dance – Concert with Consort 8 postponed

Image of Renaissance court dance

Members of the Early Dance Consort will (sometime) be appearing in another concert with Consort 8. Originally scheduled for 6.00pm on Saturday 7 August, at St Paul’s Anglican Church in Burwood, the concert is postponed due to the current Greater Sydney COVID-19 lockdown, with a date yet to be announced. It will be part of celebrations for the 150th Anniversary of the Church. (Concert Flyer)

See https://consort8.org/concerts/ for more information.

Term 3 Classes postponed due to Sydney Lockdown

We nearly made it to the end of Term 2, cancelling the final class as cases were rising.

Right now we can’t make any promises as to when Term 3 will begin (having been planned for today 15 July). We hope to resume once Greater Sydney COVID-19 Lockdown comes to an end, and will be subject to any NSW Health Regulations.

Classes resume for Term 2 on Thursday 22 April

With apologies for the long silence, yes, our classes have been running since the COVID-19 lockdown was relaxed last year – with a COVID-19 Safety Plan in place, and observing distancing and all hygiene precautions.

Term 2 begins on 22nd April, 6.15pm at 181 Blues Point Road. See https://www.earlydanceconsort.com.au/classes/schedule.htm for details, The first class is free to try, but please let us know if you plan to come along, as numbers are limited for choreographic as well as safety reasons. All students and visitors must check in to class using our QR code, for contact tracing purposes.

We look forward to seeing you soon.