Ten members from the U3A Kyneton International Folk Dance group were excited to share their skills with students at Lockwood South Primary School earlier this month. They were even more excited when the RSL Kyneton branch donated their minibus, together with a driver.
The group’s dance instructor Sarah Brooke said that after a delicious morning tea put on by the school staff, the students from grade three to six welcomed them all enthusiastically.
“They had prepared a series of questions to ask. Some related to what life was like for us in school growing up, but also why we enjoyed dancing,” she said.
“One U3A member asked the students to guess her age, and they started at 50. She kept asking them to go up but once they got to 70 they thought it unlikely that she would be older than that. She’s 86!
“Another U3A member brought his steel adjustable roller skates that he used as a child, more than 50 years ago! It seemed odd that a skater would strap these onto normal shoes and the students didn’t think they could have possibly worked.”
Sarah said none of the students knew anything about folk dancing and they were interested in where the dances came from. “We began with an English dance, the U3A members pairing up with a student,” she said.
“They learned how to do a right-hand star, do-si-dos, and making arches for others to go under. Another Scottish dance also had arches, and an American dance in threes had everyone running through the arches (clearly some quicker than others). “Everyone enjoyed a dance from Macedonia, and we finished with a spiral Israeli dance.”
Grade six student Clem said it was extremely fun and a new experience.
Her classmate Priya said that learning how to do-si-dos was her favourite.
“It was made better by having the older people come in and help us because they knew what there were doing, and it was cool to hang out with them and hear things about them,” Priya said.
This multigenerational session was enjoyed by all, and the principal Adam Torney has already asked the group when they’ll be back. Thanks to Lockwood South Primary School, Kyneton RSL and the U3A Kyneton dancers.
