DIARY DATES

2004 (Provisional)

Rabble Diary 2004

31 January 2004 - Burton Winter Beer Festival

This was a return event for the Rabble who were again invited to the CAMRA Winter Beer Festival which was moved to Burton last year.
The music is always swallowed up by the large venue of the Town Hall, so this year the musicians tried again to be heard by being on the stage with an amplifier and speakers to try and make a bit more noise. The dancers said it was louder despite the occasional feedback and variable volume so it must have done some good. Better microphones are going to be needed if we are going to make a habit of it though.
Much the usual format as previously with two sessions but with border performing most dances with a sprinking of sword and a one off clog routine.
The audience were a little more generous with the applause this year but these CAMRA drinkers are a bit nervous about spilling their beer by clapping too hard.

22 February 2004 - Full Practice

This is something we have done in recent years to give us a chance to put on kit and dance as if we were out on a booking. As well as a reminder of what it's like to dance and play dressed up, it is also an opportunity to practice getting on and off and the introductions. There were a good number of the side there and all the Border dances were run through although there weren't enough of the clog or sword teams available to perform. Sadly there were no prospective members even though the event was advertised.

14 March 2004 - Four Counties

This was the sixth four counties tour and this year was completed in reverse order so the final pub could be the side's "local" where there was a mini beer festival. The first venue was at the Black Hourse in Appleby Magna, Leicestershire where we unfortunately had to perform inside due to the rain. The weather cleared up after this and all other dances were outside although the wind was fairly persisent all day. The second spot was at the Four Counties at No Mans Heath, Warwickshire, followed by the White Swan in Walton on Trent, Derbyshire. The final pub was the William IV in Alrewas, Staffordshire were we always go after our Sunday practice. This year the tour was an all border event as there were not enought clog or sword dancers available to dance out.

27 March 2004 - DERT

This year's DERT (Dancing England Rapper Tournament)was held in Bath, which for the benefit of any northeners that may be reading this, has a soft "a" and is pronounced Barth. Most of the Rabble Rapper team stayed in the main hall and indoor camped whereas the supporters stayed at a campsite on the outskirts of the city. The format was as adopted in Glasgow last year where the team dance in pubs as part of a varying tour and the judges move about to give a fair spread of marking. The downside is the audience can't see all the competition dances in the same environment but it does make for a more interesting event. All side performed a demonstration even tin the evening though. Ryknild were entered in the open class and came 10th out of 14.

18 April 2004 - Tulip Festival

This was another go at this event as funding was withdrawn last year and all the Rabble managed was a bit of ad hoc busking around the site (as we were all geared up to go anyway). This year proved a lot better with the normal two timed slots which were advertised so the audience who knew we we going to appear. The weather was good and it all went well with local press coverage thrown in.

1 to 3 May 2004 - Upton upon Severn Folk Festival

In fact it sort of started on 30 April when we all arrived and set up camp in the (soggy) sports field but I couldn't be assed to type the extra date in the title. The rain showers were a feature of the whole weekend really but this didn't dampen the Rabbles enthusiasm as we had missed last years event due to other committments in Lichfield and were really looking forward to this year. The format was as normal with busking until it was time for the 10 min spot in front of the Kings Head (and don't over run!). As the mass stand was to the tune Dr Findleys Casebook (I told them it didn't fit our normal massed stand dance but did they listen?) the Rabble continued this theme for the procession by us all dressing as doctors and nurses. A new figure was added to the processional dance called "medical emergency" where Muriel had to be resusitated, it all seemed to go down well. We were also invited to do a ceilidh spot on the Saturday evening were we managed the hat trick of sword, clog and border. The next morning we were presented with a leaflet about the origins of one of the dances we had performed the night before, they didn't seem to mind.

16 May 2004 - Etwall Well Dressing

This is a regular event for the Rabble, so they must like us at Etwall. As in recent years the rabble were on the final turns on Sunday, despite the organisers getting our hopes up that we were on earlier this year. Even so, there still a good many people watching for our spots which was performed in the normal format of two 25 min. sessions with a mixture of border, clog and sword. This day was special because it was Wilf's 70th birthday and as well as bringing some so left-overs from his party the night before he was presented with a card which we had all signed.

