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The Old Dance School is an innovative, young, six-piece folk band who have just released their debut studio album, “Based on a True Story”
The band come from across England, and share a wealth of musical experience – from European opera tours and international jazz festivals, to early music recitals, rock clubs and green festivals - each member’s musical journey so far is of a breadth and scale quite remarkable, given that none is older than 25.
Alongside all of this, each and every member of The Old Dance School has maintained a deep-rooted love of folk and world music from an early age and this is the driving force that unites them. “Based on a True Story” is the culmination of a busy year for The Old Dance School and its title reflects their approach to the music – drawing on their jazz, classical and early music experience to enliven their arrangements of traditional material and original compositions, they strive never to lose sight of that elemental joy so important in folk music – a good tune. Their music is to them, as they believe all good folk should be - an expression of their time and place, and a celebration of a shared cultural heritage.
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The Old Dance School get together to play and share ideas, at the house from which they take their name – the old Betty Fox School of Ballet, in Birmingham. Initially, they got together simply to learn and share tunes but joint enthusiasm has led to the band developing into a serious gigging outfit. Recent performance highlights include the main stage at Moseley Folk Festival, The English Originals Festival, The Cuckoo’s Nest at Leek and touring as a featured small band within Joe Broughton’s Conservatoire Folk Ensemble – the band within which they met.
Members of The Old Dance School have performed, toured and recorded with artists such as The Chris While Band, Darren Black, Jim Perrin, Kevin Dempsey, The Violent Femmes, The Destroyers, While & Matthews, Martha Tilston and Neil Yates. The band are currently preparing for a busy summer of gigs and festivals and a tour with their good friends, BBC Young Folk Awards finalists Jack McNeill and Charlie Heys.
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Samantha Norman balances classical training and chamber violin playing with a strong passion for folk fiddle playing - for her final project at The Conservatoire she produced, directed and performed in a kaleidoscopic show of folk music from across the globe, in settings from solo and duo to large band pieces, that was a great success.
Tom is fast becoming one of the most in-demand percussionists on the UK folk and acoustic scene. Although the cajón is rapidly growing in popularity, Tom was one of the first UK musicians to use his drum kit and hand percussion background to exploit its potential and take it on as a serious instrument. Tom is sponsored by De Gregorio Cajónes and represents the UK in Paolo De Gregorio’s groundbreaking documentary “Los Caminos Del Cajón” which charts the instrument’s history and its global spread. Tom has played, recorded and toured with artists such as The Chris While Band, The Violent Femmes, Darren Black, While & Matthews, The Urban Folk Quartet and Neil Yates.
Laura studied the recorder at the Birmingham Conservatoire under the excellent tuition of Ross Winter, Annabel Knight and William Lyons (Dufay Collective). Having won the Birmingham Recorder Competition in 2007 and completing her dissertation on early years music in schools, Laura decided to develop her skills as a music education specialist, gaining an early years music residency within Birmingham primary Schools. Laura's passion and expertise have enabled The Old Dance School to develop an original and exciting folk-based education package.
Alongside her folk playing and teaching, Laura continues to perform across the country with her recorder quartet, “The Constance Ensemble” who have played alongside Piers Adams and Dan Laurin and play within Joe Broughton’s sixty piece ‘Conservatoire Folk Ensemble”.
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Helen came to Birmingham from the South coast after receiving a scholarship to study classical viola at the Conservatoire with world renowned soloist Rivka Golani. Here she formed the Nero String Quartet with whom she has won numerous awards and performs both in the UK and abroad. In demand for her viola playing as well as her fiddle skills, Helen has been involved in many projects such as BBC radio 2 'Rubber Folk' Album as featured on the Mike Harding Folk Show. This has led to much recording and touring including the newly acclaimed album Rosella Red with the Chris While Band. Helen also plays in a trio with singer songwriter Darren Black and virtuosic guitarist Kevin Dempsey.
Robin grew up in Hope Valley, in the Peak District. Alongside studying jazz, Robin has maintained his active role in both the acoustic music and outdoor pursuits scenes. Described by National Geographic Magazine as “The Nick Drake of The Mountain World”, these two loves have gone hand in hand throughout his career so far – Robin appeared in duo with writer Jim Perrin at The World Environment Concert at Camden Palace, has toured film festivals in the UK, USA and Canada, through his work composing and producing soundtracks for wild nature films (one of which featured the voice of Martha Tilston) and enjoyed a week’s solo residency at the Bannf Mountain Festival in Canada. Robin has also spent a lot of time performing at green festivals and supported Scott Matthews on his Passing Stranger tour.
Aaron Diaz is also a jazz trumpeter, flugal horn player and bandleader and a key figure in Cobweb Collective. Aaron is an extremely busy musician and promoter who works tirelessly in idioms as varying as Bhangra, Folk and the jazz-rock stylings of his Frank Zappa inspired large ensemble.
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Part-time ODSlet Sarah Jeffery grew up in the hills of Derbyshire, where she was introduced to clog and morris dancing. Sarah continues to call ceilidhs, perform and teach dancing around the UK, such as on the 'FolkWorld' course at Dartington Summer School. Alongside classical training on the recorder, she has also performed regularly as a long-standing member of Joe Broughton's Conservatoire Folk Ensemble. Her musical output is varied and open-minded, ranging from Baroque opera to avant-garde improvisation to the Indonesian gamelan.
Sarah recently emigrated to the continent to continue her recorder studies at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. Here she experiments with the world of live electronics and has performed in contemporary productions such as the premiere of a new opera, 'Medea'. She continues to work and play with The Old Dance School whenever the winds carry her to England.
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