Events

Nic Gareiss: The Art of Treepling

Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland

Work-in-Progress Showing

Part of The Art of Treepling Weekend culminating the First Footing Residency.

In the final chapter of dance collectors Joan and Tom Flett’s 1964 book
Traditional Dancing in Scotland, the authors make reference to “the art
of treepling.” At the time of the text’s publication, treepling,
“beating out the rhythm of the music with the feet,” was one of the
lesser-known features of Scottish dancing and had almost entirely
disappeared. (Flett & Flett, 1964, p. 260) This new solo step dance
work-in-progress engages the Flett’s original research, re-imagining
treepling as a locus of creative interpretation of traditional music &
dance in Scotland and other geographies in which treepling is found,
including Ireland, Canada, and the Appalachian region of the United
States.

Followed by Q&A with invited guests Colin Dunne, Sandy Silva, Dr. Mats Melin and Anita Clark.

Nic Gareiss is a percussive dance artist and dance researcher, voted one
of Dance Magazine’s 2019 “25 to Watch” and hailed by the Boston Herald
as “the most inventive and expressive step dancer on the scene”. His
work re-imagines movement as a musical practice, recasting dance as
medium that appeals to both eyes and ears. Originally from Michigan,
Gareiss draws from many percussive dance traditions, weaving together a
dance technique facilitating his love of improvisation, traditional
dance footwork vocabulary and musical collaboration.

07 Jun
19:30 - 21:00
The event takes place at St. Cecilia’s Hall, 50 Niddry St, Edinburgh EH1 1LG.
Free (ticketed)