Alison Williams-Bailey hails from Rusthall near Tunbridge Wells and her background is in the theatre. In 1996 she graduated from an MA Performing Arts at Middlesex University.  Her thesis involved fieldwork in Norway, Scotland, Orkney, Ireland and amongst the Sami, indigenous people of Norway.  She has collected and recorded folk song, music and dance from all the above as well as making interviews.  This research involved an exploration of her paternal heritage. Other research has included a MPhil project at Brunel University with a performance element amongst the Sami people in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia.  She has also researched some English traditions. In Scandanavia her performances have included:       Kautokeino Easter Festival Samisk Kulture Festival Tromso FolkeMusikkFestival, Norway Jutajelset Festival of Folk Dance and Song in Rovaniemi, Finland The Scotsman, Oslo Olenagorsk Sami Days festival, Russia Lovozero festival, Murmansk, Russia.     Work in the UK since 1997 has included:       Coin Street Festival Docklands Music Festival Hammersmith Irish Centre Broadstairs Folk Week Bath Fringe Festival Folk Ale at Badlesmere and Hollow Shore, Kent The Big Green Gathering Gaunts House Summer Gathering Earth Spirit     Radio appearances include   UK radio:  BBC Radio Kent "Friday Folk" with Simon Evans Sami radio:  Inari, Finland, Guovdageaidnu, Karasjok, Norway, Norweigan Radio, Tromso (local), and NRk (international)