Schoolchildren will still be able to take part in a Manx music and dance competition despite the current spate of social restrictions.

The Manx Folk Awards were set to go ahead this Easter, up until the announcement of the new social-distancing measures in the face of the recent coronavirus outbreak.

However, in a repeat of 2020 measures, organisers have made the decision to move this year’s event online.

It was decided not to go ahead with the regular competition that sees school children from key stages one and two perform traditional Manx folk songs, music and dances either in groups, pairs or as a solo act. The

present lockdown means that participating children would not have adequate time to prepare their routines, especially the group performances.

Instead, any school child or group interested in taking part can film or record their entry, with the chance that it may end up being broadcast on Manx Radio.

Organisers Dr Chloe Woolley, Manx music officer for Culture Vannin and Jo Callister, advisory teacher for the Manx curriculum at the Department for Education, Sport and Culture, have made available a series of online resources for the planned set pieces for choirs, poetry and Manx Gaelic, available for teachers and parents to download.

The Manx Folk awards was an early casualty of the initial lockdown last year, with the event set to take place only two weeks after the social-distancing measures were introduced.

This led the organisers to move the event online, with children submitting their entries to the Manx music website on a non-competitive basis.

Teachers, parents and other interested parties are encouraged to record the children dancing, singing or playing an instrument much in the same as last year’s awards, with the end results being shared on the weekly ’Goll as Gaccan’ Manx language radio programme broadcast on Manx Radio on Sunday afternoons, hosted by Simon Clarke and Phil Gawne.

Organisers were disappointed to cancel the public, competitive side to the folk awards, but were left with little choice.

’It is such a disappointment that we have once again had to cancel the Manx Folk Awards,’ said Jo.

’Practice time would be severely limited for group entrants and the logistics of learning songs and dances while children are not all in one place is just too tricky.

’We encourage schools and parents to access the downloadable resources and even, if they want to, "go rogue" and practice something else instead.

’The emphasis for us would be that, despite us not being able to come together to share our traditional music, dance, song and poetry through the folk awards, children will still be able to share what they have done through Goll as Gaccan.’

More details on the set pieces and suggested music, songs and dance pieces, along with how to enter and take part, are available from www.manxmusic.com

by Mike Wade

Twitter:@iomnewspapers