Well, the injuries first – perhaps nature is telling us to slow down (even more) but so far 2008 has brought us a few injury challenges, including amongst other things dodgy knees, ankles, backs, and other locomotory things. Obviously we’ve been overdoing the intensive training throughout the winter – can’t think of any other reason?! Despite this the side has once more been undertaking a varied programme in 2008, which started on 8th March as last year with a performance at the Folk for Berkshire schools folk day in Twyford, a very worthwhile day of folk music and dance activities for primary school children across Berkshire. As previously, we were the lunchtime diversion while the children recovered their energy for the afternoon and the instructors steeled themselves for the children’s energy recovery. And afterwards several of the side had the pleasure of releiving Tim of some of his ten teas and cakes.
April 19th saw Andy and Mayumi celebrate their first ‘semiversary’ (6 months of marriage) with a fabulous evening event near to their home in West Molesey. The evening reflected their many and diverse interests, with several different styles of music and dance on show including tango (with a very instructive workshop), flamenco, Japanese dance, some Morris with us and Kirtlington, and the Geckoes playing for some ceilidh dances – plus a great array of food and drink. BB’s contribution to the evening was a short Morris spot, with Andy Turner playing splendidly for us on concertina in Sue’s absence, and later another performance of our Men in Black spot. While these all went well, the real scene stealer was Andy and Mayumi’s tango at the start of the evening, full of dramatic pauses, smouldering looks, flamboyant gestures, and sensuous leg movements. Just what we need to brighten up Mrs. Casey, actually.
St George’s Day on 23rd April saw us appropriately at the St George and Dragon in Wargrave, where with sponsorship from their brewery, the pub had laid on a celebration of the venerable English saint. On a pleasant evening, the pub and its grounds leading down to the Thames were packed, possibly partially due to the free champagne and nibbles on offer throughout. With Sue still away, Gareth joined us for the evening on melodeon, and despite only one practice session with us the previous week, heroically managed all the right notes throughout the evening, with an extremely high percentage in the right order.
Mayday this year conveniently fell on a Thursday, our normal practice and dance out night, so we started our evening with a short performance at Suffolk Lodge residential care home in Wokingham, where we were well received and enjoyed being able to entertain the residents. We then moved on to the Stag and Hounds at Binfield, where we joined Jackstraws and HuMP and amongst other things were able to help Chris (Taylor) enjoy her birthday celebrations. The evening was also a warm up for the Oyster May Weekend in Canterbury, which we joined for the Sunday. This was an excellent day of dancing round various spots in Canterbury, very well organised by the Oysters, followed by an evening ‘Chinese Olympics’ event, where they had organised a fun evening of less than serious competitive games. One of the many highlights of this was Jameson performing rhythmic gymnastics in his unitard, an eye catching (and retaining) outfit it has to be said. Bob being a jockey on Oyster’s 6’7″ James, and hanging on for dear life during the show jumping jump-off, was also wincingly entertaining.
The weekend of 16th – 18th saw a small team go North again to the Shepley Festival, an excellent Festival set in the small village of Shepley, near to Holmfirth, and capably organised by the previous committee of the Holmfirth Festival. It has to be said that the Saturday’s weather was somewhat inclement for the time of the year, being chilly and shower laden, but despite some earlier concerns Jerry’s various body parts all held out well and we had a good day with performances at the village pubs and on the main site. Our lunchtime was also considerably improved by happening to be outside the Shepley Co-Op as it closed for the weekend and they needed someone to give their unsold pork pies to – best not to ask what was in them but they were fab. Later in the afternoon we had an appreciative reception for Coconuts at the massed stand held in one of the marquees, and we also did a well received late evening ceilidh spot during the Hekety ceilidh (outwardly untroubled by our earlier group curry), though most of the audience had understandably disappeared to the concert tent to see Bellowhead make their audience forget how cold it was. The Festival continued on the Sunday, when the weather perked up, and again our dances went well, including a final Fairies on the Festival site with many of the audience feeling the Magic In The Air at the end and dutifully lining up to go through the Magic Arch. Perhaps there really is something in it – so many people can’t all be wrong, can they?