Mike Ruff gave up any attempt at a day job more than 20 years ago to concentrate on being a musician. Working in schools came a few years later and the purchase of a Maypole meant “have Maypole will travel” has become a major part of Mike’s work ever since. He has taught dancers of all ages and abilities, creating shows and teaching teachers. In 2012, he worked with the English National Ballet to provide Maypole dancing and music for morris dancing for their Big Dance event.
Two creative partnership projects in Slough in 2002 resulted in Mike forming Tradamis which is now a charity, with Mike as Director and one of the Trustees. Through a nationwide network of practitioners, Tradamis offers a wide range of teaching modules, training, mentoring, and resources on traditional and historical dance and music aimed at increasing appreciation of our cultural heritage as widely as possible.
Mike’s work as a musician continues alongside his educational work. In addition to his band Quicksilver, who you will hear on the CD, he performs Victorian Music Hall with Allcock and Brown and, as a Tudor minstrel, with Bag o’Peas. Add in a wide range of solo activities and a series of talks on the history of dancing, and there is a whole separate, and occasionally overlapping, career which takes him from village greens and museums to the streets of London and Wembley Stadium.
Two creative partnership projects in Slough in 2002 resulted in Mike forming Tradamis which is now a charity, with Mike as Director and one of the Trustees. Through a nationwide network of practitioners, Tradamis offers a wide range of teaching modules, training, mentoring, and resources on traditional and historical dance and music aimed at increasing appreciation of our cultural heritage as widely as possible.
Mike’s work as a musician continues alongside his educational work. In addition to his band Quicksilver, who you will hear on the CD, he performs Victorian Music Hall with Allcock and Brown and, as a Tudor minstrel, with Bag o’Peas. Add in a wide range of solo activities and a series of talks on the history of dancing, and there is a whole separate, and occasionally overlapping, career which takes him from village greens and museums to the streets of London and Wembley Stadium.
Jenny Read is a freelance music and dance teacher with years of experience in folk and community arts. With a BA Hons in Music and a Diploma in Dance Teaching and Learning for Children and Young People (DDTAL), she teaches in a variety of settings: local dance classes, Early Years’ music and movement sessions, musicianship training, curriculum-based school music lesson, and instrumental tuition to name but a few.
As a performer, she dances and sings with the UK’s old-time American string band, The Buffalo Gals, plays the piano for the Devon-based English ceilidh band, A New Vintage, and leads workshops and performances with percussive dance team, Appakella. She is also three times winner of the Dartmoor Step Dance Competition.
Jenny is a director of the new Devon-based folk arts social enterprise, Spinningpath Arts CIC, taking folk arts into schools and community settings.
As a performer, she dances and sings with the UK’s old-time American string band, The Buffalo Gals, plays the piano for the Devon-based English ceilidh band, A New Vintage, and leads workshops and performances with percussive dance team, Appakella. She is also three times winner of the Dartmoor Step Dance Competition.
Jenny is a director of the new Devon-based folk arts social enterprise, Spinningpath Arts CIC, taking folk arts into schools and community settings.