The Side danced here but no one wrote up what happened! Scribe was on vacation.

We danced at this entertaining Folk Festival in Chippenham, along with 35+ other dance sides, swamping the streets and the good people of the Town with Morris, Clog Dancing, Welsh Folk Dancing, Belly Dancing and Appalachian Dancing. It would have been impossible not to notice us all, dancing in the High St; which had been closed & pedestrianized for the Festival.

We danced throughout the day at several spots in the High St; and Borough Parade in the good company of New Moon Morris, Icknield Way Morris (their Squire, Jim Birch, used to be our Squire back in the 70s), England’s Glory Morris, Temporary Measure North West Clog and Kittiwake Border who we all thought were a very good entertaining young side.

We danced in The Parade, doing Speed the Plough adapted as a processional dance, and whilst it was all downhill to the Festival Field, it was hard work but we danced well, drawing applause from the appreciative crowd watching the event.

The good thing about Folk Festivals is you’re always going to bump into people you knew forty odd years ago, and this year proved to be no exception! Ex Sweyn’s Ey Musoes Martin Hughes, MJ Searle & Ollie Athelstan-Price were there, as were ex dancers Mick Tems, Jim Birch, Dave Lock, Paul Rosser and Jonathan Baker. Who knows where the time goes?

Our numbers were depleted due to illness but we were able to call upon Morwenna James from Cardiff Morris to assist us and Keith Lascelles joined us for the mid day spot as he was dancing with Tipyn y Bopeth Welsh Dancers. Claire being a relative newcomer to the side, danced extremely well, and as always, our Musoes Sian, and Roger played without fault throughout the day and provided excellent music for us to dance to.

Our final dance spot in High St; was danced with Temporary Measure Clog and also Kittiwake Border whose youth, vigour and vim rather stole the show. It was a bit hard following their dance style, but hey, we thought them exceedingly good, and due to the lateness of the day and wearied limbs we were more than happy to see them dance so well to the wall of sound their Musoes provided. They ended what had been a very good day all round. We must go again, but go early as car parking is hell with the main one not taking cash and not accepting cards in the traditional way! 

Words and photos by Paul with major assistance from Andrea!

New Inn Clydach, Millers Arms Ynystawe

The side danced at both these excellent pubs, situated in northern Clydach & Ynystawe as part of our regular Thursday evening summer tours. Any notion that it was summer was dispelled by the grey clouds and chilly winds that greeted us when we arrived at the New Inn. However, the winds dropped, the temperatures started to rise and then hordes of midges (there are rivers by both pubs) descended to feed upon us in a frenzy. They got everywhere and Kevin our box player will probably remove a kilo of the little blighters that have been sucked into his melodeon!

Illness & holidays had afflicted some of the side, so our dance repertoire was limited to what everyone was happy & familiar with. Several people from the New Inn came out to watch us, they being forced out of the bar by the Landlord! We like this kind of positivity!

The Millers provided respite of sorts with fewer midges to bother us, but they were still there! We danced until it got dark and then retired to the bar for a bit of socialising in a midge free zone!

We were invited to dance at the Folk Festival (one of three this year alongside Gower Folk Festival & Evesham). Apart from ourselves, Isca and Mendip Morris were also there on a very hot Saturday. I think we did well, entertaining the crowds and consuming some of the ales at the CAMRA Bar, where Jemima Pitchfork was particularly good quality. Alongside ourselves there were dancers from Holland, Flanders [special mention of these as they performed a Longsword Dance just like North Skelton which we used to do a longtime back] Hungary and Welsh dancers from Pen y Fai. All in all a good day out.
Words and some pics by Paul. Andrea took quite a few!

Murton Fete May Bank Holiday Monday.

A lot of people came to watch us perform this year, so many in fact that the Army had to control the crowds! Murton Fete was a great gig with plenty of cake stalls, people, Swansea Silver Band and the D-Day 80th Anniversary re-enactors of the South Wales Borderers et al who were there with their vehicles and motorcycles and equipment.
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We performed an extended set of dances mainly in front of the Burger stall which attracted a steadily changing crowd of people, with some young folk eagerly joining us in one dance opened to volunteers.
This was one of the best Murton Fetes we have been to. A good day out.
Words & Pics: Paul T.

May Day Dancing at Arthur’s Stone.

We gathered at 5:30am to walk over a saturated Cefn Bryn towards the Stone. Wellies and boots were very much needed! We performed for a couple who faithfully stayed, braving the very chilly conditions. The grey clouds that scudded in from the sea were as grey as a battleship and soon deteriorated into drenching drizzle. Sian put her fiddle away and brought out her tin whistle. Sadly there was only the merest hint of a sunrise this year!

Several dances were performed for an hour and it was really great seeing both Claire and Margaret dancing out for the very first time with us. Well done both! Morwen James from Cardiff Morris joined us and with our numbers we were able to perform Lads of Bunchum with two sets!

The King Arthur provided warming sanctuary and a superb breakfast for us all, opening up at 7:30am and we concluded this year’s May Day celebration by performing a few further dances in the carpark as a few still had to attend to duties at a strange phenomenon called work!
Photos by Paul Tarrant & Alison Haworth