Everything is brilliant in Leeds

[venta]

Long-term readers will know that around this time of year DERT happens. DERT - the Dancing England Rapper Tournament - is the annual competition for the style of folk dancing that I do. This year it's in Leeds.

This year it is also an unexpectedly big deal for Mabel Gubbins. Firstly, we're in Premier.

Comments

[strange_complex]

So am I right in understanding that you'll be here for the weekend of March 7th-9th? If so, that's unfortunately going to mean I completely miss you, as I am away in York for the whole of that weekend. Which is a very sad thing, as I haven't seen you since I left Oxford, and would have loved to do so. :-(

[venta]

You are correct, and it is indeed a shame that you will not be there (though I hope you have a lovely time in York!)

I have been thinking that I should do more trundling around the country to see (a) places and (b) people, so will try and remove myself to Leeds again at a more convenient season ;-)

[venta]

I forget the proper term that the competition uses (it's not "part time"!) but it's basically teams whose main kind of dancing is something which is not rapper. So, for example, morris teams who practise and perform morris dancing, but also do a bit of rapper on the side occasionally.

[sammason]

Sat 8th and Sun 9th March? I'll be in Leeds and I can recommend a nice food-selling, real-ale selling, wheelchair-friendly pub for lunch. You or another would have to collect me from home (North Leeds - can give details in PM) because I no longer drive. My wheelchair is lightweight and folds small enough for the boot of a typical hatchback. With my Blue Badge, whoever drives me can park in places marked 'Disabled'. I'd like to see you dance rapper (I'm ex-Morris as you may recall) but that's probably not very feasible. Lunch, however, may be feasible :-)

[venta]

Yup, 8th and 9th. Meeting would have to be Sunday, because I shall be all tied up with the competition on the Saturday.

Collecting is going to be a bit problematic, as I'm heading up to Leeds on the train (and last thing I knew, most of my team were planning to do the same). I might be able to find someone who's going to hang around on the Sunday and be willing/able to offer lifts, but I'm unlikely to know that until the weekend, which makes planning hard.

Are there alternatives? I shall be based in Headingley for the weekend, which also looks on a map to be Northish Leeds. Is there anywhere in your local area that would be reasonable for you, and which I could perhaps get myself to on public transport?

My apologies for missing you off my Leeds list - for some reason I always want to file you in Sheffield!

[sammason]

This isn't sounding very feasible. It's not important to meet in person but I hope you'll have a great weekend of dancing and winning.

Filing me in Sheffield? I don't know it well but it seems a lovely city. I'm laughing gently at the idea of being 'filed' anywhere! because I file people too. Different email folders, different LJ filters, stuff like that.

[venta]

I'm sorry about the infeasibility. I agree meeting isn't vital; I've lots of online friends whom I've gone on to meet, but also lots I haven't (and some I probably never will, mostly due to geography). As I mentioned to strange_complex above, I quite like the idea of doing more jaunting round the UK on social rather than folk business, so will be sure to let you know if I'm making it up to Leeds again. Hopefully I'll be able to bring Susan with me in the future (Susan is our getting-old-now but much-loved car).

I also love Sheffield, so no disrespect intended by the filing. My worst filing problem is actually people in morris teams and the like; if they turn up wearing different kit (or normal clothes) I'm completely unable to work out who they are. I spent years chatting to two blokes in Darlington before I realised they were the same person, one in normal clothes and one blacked up in full Border kit :-)

[undyingking]

Do you get relegated if you finish last?

[venta]

Possibly :-)

Each year the organisers of the competition get to decide the fine points of the rules, so it'd depend what future organisers decide. When we ran DERT in 2011 there were only two classes (Premier and "Everyone else") and it was basically self-selecting - we let people choose their class.

That could have been awkward if anyone had placed themselves in a class we manifestly felt to be wrong, but no one did :)

[lathany]

How many of the 43 types of gin did you get to try?

[venta]

Only 3 or 4, personally.

We danced in The Office around 5:30, which I felt was a little early for gin (for me) and had a beer. I did buy a Geranium gin for Dr Fiona, though, and she let me taste it - it was surprisingly nice, given that I often think of geraniums (gerania?) as having quite a nasty smell.

Post-dancing we went back, but by then the pub was rammed and we ended up scattered all over it in tiny spaces, so trying others' was tricky. I had a gin called Bulldog, which was apparently flavoured with 12 botanicals including Chinese Dragon Eye and French Lavender (if memory serves). It was quite a mild taste - I wish I could have tried it before the tonic was added, but it was pre-toniced by the time it reached me. I'm also disappointed I didn't get to try Mae's Earl Grey gin (though apparently you can buy it in Waitrose!)

[sammason]

I wonder whether that drink was flavoured with Geranium spp. or Pelargonium spp. They're v different plants.

[venta]

Their website (http://www.geraniumgin.com/ - heavily Flash-based, quite painful, and I don't recommend it) doesn't give any details, it just says "geranium". They do mention "a particular type", but don't go on to elaborate what that is.