FOLKLORE FESTIVAL INSPIRED MY DREAM JOB TO WORK IN THE ARTS
A successful Hartlepool-based creative producer, teacher and artist has said her 40-year affiliation with the arts was inspired by a lifechanging childhood adventure with the Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance (BIFF).
Vicky Jackson, Founder and Managing Director of Jack of Hearts and Co-Director of the Wintertide Festival proudly reflects on how her love affair with dance-theatre was initially fuelled by taking part in regular BIFF Children’s Clubs, where she had the chance to learn from international performers from around the world.
Vicky, 48, is originally from Billingham but left the town with her mum and dad, Tony and Sandy, to move to Hartlepool aged 11 – a place that she still calls home – where she lives with her husband Michael.
Vicky talks fondly about her early creative relationship with the Folklore Festival, which this year celebrates its 60th anniversary.
Vicky said: “It was like the centre of the world was performing outside of my front door for two weeks of the year. The festival really makes Billingham come to life.”
“My earliest memories of the Folklore Festival are standing along the parade route and it feeling like the Olympics, as representatives from different countries proudly walked through the town wearing some stunning colourful costumes that I loved and really engaged with.”
Vicky recalls attending for many years, the Uncle BIFF’s Children’s Club and the Parade of Nations with her long-time best friend (still to this day) Anshu Shearing. Their friendship was brought even closer together with their love of dance especially Ballet.
In one of the classes Vicky remembers dancing alongside the Peruvian performers and becoming instantly hooked on international dance-theatre. Vicky enjoyed watching the Bolivian dancers spinning with their elaborate stage attire.
Vicky best describes the feeling of the festival as being colourful and energetic. She remembers loving to listen to different kinds of music being played on instruments she’d never seen before.
Vicky adds: “The festival was a real highlight of my year. I felt lucky seeing all of these wonderful people from across the world. I didn’t know at that early age this was unique to Billingham as I thought it happened in other towns as well.”
The Folklore Festival was a real family occasion for Vicky as she would attend with her parents, Tony and Sandy. She fondly remembers how her mum would take her to a selection of arts events in the local area, and that her dad would document the festival as a keen amateur photographer.
Vicky would also go on to attend the theatre summer school at the Stockton Billingham College building – where she would later study performing arts as a student aged 16-18 years old. This then led Vicky to return to the festival as a student and be more creatively involved and even help with some stewarding and attend dance workshops.
This love of arts and culture, which was instigated through the Folklore Festival would become Vicky’s path into forging a longstanding career in The Arts.
She attended an associate diploma course at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before going on to teach performing arts for over 17-years at Hartlepool Sixth Form College – where she later became Head of Performing Arts. Vicky has tried various different styles from Ballet to Tap and even attempted Belly Dancing. She has a particular affection for watching Tango and Flamenco – any passionate dance theatre that tells a story.
Vicky also graduated from an MA in Education and Shakespeare from the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford.
Olga Maloney, Artistic Director of the Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance, said: “It’s amazing to think that the Folklore Festival can have such a lasting and inspiring effect on somebody’s career like in the case of Vicky.
“We have always had the vision of creating opportunities where aspiring young dancers can have unique experiences and be motivated by cultural influences from around the world.
“This tradition continues to this very day as the Children’s Club and International Dance Workshops are still going strong ready to inspire future generations of dancers from across Tees Valley.”
The Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance will be taking place between the 9th and 17th of August with performances across Tees Valley in Billingham, Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Stockton.
The Hartlepool events will take place on Thursday 14th August at Summerhill Country Park Visitors Centre. There will be a free outdoor performance at 12.30 pm by dancers and musicians all the way from Puerto Rico. Followed by a Family Caribbean Dance Workshop for all ages from 1.30 pm, priced at £1 – where people will have great fun and learn simple dance steps to the music and drums from North America.
Tickets can be reserved for the Folklore Festival’s online box office.