2026 Summer Course in Early Dance
EDC Home | Summer 2026 | Details | Brochure | Enrolment
Baroque and beyond ...
Wednesday January 7 - Friday January 9, 2026
in North Sydney
An invitation
to our 16th Summer Course in Early Dance. By popular demand, we are
returning to the Baroque era of the early 18th century, and a little
beyond, for a taste of some of the exquisite and vivacious dances of the
court. They come from a time when the Belle Danse technique of
the French court was in use both in the ballroom and on stage.
How do we know?
We are lucky that, in the absence of video clips (!), there are detailed
notations preserving many beautiful dance creations. With study we can
bring these to life and feel the physical presence of the courtier in
the posture, gestures & dance moves lost over the centuries. And
discover echoes in the music and dance of our time.
Why learn? The Summer Course provides an opportunity to develop an appreciation of this distinctive dance heritage. Musicians, actors, dancers and history-lovers will benefit from tangible insights into rhythms & musical forms, into manners, deportment, gesture & aesthetics. Over three days, students will learn movements, steps and sequences in preparation for excerpts & complete dances in different rhythms. Basic technique will be introduced for newcomers, while experienced students will benefit from refining technique & style, & building repertoire.
Requirements:
No previous dance experience required. No need to bring a
partner.
About the Course teachers
Fiona Garlick & John Barnard have led the Early Dance Consort for many
years. They have appeared as performers in numerous and varied concert
and stage productions with leading early music ensembles. Their
pedagogical experience ranges from regular classes & courses in North
Sydney to lectures, workshops & masterclasses presented for arts &
education institutions around Australia & overseas.
Course details Brochure & Enrolment form
Morning A sessions
introduce the basics of Baroque dance style: deportment, gesture &
characteristic movements which distinguish it from other styles,
exploring a range of steps & their precise relationship to the musical
rhythms for dances from Bourrée & Gavotte to Minuet, Chaconne & Gigue.
Morning B sessions develop steps in context to form phrases & figures, building towards one or more dances from the repertoire.
Afternoon C sessions
will extend to more complex steps, subtleties of hand & arm movements,
to further an appreciation of the precision and delicacy of the Belle
Danse.
Plus exploration of the dance notation known as chorégraphie,
the
key to discovering the treasures of this unique dance repertoire.
Students are encouraged to begin on Wednesday,
and may choose to do either:
* Full Course (9 sessions over 3 days) OR
* Part Course (1 or more A or A+B sessions) with Wednesday sessions
being
pre-requisite to those on following days.
DAILY SCHEDULE 7-9 January, 2026
| Begins | Ends | Description |
| 9:00 am | 9:15 am | Register/Warm-up |
| 9:15 am | 11:00 am | A sessions |
| 11:00 am | 11:15 am | Morning Tea |
| 11:15 am | 1:00 pm | B sessions |
| 1:00 pm | 2:00 pm | Lunch (BYO) |
| 2:00 pm | 3:45 pm | C sessions |
Venue: 181 Blues Point Road, North Sydney. From North Sydney Train/Bus Station: turn left on Blue Street, 1st left into Blues Point Road. A Short walk south down hill to Hall on left-hand-side just before Lavender Street. Google Map
What to wear
Light comfortable clothes, and secure shoes without rubber soles.
Flat, light shoes for warm-ups (e.g. ballet flats, jiffies) if
preferred.
Low-heeled shoes (1-4cm) for Baroque dance (e.g., Grecian sandals, or
Jazz shoes )
See Classes - Schedule &c for
more detail.
To eat & drink
Light refreshments will be provided for morning tea.
Bring water to drink, and pack/buy lunch if staying for the day.
Health &
Hygiene
For the wellbeing of all participants, we urge you to stay at home
if unwell. Hand gel will be available. Natural ventilation will be
maintained.
Enrolment
Please complete
enrolment form
and return by email, or email with the same information. Prior booking is essential.
Preferred payment is by direct deposit (bank details on enrolment form).
Otherwise cheque or exact cash in envelope.
*
Early-bird rates available until December 19.
Do get in touch by phone or email if you have any questions, and you
can't find the answers here.
Course Fees
| Item | Detail | Early-bird* | Full Price |
| Full Course | 3 days, 9 sessions | $ 220.00 | $ 250.00 |
| One Day, each | Wednesday+ (3 sessions A+B+C) | $ 95.00 | $ 100.00 |
| Mornings A | 1 session/day for 3 days | $ 90.00 | $ 95.00 |
| Mornings A+B | 2 sessions/day for 3 days | $ 170.00 | $ 185.00 |
| Single session | Wednesday A, or A+B, each | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
© The Early Dance Consort 2025
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