The year started with the news that long standing member Andy had decided not to continue with the side in order to pursue his time consuming hobby of sitting in airport departure lounges. A great loss to the side, who will miss his dance experience, musicianship, and indefatigable sense of humour. Whatever the mayhem around him, Andy can be guaranteed to be having a lovely time.
Meanwhile though the dancing year started even earlier than usual with an appearance on 27 Feb at the 2016 IVFDF Festival (Inter-Varsity Folk Dance), this time organised by the University of Warwick, but based in Coventry, and with the morris tours arranged by Earlsdon. A raw wind blew throughout most of the day, so we were glad our first dance spot was indoors in the Lower Precinct shopping centre, where we appeared to be dancing on AstroTurf. Later on we moved to the precinct near Lady Godiva’s statue, who would undoubtedly have been wishing she had a few more clothes on. Later still we finished up dancing in the old Cathedral ruins, where Capering Crew joined us for some old (joint) favourites.
Our next event was appearing at a private dinner, part of an international conference organised by SAFE (Safety and Flight Equipment Association), in the Old Chapel of the Beaumont Estate Hotel, Old Windsor. We were the post dinner entertainment, and had put together an appropriate sequence of dances, though it proved difficult to get ‘volunteers’ for Coconuts from the diners, who came from all over the world and were mostly in dinner jackets. We did though eventually eventually pressgang a couple, and the display seemed to go down very well overall. We were also well looked after, with sandwiches, chips, and wine and beer provided, which we feel should be the norm for every event from now on. We had a good turnout of dancers too, including Alun, who had arrived fresh from University with nearly all his kit except rather crucially his BB socks, necessitating an emergency phone call to Roy, at home 20 minutes away – thanks, Roy!
Then on Sat 16 April we were once again at the Oxford Folk Weekend with spots by the Sheldonian Theatre, in Bonn Square, by The Bear pub, and at the Ashmolean Museum. Another very enjoyable day, followed a week later on 23rd April by attending Hook Eagle’s 25th Birthday celebration day, also another success. For us this started with mass dancing in Odiham, followed by a coach tour to Andwell’s Brewery in Hook, and then the Crooked Billet.
