Just one week later it was the Chippenham Folk Festival, where we were in attendance for all 3 days for the first time since 2009. 11 BB dancers attended on and off over the 3 days, though scheduling the dancers was a logistical challenge for tour leader Jameson with some only there for 1 day, a couple involved with other teams, and one taking to his sick bed for most of the last day (and never was there a more apt description). However it turned out to be highly enjoyable, with a mix of workshops, street performances, processions, and bigger stage and ceilidh spots. The weekend started on the Saturday with a workshop in St. Andrews Church Hall, where As The Tide and Arse About Face were taught, followed by a procession through town with the usual posing en route. Then came a dance spot with Old Palace Clog in Borough Parade, followed by another spot outside the Rose and Crown with Harberton Navy. Saturday evening on the campsite included a gin party, the effects of which were still being felt by a few on the Sunday, particularly one or two of our Windsor friends. Sunday started with a spot at the top end of the High Street with Sergeant Musgraves and Malmesbury before heading off to the Arena Stage. On our last visit in 2009 this had been a covered stage with uncovered audience seating, but in recent years this has changed to a fully covered Big Top with a large stage and lots of room for the audience. We had 2 stage performances, before and after lunch, both of which went very well, and were able to incorporate references to the large festival banner across the back of the stage which had close up photos of a particular BB member taken on the previous 2009 visit. Though surely his nose was never that big.
In the evening we had a spot in the Sports Hall, during the excellent Melrose Ceilidh Band ceilidh. Despite a few mistakes in some of the dances, the whole spot was remarkably well received, unlike the sticks in Shooting. There were a couple of broken sticks too, most notably during Cavalier, when Alun, not in the dance, came on to hand over a new stick to the front of the set at exactly the right moment, doing the ‘Jameson Walk’ as he went, much to the audience’s amusement.
The next morning, Bank Holiday Monday, started with another workshop, this time teaching Binfield Jump to the attendees and some of BB. Our numbers were slightly depleted due to the effects of another hard night, which for some had barely finished before our morning workshop, and for one in particular would last well into the afternoon, mentioning no names eh Alun? After the workshop came a spot outside the Angel Hotel, shared with Chinewrde and Chippenham Morris Men. There was some good interaction with Chinewrde, most notably when some BBs sat down in front of the Chinewrde musicians during one of their dances to get a better view of the high kicking – which was promptly repaid during BB’s Princess Royal (see YouTube video here!). There then followed another procession, this time for various reasons with only 4 BB dancers, and then a final well received Arena Stage spot concluding with Fairies. Overall an excellent weekend, and many thanks to tour leader Jameson for co-ordinating.
