10th-11th September 2022
Swanage Folk Festival
Dance: Worcestershire Monkey - preparing for a massed dance
Dancers: Christine2, Christopher, Claire, Claudia, Eddie, Mike,
Peter, Phil, Tony
Musicians: Adam, Ali, Colin, Clare, Joe, Andy, Graeme, MaryAnn,
Phil, plus many old friends including Andy Wilkin, Richard,
Sharon, etc
Camera: Chris
10th-11th September 2022
Swanage Folk Festival
Dance: Tide (Just as the Tide was A'Flowin)
Dancers: Christine2, Christopher, Claire, Claudia, Eddie, Mike,
Peter, Tony
Musicians: Adam, Ali, Colin, Clare, Joe, Andy, Graeme, MaryAnn,
Phil, plus many others
Camera: Chris
Our first Saturday spot was at the Heritage Centre.
Rose is in the first two pictures, dancing Much Gridlock - you'd never have known that she'd only practiced the dance once
Next the Red Lion spot (no pictures), then we were off to the third spot at the Clock Tower with our local friends, Ellington Morris
These pictures are from a rendition of Alvechurch Smithy - something we hadn't practiced for at least a year!
As usual, we missed the procession, and headed for the Swanage Railway, for a steam train to Corfe Castle.
After the customary cream tea and wasp-fight, we danced a spot by the castle entrance
Back to the station for the return trip home, which was somewhat delayed by "lubrication problems" with the engine pulling the other train up from Swanage
Louise and John in the first picture were members of OBJ until
they moved to Dorset.
Andy (also in the first picture) escaped being asked to sing
"Shall the Turtle be Unbroken". How did that happen?
Up bright and early on Sunday morning, for an impromptu spot with Fox's Morris near the Mowlem Centre.
We know it was an "mpromptu spot" because thats what we've been
calling it for the last several years. Old Harry Rocks are in the
background.
Then off to the Clock Tower for a spot with Taeppa's Tump - always
a pleasure. The second picture is from Dilwyn and the third/fourth
are from Brimfield.
We set off at a brisk pace to walk the length of Swanage from the Clock Tower to the Prince Albert Gardens.
By the time we arrived, the pace had slowed to a crawl. I only
made it because I stopped for a bag of chips on the way.
Then back to the place where we began on Saturday - the Heritage
Centre.
The last spot was the final one for massed dancing on the sea front.
It's an "ancient custom" now for border morris sides to gather
near beach hut 28 for a massed dance of Tide (Just as the tide was
a'flowin) and Worcestershire Monkey.
I read somewhere that our previous record was 9 sets (I'm sure it
was many more), and we certainly managed at least 9 sets this
year, with dancers from OBJ, Phoenix, Enigma, Fox's, Wreckers,
Tatters&Tails and several others including two Slovakian dance
teams
Dancing in the Sea
The last event on the programme was "If brave dancing in the
sea".
We've been doing this since 1997, and it's nice to see that this
year, it became an official part of the festival.
Those brave enough included OBJ, Fox's Morris and Enigma, plus a
few others I can't identify
A few more assorted pics.
The now-obligatory team photo, Freya, Clare and Phil, Graeme and Christine2, plus The Waverley, which departed while we were at the Heritage Centre
