Folk in Motion

Folk in Motion believes that dance is for everyone, and that participating in dance can be lifelong. They have created a form of wheelchair dance, ‘wolk’, that can be participated in by all wheelchair users, including those who need to be pushed.

Wolk dancing fuses folk dancing with a street dance ethos and is choreographed especially for wheelchair users. Wolk draws on the rich heritage of English folk dance to create complex geometric patterns to traditional folk tunes. Dancers work in pairs, and dance in teams (ideally four or more pairs). Teams include roles for callers, musicians and costume coordinators as well as dancers. Like street dancers and Morris dancers, teams develop their own unique style and energy and can form their own social circles too.

With no upper body movement or physical contact involved, wolk is safe for groups to develop on their own without the need for qualified dance teachers. To assist with this, we provide teaching and choreographic notes, sound tracks in two speeds, videos and other resources on our website.

Folk in Motion

Duration: 60 minutes plus interval

Description: Our current production was created with funding from Arts Council England to celebrate the refurbishment of Cecil Sharp House, the HQ of the English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS), in spring 2014. As well as dance, it includes folk song and pageantry with a unique disability perspective. Optional guest artists can provide further music, story telling and spoken-word performances.

People on road: 12

Freight: baggage

Freight details: Most of our baggage consists of costumes but there are also some lightweight props which as excess baggage would require the 'fragile' section of the hold.

Folk in Motion can provide 'wolk' workshops for wheelchair users and for those who are interested in setting up wolk groups or teaching wolk within their own organisations. They can also lead discussions and provide speakers (including keynote speakers) about their work, and about dance and disability more generally.

They can also choreograph and teach new group dances for festivals, ceremonies and other events. These dances will be suitable for all wheelchair users, and as with wolk, will focus on the creation of patterns through the group's movements and the colours they wear. Groups can be as small as eight dancers or as large as 800.

‘Folk in Motion is encouraging disabled people to fulfil their potential. I am proud that with the help of partners such as Folk in Motion and the English Folk Dance and Song Society, we are delivering our vision to use the power of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games to boost participation in wheelchair dance.’

Lord Sebastian Coe, Paralympic Legacy Ambassador