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****** MAY ******
3rd-6th A first for the team when they appear at the Upton Folk Festival. Well that old joke about missing the summer "Because I was working that weekend" has a twist in that for the team the Mayday Bank Holiday weekend was a blast of sun and fun. Writing ten days after the event I have the log burner going full blast and "Look North" is forecasting snow on the tops overnight! Contrary to rumours put about by a dour Bradfordian, are there any other sort(?), no one got mugged, swindled or conned. The weather was brilliant, the team on top form, the venues excellent, the company great and the crowds receptive. Add in a sound, pun intended, input from the musicians and you have a recipe for a really good festival performance.
Steve Ollerton enthused over a decked area where the space was big enough to accomodate the team and the audience. This led to a resounding thunder of clogs as the team wound up into "Failsworth", "West Bretton" and "Prescott" as being of special note. Also of special note was the fact that the decked area was attached to a pub. Fielding a set of twelve for many of the dance spots the team was well recieved. Steve being especially happy to have one dancer from another team comment that "It's nice to see NW processional being done properly". So a great weekend and one that the team may consider repeating in 2014.
11th-12th Holmfirth Festival of Folk. After the sun and fun of Upton the grey overcast and wet weather returned for the visit to the foothills of the Pennines. Some of the team apparently decided that enough was enough and left early rather than endure the conditions. The workshop was as predicted "Celebration" which may actually achieve what "Carr Lodge" failed to do and become a NW standard dance for massed team performances.
Steve Ollerton achieved a notable moment whilst waiting for the procession to start when the local MP spotted him and not only that but acknowledged the fact that he and Steve were aquainted! The only similar event I can recall was years ago in Wakefield where local council members were showing a group of visiting Germans from Herne, Wakefield's twin town, round. Hearing a German asking what the dancing was all about Neil Woodward stepped in to help out with translation based on a nodding acquaintance with one of the counsillors. We got a paid for visit to Herne out of that one. Wonder if Steve can better that?
In this age of up to the minute technology a You Tube posting of the Festival was on line by the following Monday! For those wishing to view the team performing "West Bretton" click over to this clip from Holmfirth Folk Festival.
20th 8:00pm The Flower Pot at Hopton with Briggate. Chris Walker comments "Flower Pot OK but a bit of a sloping car park for dancing on plus drivers wanting to leave mid dance but Growlers and Mushy peas at end were welcomed by all methinks." So Chris focusing on the food again or as our Gallic friends would say "Plus ca change".
****** JUNE ******
3rd 8:00pm The Blacksmiths Arms Kirkheaton for a dance out with Leeds Morris Men. Which kit will the dance master wear?
8th Mirfield Day of Dance Following on from the 2012 celebration of the jubilee. Could this be the start of a tradition? Unlikely given the feed back from those attending. Chris Walker reckons the fire at the Co-op store was a bit of a show stopper as far as dancing. The Osbornes put the lack of any transport from the vintage bus operation as a real problem leading to an logistical nightmare as far as any attempt to get teams moved between venues. Oh and one pub where the new manager/tenant had no idea what was planned. However on the upside Steve Ollerton reports that Saddleworth Men arrived by train and unable to move from the pub settled down for a session of music, song and dance. The hat judging Steve found rather charming if a little eccentric. The "Delph" dance featuring a triple kick Steve found to be inspiring.
11th 8:00 pm Dance Out with the women of Pecsaetan at the Cherry Tree High Hoyland & The Spencer Arms Cawthorne. Wonder if Steve Rusby still drinks at the Spencer Arms?
15th Horbury Street Fayre. Home territory after a break last year. In spite of the threats of rain the day stayed dry which for the Street Fayre is unusual. Dancing to a somewhat loose programme of events the time base of GMT, as in Generalised Morris Time, was in force. Good to see some new faces in the side but even better to see one of the original key dances back in the set. Yes "West Bretton" still holds the attention of the crowd but the first few bars of "Rushcart Lads" still gets the team going for "Failsworth". And if the team is happy so is the crowd.
17th 8:00 pm With Wayzgoose at the Albion, Clifford - no I've no idea where that is either! Now it's Niall who has to decide which kit to wear.
27th 8:00pm with the Buttercross Belles at the New Inn Bierley.
****** JULY ******
1st 8:00pm With Sheffield Morris Men at the Old Harrow and the Cow and Calf.
8th 8:00pm(?) Something of a mystery to the editor - 55's Housing Complex 5 Lane Ends Baildon/Apperley Bridge. What can that be?
