The Harold Simmons Folk Academy, established in October 2012, announces its teaching courses and programmes for the term quarter of February to April 2013. The term begins on Monday February 18^th.

Language:

Language courses in the basic reading and writing of St. Lucian Kwéyòl will be taught by a team of language experts led by Hilary LaForce, current Chairman and Acting Executive Director of the FRC. These courses are designed to impart general knowledge and basic understanding of the kwéyòl language in the context of its culture.

The classes are designed to help students familiarize themselves with the Kwéyòl writing system and the importance of being able to read and write our indigenous language. Kwéyòl is an international language spoken by millions of people.

Those teaching have been involved in the development of the Kwéyòl orthography on which the writing style is based. Two main dictionaries, a translation of the New Testament and several publications have been published since the completion of the writing style.

The classes will be held at the Folk Research Centre, home of the Harold Simmons Folk Academy. The course will be offered in 2 hour classes of 4 sessions. Scheduled times are Tuesdays and Thursdays 5-7pm.

Fees are $25.00 per session with a registration fee of $20.00.

 Interested persons can register with the FRC in person, by phone or by email .

 

 

 

Traditional dance:

Frank Norville, singer, composer and dance tutor will introduce participants to popular folk dances of St. Lucia. This course is open to beginners as well as experienced dancers who want to improve their knowledge of traditional folk dances.

The aim is to familiarise participants with the popular traditional dances, their place in the wider cultural context, and to teach them how to execute the intricate steps and choreography.

Participants will also be taught to identify the music that accompanies the traditional folk music. A final presentation will consist of a dance concert with individual and group presentations.

The course will be held over a six-week period with classes twice a week. This course will be held over a six-week period, with two classes a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5-7 pm, starting February 19th.

A minimum of twelve (12) students is required for the course to be offered. Participants will pay $150.00 for the full course. There is a $20.00 registration fee.

The venue will be the Folk Research Centre, home of the Harold Simmons Folk Academy.

Students can register at the FRC directly or on the phone (4522279) or by email .

 

Traditional Music:

Frank Norville, singer and composer with many years of experience in performance and teaching, will teach well-known and not so well- known St. Lucian songs to musicians. These include instrumentalists, vocalists and choir leaders. This course is aimed not at beginners, but trained musicians.

The aim of the course is to familiarise participants with traditional, indigenous St. Lucian songs and their musical structure.

Students  will be introduced to St. Lucian music, its history and roots; popular songs and their famous singers (like Sesenne Descartes, Florita Marquis, Eric Adley, Captain Elude and others) will be identified; the musical structure and unique rhythms of the songs will be outlined. The musicians will of course play and sing these songs under the master-teaching of Frank Norville, who has himself recorded many of those songs.

The musicians will then be encouraged to create their own new St. Lucian songs building on the traditional structures.

A final presentation concert will be arranged with individual and group performances.

The course will be held for twelve weeks (February – April).

Specific dates and times will be announced later. Every effort will be made to accommodate the availability of interested persons.

 

Students will pay $200.00 for full course.  A minimum of ten (10) students is required for the course to be offered. Registration by visit to FRC or by phone (4522279) or by email . Registration fee: $20.00.

The venue for the course will be the Folk Research Centre, home of the Harold Simmons Folk Academy.

 

Law and Culture:

The Folk Research Centre has always offered  programmes for our infant and primary schools, with major activities in July and October. These will continue and and schools are asked to contact the Centre to request the kinds of classes they would like and to make bookings.

For the first time, a course in Law and Culture aimed at Common Entrance students is being offered. The tutor is lawyer and former magistrate Ms Floreta Nicholas.

The course is designed to introduce Common Entrance students to the role and function of persons involved in the justice system. Students will be taught the place and importance of these persons. Role playing will be used to enhance the teaching.

The course will be offered on request from schools and will last for one hour. Students are charged $5.00 per class each.

 

Other courses/programmes being planned for this quarter:

Discussions are on-going with a well-known educator to offer classes in Kwéyòl cooking and development of recipes based on local cuisine.

A seminar is proposed on the discovery and use of traditional herbs and medicines.

A conference is also being discussed on Kwéyòl theatre, its roots and development and forms.

 

This year’s programmes of the Harold Simmons Folk Academy, in its various teaching quarters, are being presented against the background of the 40^th anniversary of the Folk Research Centre. Lectures, seminars and various kinds of activities are being planned.

The public will be informed of the activities of the Folk Academy as they develop.

 

[For further information contact John Robert Lee or Hilary La Force at 4522279; also see FRC’s Face Book page for more details]