Biography
Swedish born Traditional Dancer and Researcher Mats Melin was based in Angus, Scotland until early 2008. He has worked and performed extensively in Angus, Sutherland, the Scottish Highlands, the Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland, in their schools and communities promoting Scottish traditional dance. He has also taught and performed in Sweden, Canada, USA, Russia, and New Zealand. Mats has a vast knowledge of all aspects of the Scottish Traditional Dance scene, but specialises in Cape Breton Step dancing and the old social dances such as the Scotch reels and Quadrilles. He has worked both with traditional and contemporary artists in Scotland.
Mats have been Traditional Dance Artist in Residence for both Shetland (1995) and Sutherland (1996-97). Between 1998 and 2001 he was working as the Traditional Dance Development Officer for the Angus District and the same for Perth and Kinross between 2002 and 2003 on behalf of The Scottish Traditions of Dance Trust (STDT).
Mats started, and was part of the dynamic performance group Dannsa, and he was also the choreographer of Vesterled (1998) a show making a journey in music and dance from Scandinavia to Scotland. Choreographed Generating Heat' in 2003 a commissioned piece by the STDT, and later Elements' together with Frank McConnell for the St Magnus Festival in Orkney. He also performed and taught as part of CeilidhMakers together with traditional Scots singer Christine Kydd.
Mats was a member of the Scottish Arts Council's Dance Committee until March 2003. He served as a member of the Scottish Governments Traditional Arts Working Group 2009-10. He has lectured and taught dance at the BA in Scots Music at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly RSAMD), Glasgow since 2001.
Mats holds an MA degree in Ethnochoreology from the Irish World Academy, University of Limerick.
Mats was appointed Lecturer in Dance in 2007 on the BA Irish Music and Dance at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance.
Mats completed his PhD: 'Exploring the Percussive Routes and Shared Commonalities in Cape Breton Step Dancing' in May 2012.
Appointed course director for the MA Irish Dance Studies in 2015.
The book: One with the Music: Cape Breton Step Dancing Tradition and Transmission published by Cape Breton University Press is available from October 2015.
Research Interests
Traditional Dance - particularly:- Close to the floor percussive dance - Cape Breton, Irish, English & Scottish genres of step dancing.
- Social dances and Quadrille dancing of Scotland, Ireland, Canada and Continental Europe, the performance and history of same. Scandinavian dance forms.
- Ethnochoreology based movement analysis and dance notation.
- Newcastle Notation and Labanotation
Arts and Health, with a special interest in dance and health, tai chi, healing aspects of movement.
Professional Activities
Consultancy
- 2016 Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland (TRACS) - What songs, stories, dance steps and seasonal customs should every child in Scotland know? What belongs to them regardless of origin, culture or language? Here is a perfect starting point from which parents, teachers and youth organisations can build their own local collections.
- 2014 MacTV, Stornoway, UK - Consultancy providing historical and research based information on Cape Breton and Scottish step dancing to programme makers of Faram nam Bròg (In Their Steps) broadcast on BBC ALBA on March 9th 2015.
- 2009 The Scottish Government - Traditional Arts Working Group, The Scottish Government, 2009-2010
Traditional dance consultant
Association
- 2015 Board Member, Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland
- 2009 Member, Congress on Research in Dance (CORD)
- 2006 Member, ICTM Ireland
- 2005 Member; Member of sub-study group on Ethnochoreology, International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM)
- 2004 Board Member, Dance Research Forum Ireland
- 2003 Special advisor on traditional dance, Scottish Arts Council
- 2000 Member, Piping and Dancing Association of New Zealand
- 1995 Founder Member, Scottish Traditions of Dance Trust
- 1980 Life member, An Comunn Gaidhealach
- 1980 Teacher; Treasurer; Secretary., Stockholm Caledonian Dance Circle
- 1978 Member, Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (RSCDS) (presently London Branch).
Committee
- 2014 Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland / Buidheann Dannsa Tradaiseanta na h-Alba, http://www.tracscotland.org/tracs/traditional-dance
- 2012 Ethnochoreology Symposium Ireland,
- 2009 Traditional Arts Working Group, Scottish Government,
- 2008 Dance Research Forum Ireland,
- 2007 Dance Research Forum Ireland,
- 2005 Dance Research Forum Ireland,
- 2000 Scottish Arts Council Dance Committee,
Education
- 2012 University of Limerick - PhD
- 2006 Irish World Academy of Music and Dance - M.A.
Employment
- 1998 Scottish Traditions of Dance Trust - Traditional Dance Artist in Residence
- 1996 Highland Council - Dance Artist in Residence
- 1995 Shetland Arts Trust - Dance Artist in Residence
Language
- Swedish
- English
Other
- Performances and choreographies. see CV on http://limerick.academia.edu/MatsMelin/CurriculumVitae