Swanage Folk Festival 2021
Things seen on the streets of Swanage last weekend:
A seven foot tall phoenix conversing with Morris dancers and joining in with their dances...
Phoenix Morris
A perfectly normal sight for Folk Festival weekend.
Another Morris side gets the tricky dancing-on-the-breakwater slot.
Jumping through hoops. Mr Wilkins Shilling Ladies Morris doing really impressive high-precision dances with hoops. It could have all gone horribly wrong...
...but it didn't.
Old Palace Clog. Notice the two sleeping terriers at the foot of the musician. Old hands - they've seen and heard it all before.
Ilfracombe Red Petticoats.
Bearing in mind how much practice must have been disrupted during the pandemic, the sides were all putting on an amazing display. It's true that some of the Morris sides were a little short of musicians, and some were a little short of dancers this year.
This side recruits 'em young. Also a passing dancer from another side was press-ganged into this dance, and had to hand her ice cream to one of the audience...
Actually none of the Border Morris sides appeared to be short of dancers. I have this theory that, like male birds evolving bright plumage to attract mates, the Morris sides with the biggest, most feathery hats attract most members.
Dorset Buttons Ladies Morris, with Dorset buttons on their hats.
I was unable to find the name of this side.
I met my sister on the sea front - easily spotted even in the crowds, as she dances for one of the local sides. Watched her dance a couple of sets. She looked at my camera, and asked me if I had a filter that would make her look slimmer. (I haven't posted her picture here - she'd kill me).
A seven foot tall phoenix conversing with Morris dancers and joining in with their dances...
Phoenix Morris
A perfectly normal sight for Folk Festival weekend.
Another Morris side gets the tricky dancing-on-the-breakwater slot.
Jumping through hoops. Mr Wilkins Shilling Ladies Morris doing really impressive high-precision dances with hoops. It could have all gone horribly wrong...
...but it didn't.
Old Palace Clog. Notice the two sleeping terriers at the foot of the musician. Old hands - they've seen and heard it all before.
Ilfracombe Red Petticoats.
Bearing in mind how much practice must have been disrupted during the pandemic, the sides were all putting on an amazing display. It's true that some of the Morris sides were a little short of musicians, and some were a little short of dancers this year.
This side recruits 'em young. Also a passing dancer from another side was press-ganged into this dance, and had to hand her ice cream to one of the audience...
Actually none of the Border Morris sides appeared to be short of dancers. I have this theory that, like male birds evolving bright plumage to attract mates, the Morris sides with the biggest, most feathery hats attract most members.
Dorset Buttons Ladies Morris, with Dorset buttons on their hats.
I was unable to find the name of this side.
I met my sister on the sea front - easily spotted even in the crowds, as she dances for one of the local sides. Watched her dance a couple of sets. She looked at my camera, and asked me if I had a filter that would make her look slimmer. (I haven't posted her picture here - she'd kill me).