Apollo's Revels

Apollo's Revels is a group that explores the connections between dance and music. There was a time when dancing and music were considered essential parts of a rounded education, alongside a knowledge of science and poetry, swordsmanship and art. Dancing teachers were often musicians, and musicians often accomplished dancers, so the two disciplines were closely intertwined. Nowadays if one is lucky enough to study either, it is usually one or the other, rarely both, and the revival and recreation of historical practice in each field is honed and developed in isolation. In truth, both are missing out. If we can know how a sarabande was danced, how much more will it come to life if danced to the live music of a sarabande, and if a composer followed a prelude with two minuets and a gigue, how much better might we understand and communicate that suite if we understand the physical movement that those titles could imply. Music and dance are both languages, capable of expressing joy, frivolity, melancholy, flirtation, love. Perhaps the two together can express those things more richly than either can alone...​

Apollo's Dancers

Our dancers are Anne Deller and Kath Waters. Both are experienced historical dancers, keen to unlock the theatrical potential of the surviving choreographies.
Kath has worked as a professional dance practitioner for over 20 years. She has a passion for historical dance forms and enjoys working in the fields of Tudor, Baroque and Morris Dancing, alongside her work in the more mainstream dance styles of contemporary, classical ballet and jazz. She also works as a choreographer and movement director, specialising in movement for actors. 
Anne has been dancing and performing historical dance for over 20 years. She takes a keen interest in not only the dance itself, but also the social context. She has been studying baroque dance with Mary Collins for several years and worked with her on the Aestas Musica course in Croatia and danced as part of a production of Venus and Adonis by music students in Cologne.

Apollo's Musicians

Our musicians are Alison Kinder and Lynda Sayce, both well known in the early music world and delighted to be allowing dance to shape their interpretations of familiar and new repertoire alike. 
One of Britain's leading lutenists with over 100 recordings to her name, Lynda performs regularly as soloist and continuo player with leading period instrument ensembles worldwide. She is principal lutenist with The King's Consort and Ex Cathedra, and directs the lute ensemble Chordophony. She is occasionally allowed to leave the bass line, and to tackle a tune on a flute or recorder.
Alison is a gamba player of all sizes and shapes, principally as a member of Chelys consort of viols, and also on Renaissance viols and baroque violin. She is a keen teacher and can be found on a number of Early Music courses, leading workshops for Early Music Fora and co-running the Rondo Viol Academy.

Audio and video recording by Sam Stadlen