Local girl, Cinzia Yates, has recently secured the role of full-time research associate for an innovative project entitled Digital Folk.
It's a two-year AHRC-funded research project which examines the ways in which participants in folk art use digital resources. The project is led by Dr Simon Keegan-Phipps at the University of Sheffield, in collaboration with the University of Westminster and the English Folk Dance and Song Society.
Cinzia graduated last year with a PHD in Ethnomusicology from Cardiff University, with a dissertation entitled Excavating Notes: The Archaeology of Cannon Formation in Manx Music.
She was formerly Manx Music Resource Co-ordinator for the Manx Heritage Foundation (now renamed Culture Vannin) and was instrumental in developing the Manx Music Database.
Although the project is concerned with activities in England, Cinzia is keen to ensure that all aspects of folk activity taking place in England are represented; including Cornwall and Manx music and dance.
She's already discovered a dance group called Lizzie Dripping based in Sheffield who perform the well-known Manx dance Eunysagh Vona.