29 and 30 May 2004 - Whitby Sword Spectacular

This event seems to occur every 4 years as it probably takes that long to get so many sword teams from around the world together at the same time. The main site was in a school (with decidedly dodgy plumbing) on the outskirts of Whitby but fortunately it was downhill into Whitby and later on shuttle buses back if you got the timing right. This was not a competition but a gather of all types of sword dancing and it really was a spectacular. There was dancing at Whitby and bus tours into the surrounding areas so different teams could get to know each other. The grand parade was a little hampered by the rain but it went ahead anyway. In case everyone hadn't see all the teams during the days events, there was a grand showcase where all the teams did a demonstration dance. As an extra there were the evening ceilidhs with floor spots and overall an exceptional event.

2 June 2004 - Alzheimer Cafe

This was a new one for the Rabble and came about because of a couple of our team members involvement in this Nuneaton project. We were invited to dance to entertain the diners following their normal activities. As there weren't that many of the Rabble available, we did a few dances and then invited the guests to join in with a partcipation dance to finish off. It all seemed to go down very well as we had sandwiches and as it was Adriennes birthday a piece of cake as well.

25 to 27 June 2004 - Scarborough Fayre

This was a return trip as the side had a great time at Scarborough Fayre last year. The format was very similar but the organisers had taken heed of some of the slight problems experienced last year and introduced improvements, so well done.
The campsite at Scalby Manor had been re-furbished to a high standard and was excellent. The Saturday dance tours were going well (despite our depleted numbers) until lunchtime when it started raining. Having walked down the full length of the north beach from our morning spot, we then had to walk back again as the wet weather venue which was at the opposite end in the spa.
More walking as the spa bar wasn't open but turn about with all the Scarborough tour sides was entertaining and we got to dance and play with other sides during several massed dances.
The ceilidh was also very good and not too crowded as the venue was large but, due to a dire warning about not missing the buses back to the campsite, thinned out a little earlier than normal.
Sunday started with a display spot where all the sides danced in turn and we got to see two of our ex-members who had moved to Whitby and now dance with local side Jet Set. For some reason the procession didn't seem so long this year and the final dance on the beach was good fun.

10 July 2004 - Fuse

Fuse is an arts festival held on Beacon Park, Lichfield and takes place in a tent. The event features music, dance, poetry, story telling, workshops and the like. There is camping, a craft market and food and drink stalls. This is the first time that there has been Morris and our squire was approached to organise the dancing. Despite a lot of local side being invited there was only acceptance from three (plus the Rabble). Unfortunately on the day this dropped to just the Lichfield Men, Charnwood Clog and us. Showers meant the first spot was in a tent (just like it said) which was followed by a workshop by the Lichfield men while the Rabble and Charnwood did a spot on the hardstanding by the bar. This was followed by a spot in Dam Street, then at the Kings Head before a return to Beacon Park for another go on the hardstanding.
An interesting days activity which we hope will grow for next year.

17 July 2004 - Alrewas Workshop

The Alrewas Show this year decided to have a dance tent to try and encourage the visitors to participate in the activities. As part of this the Rabble were to run a workshop on Morris Dancing.
At the appointed time there wern't a great many people queuing to join in, so a few dances were performed to drum up interest, which it did. However, once it was announced that it was audience participation time there was a mass exodus.
In the end there were about 5 volunteers who seemed to have a good time learning a couple of dances.

03 October 2004 - Celebr18th

A week of invention, dance, entertainment and song celebrating 18th century life included a talk on Morris dancing and two spots from the Rabble.
The illustrated talk was in the guildroom and at least 3 members of the public enjoyed a jig, 2 morris dances and a participation social dance as well as Bobs and Peters rivetting discourse on the Morris.
The first spot was outside the guild hall where we did 4 border dances in the drizzle (with a football fan chorus) before the sedan chair race. Following a break for refreshment the weather had taken a turn for the worst so we regrouped under cover in the 3 spires centre and performed a further 5 border dances to a resonabley sized audience.
An enjoyable day where we managed to perform a fair number of dances of our repetiore.

16 October 2004 - Wolverhampton

Penni, from Lady Leofric's Cross, organised a few sides for some council sponsored dancing in the (fairly) new Market Square in Wolverhampton city centre. As well as the Rabble and the host side there was Castle Clog and Whitty Pear which gave a good mix of styles.
There were two "turn and turn" about spots at 11:00 a.m. and then again at 1:00 p.m. with a break for lunch. There was a choice of 2 local pubs, one advertised as a dive and the other a gay pub. It was suspected we chose the dive, as if it was the gay pub the other one must have been really bad.
Afterwards we repaired to the Beacon Hotel in Sedgley to sample the beer they brew on the premises; it was worth it with a lot of the side finding "absolution" to their taste. Some more dancing in the courtyard and then it was all over and an interesting ride home through the back streets of Walsall.

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Last updated on 06/11/2004