What has been the best arts company to visit your school in the past year? Martha Graham Dance Company.

How did you hear about them? Through Lothian Region.

What did they do? They performed Lamentation, a solo dance with a dancer encased in a tube of material. It was performed four times to different year groups, with narration before and discussion after.

Did you do any preparation beforehand? All pupils were given background information on Martha Graham and her influence on contemporary dance.

Any follow-up work? The senior dance group based a piece of work on Lamentation.

How long did they stay? One day How much did they cost? Free.

Who paid? Lothian region.

What was so good about them? They were extremely well prepared and enthusiastic, and had an excellent rapport with pupils. They were interested in pupil responses, and pupils had a chance to work in the tube of material, which was great fun. It was an excellent piece of dance, moving and powerful.

How relevant was their work to the curriculum? All S1 and S2 do a dancedrama block.

Arts Department, Edinburgh City Council, tel: 0131 469 3358.