18th 8:00pm With Leeds Morris Men at the Kings Arms on Heath Common. It's Wakefield turf so to speak but will Leeds be the hosts again as they were in 2012?
22nd 7:30pm at the Sun Inn Colton with Ripon City Morris
29th 8:00pm With Boggarts Breakfast at the Fox and Hounds Newmillerdam.
****** AUGUST ******
1st - 19:30 Yorkshire Day at the Hartshead Working Men's Club with Persephone.
3rd PM(?) The Eee by Gum Festival in Morley for two 20 minutes spots.
30th - 1st Sept Wallingford Bunkfest
****** SEPTEMBER ******
9th 20:00 Return to the Methodist Hall Horbury for regular practice nights.
16th 20:00 The AGM!
28/29th John O' Gaunt Morris 45th anniversary weekend at the Lancaster Brewery!
****** OCTOBER ******
****** NOVEMBER ******
****** DECEMBER ******
26th Boxing Day. So the weather was kind and the biggest problem up on Heath Common was the blinding sun. For the dancers there was no ice, wind or rain to contend with, all of which have featured in the Boxing Day performance in years gone by. The crowd were out in force drawn by the location, the quality of the performance, the quality of the beer (even if queuing times could be lengthy) and possibly by a write up in the “Yorkshire Life”. Though with 30 plus years of traditional dancing at the “Kings Arms” on Boxing Day many of the crowd are possibly as much veterans as some of the dancers.
In keeping with a 21st Century trend for traditional dance the team were almost outnumbered by the musicians. The days of the massed dancers being accompanied by a single musician are now but a fond memory. It may be that dancers mature into musicians with the passing years, though I’m not sure that “mature” is the correct term. Still out there dancing were Mo Doonan and John Earnshaw, veterans of the original Shrogys and Belles teams of the 1980’s. But also in the side were new faces taking the tradition and spirit forward. Also noticeable in the throng were some smaller people, the off spring of the new dancers, who may in time keep the Boxing Day tradition alive.
With two spells of dancing from the team the repertoire got a good stretching and dance master Steve Ollerton took the strains of sorting out what dances were to come and who would be performing well. Though MC and trombonist Ian Osborne was at times as surprised as the crowd to hear what the next dance would be - nothing new there ten. For variety Simon Mathews gave a spirited and energetic performance of a solo Cotswold jig accompanied by Tim Yates who mercifully opted for the melodeon rather than the sousaphone. This gave the dancers a bit of a break and a chance for some to catch up with former team members in the crowd. This year we found Alan Lindsay, Sue Mawby, Anne and Malc Hudson and Meg and Doug Bradshaw watching with fond memories of their days on the Heath. The innovation of several plates of food at the finish of the display, courtesy of the Ossett Brewery Company management team at the Kings, was a really generous touch. Thanks to Dave Lacy for the fine view of the team as seen by the band. Possibly Pete and Liz are trying to decide which foot the announced dance will lead off on - a time honoured past time for the dancers.
NOTES:
* Evening dance out means about 8.00pm or thereabouts (ish). If the musicians want to have a session this is the time to get it together.
Back to Home Page 2001 2012 2014
Wakefield Morris Diary 2013
26th Boxing Day. So the weather was kind and the biggest problem up on Heath Common was the blinding sun. For the dancers there was no ice, wind or rain to contend with, all of which have featured in the Boxing Day performance in years gone by. The crowd were out in force drawn by the location, the quality of the performance, the quality of the beer (even if queuing times could be lengthy) and possibly by a write up in the “Yorkshire Life”. Though with 30 plus years of traditional dancing at the “Kings Arms” on Boxing Day many of the crowd are possibly as much veterans as some of the dancers. 
With two spells of dancing from the team the repertoire got a good stretching and dance master Steve Ollerton took the strains of sorting out what dances were to come and who would be performing well. Though MC and trombonist Ian Osborne was at times as surprised as the crowd to hear what the next dance would be - nothing new there ten. For variety Simon Mathews gave a spirited and energetic performance of a solo Cotswold jig accompanied by Tim Yates who mercifully opted for the melodeon rather than the sousaphone. This gave the dancers a bit of a break and a chance for some to catch up with former team members in the crowd. This year we found Alan Lindsay, Sue Mawby, Anne and Malc Hudson and Meg and Doug Bradshaw watching with fond memories of their days on the Heath. The innovation of several plates of food at the finish of the display, courtesy of the Ossett Brewery Company management team at the Kings, was a really generous touch. Thanks to Dave Lacy for the fine view of the team as seen by the band. Possibly Pete and Liz are trying to decide which foot the announced dance will lead off on - a time honoured past time for the dancers.