Dance Display – Taunton – 27th Feb
The Brewhouse
Coal Orchard
Taunton
TA1 1JL
West Somerset Morris (above)
The West Somerset Morris Men have been around since about 1965 and after 4 years of hard work the side achieved the standard necessary to be accepted into the National Organisation or Morris Ring in 1969. The Side – team in normal parlance – was started by a member of Mendip Morris Men and coincided with the opening of the England’s National Centre for Traditional Music, Dance and Song at Halsway Manor near Crowcombe which is the “home” for West Somerset MM. West Somerset Morris has about 15 active members and a few inactive ones too ! The side is led by a Squire – Reg Gutteridge and the paperwork is shuffled by the Bagman –Malcolm Appleton. Dudley Binding juggles the limited finances so that any excess of income over expenditure goes to a local charity. To perfect our dances we practice from September to April at Halsway Manor near Crowcombe under the experienced and expert eye of our Foreman Ray Hunt.The music is provided by a variety of musicians led by Edwin Spring on melodeon. The summer is taken up by dancing in the villages of West Somerset mainly on Thursday evenings and at village fetes and similar events at the weekends. We usually dance about 30 times every year in West Somerset. www.westsomersetmorrismen.co.uk
No Mean Feet
‘No Mean Feet’ perform a lively and exciting form of American folk dance, which involves intricate routines and percussive steps. Dancers wear shoes with metal taps which accentuate the rhythms and all our dances are choreographed by team members. Apart from team dances, the style also lends itself to freestyling, where an individual dancer improvises steps, prompted by the accompanying music. ‘No Mean Feet’ have been together for 21yrs or so. We have our own ‘Shoestring Band’ who play traditional, lively American folk tunes on various instruments – banjo, guitar and fiddle. www.nomeanfeet.org.uk
Sweet Coppin
Sweet Coppin was formed in 1977 in Taunton. Our name was taken from a variety of old cider apple and our distinctive kit of red and green represents the colour of the apples. We perform a range of dance styles including Clog Stepping, North West Morris team dances and a selection of ‘soft shoe’ dances from around the British Isles. We practise throughout the winter on a Monday evening, and throughout the summer we dance out at local pubs, folk festivals, and more.
If you would like to find out more or join us, either as a dancer or musician, visit our website
Taunton Deane Morris Men
Taunton Deane Morris Men started their club in 1973 – Forty years of synchronised stepping! Miraculous! We dance Border dances in the winter and Cotswold in the summer. Recently we’ve developed a set of 5 new dances based on Somerset tunes – Taunton style! A new young side is taking shape at our practices on Monday evenings, St George’s Hall, Taunton TA1 3JT http://tauntondeanemorris.wordpress.com/