Call for papers: BIENNIAL CONFERENCE 2020
Friday 1st – Sunday 3rd May
St Katharine’s, Parmoor, Frieth RG9 6NN (near High Wycombe)
Retrieving & Reconstructing the Past through Dance
Speakers might like to consider exploring the following topics, among any others of your choice:
- What do these dances tell us about the society in which they were performed?
- What do conflict/war-like dances tell us? Do they betray a bellicose society, or did they serve some other purpose?
- What do pastoral dances reveal? A search for an idyllic dream? Or a more relaxed society?
- What can we learn from ballet narratives about society?
- Do dance reconstructions indeed tell us anything about the past, or are they too biased by our present world view, or by our own dance practices?
- What does a move from the highly stylised French court dance to contredances reveal about French society?
- What does the introduction of English Country Dances at the Jacobean court tell us about English society?
- What does the sharing and migration of dance styles between countries tell us?
- Does the re-enactment of historical dance influence our understanding of the past?
WORKSHOPS & SHORT PERFORMANCES
are very welcome, and they should include a short introductory talk or commentary.
ABSTRACTS should be limited to a single sheet of A4 paper,
and should include a short biography
PAPERS should be 25 mins; WORKSHOPS 55 mins; PERFORMANCES are negotiable.
The Conference Proceedings will be published. The text may be expanded for publication. Abstracts should be emailed to Barbara Segal at barbara.segal@thorn.demon.co.uk by1st November 2019.
Please contact Barbara for any further information.
You will be informed within the month whether your contribution has been accepted.
Details of the programme and a booking form will be issued in November 2019.
For more information about the Early Dance Circle, please visit
