Dance Reviews
BUXTON DAY OF DANCE 2024 - Chapel-en-le-Frith Morris
The first inkling that something was up was a strange figure appearing amongst the Parkrun finishers mingling in front of the Pavilion. He was clad in long strips of orange, red and yellow, and jingled as he moved. Jingling sounds started to come from other directions and more figures appeared, some smartly dressed in green and yellow and some wearing flowers and other vegetation. No, this wasn’t Christmas come early, it was that other fixture in the calendar, Buxton Day of Dance.
This year saw fourteen Morris sides dancing in seven different locations in Buxton, over five sessions, with a grand finale at the Slopes. This remarkable feat of organisation is orchestrated by Chapel-en-le-Frith Morris, and is welcomed by dancers as well as spectators for the opportunity to see so many different Morris sides in one place. There are different types of Morris dancing, and sides attending represented the Cotswold, Border and North West Clog Morris styles.
The variety amongst Morris sides is amazing, from dress to style of dancing to music. Some sides are as smart as a pin, while others dress in coloured rags, and one side favours fishnet tights. Many dancers have flowers, or other vegetation fixed or stuffed in their hats, more or less securely. A Domesday Morris member, whose hats were stuffed with greenery, left a trail of vegetation as he danced. There is also a great deal of variation on where to attach bells. Some had a few bells around the knees, some tied bells on shoes, and Five Rivers Morris had rows of bells on a pad tied loosely around the lower leg. So loosely in fact, that in at least once energetic dance the lacings were flying free on several legs, and the comment ‘who dressed this lot?’ was overheard from a watching side.
There is great variety in the music too. The numbers of musicians and instruments vary from side to side and included any composition of accordions, fiddles, drums and whistles. Some sides have incorporated sea shanties into their dances; T’Owd Man danced to a rousing rendition of the Wellerman, and Leek Morris to South Australia. Anybody walking through the centre of Buxton would have travelled through multiple pockets of merry sound and whirling colour as they passed the dancing sites.
Morris dancers attract attention wherever they go. In the Marketplace phone cameras were visible being aimed from a visiting coach window. Passengers on the Transpeak bus to Derby looked out wistfully at all the fun they were leaving behind. People stopped to watch on their way to the shops. The different dancing sites all had different advantages. The Crescent makes a wonderful backdrop for Morris dancing, although spectators are always at risk of being run over. The Slopes is a natural dancing site, with plenty of seating on the slopes. There was Morris dancing outside Argos, and in front of the Opera House! The colourful spectacle of fourteen Morris sides dancing through Buxton is like a child’s book made real. As dancers massed for the end of the day finale at the Slopes, the be-ribboned figures emerging over the hill gave the setting a medieval feel.
Buxton Day of Dance is the Fringe event that people don’t have to book for, or even intend to go to. It reaches parts of Buxton that other Fringe events don’t reach. Morris dancing keeps you fit and your brain working. It also looks like the most tremendous fun! Many sides will be offering have a go sessions in the autumn. Chapel-en-le-Frith Morris have two try out evenings in September/October - all details are on their website.
Georgina Blair
SWING DANCE LESSON - Dancing On The Spot
As someone familiar with salsa dancing, it was a fascinating experience to try swing dancing for the first time in an enjoyable lesson led by sisters Emma and Casey Brayndick, who are teachers, dancers and also actors with the visiting Chicago companies, On The Spot and Dancing On The Spot.
Specifically, we were learning East Coast Swing, a form of social partner dance also sometimes called Jitterbug. Around 18 of us took part, most of us beginners, and we soon picked up the basic step involving stepping backwards and sideways to a specific rhythm. It all felt bouncier than salsa and partners mirror each other, stepping away from each other then coming together, rather than following each other - so that was a bit of a conceptual leap for me. The turns felt familiar though and instantly elevated what we were doing into something both elegant and lively.
Emma and Casey were very friendly, caring teachers with plenty of patience and sensible instructions to offer. It was quite a workout on a warm afternoon and when we weren’t learning new moves, it was fun to be let loose on social dancing to the music, frequently swapping partners and enjoying the opportunity to get creative on the dance floor!
At the end of the workshop we were allowed to video Emma and Casey demonstrating the basic moves but also a wonderful high-speed version with lovely little kicks like something straight out of the 1920s.
High Peak Big Band’s All Aboard for the Big Band Special takes place at the Fringe on Monday night featuring live swing music so it is more than possible that some of us may show up there and at the very least tap our feet enthusiastically with all our new-found dance knowledge!
Stephanie Billen
