Guernsey Press

UK morris dance groups take part in island festival

MORRIS dancers from across the UK have been shaking their sticks and jangling their bells in Guernsey for a special festival over the weekend.

Published
A morris dancing festival has been taking place in Guernsey over the weekend. This is the Armaleggan group from Oxfordshire, dancing outside the Guernsey Visitor Centre. (Picture by Juliet Pouteaux, 22482738)

Organised by local side Belles and Broomsticks, eight groups travelled to the island. On Saturday they danced at a number of locations, including the Longfrie, Imperial and the Rockmount, while on Sunday they were dancing at sites around St Peter Port. The groups have been staying at the hostel and in tents at Rue Mainguy and on Saturday night they held a ceilidh.

Belles and Broomsticks foreman Lucy Skelton said they had held a similar event in 2016.

‘We as a team really enjoy morris dancing and as we live on an island we don’t see that many teams,’ she said.

So they invited the teams over so they can share ideas and see each other perform. About 140 dancers made the trip.

‘It’s been going really well,’ she said.

Armaleggan group from Oxfordshire were dancing border morris style dancing.

Squire Phil Chard said it was great to be in the island.

‘We’ve never been to Guernsey before, so we have been taking it all in,’ he said.

‘There is great camaraderie and it’s a great place to have a get together.’

The Ridgeway Step Clog group are also from Oxfordshire.

They wore wooden soled clogs to do English step clog dancing, which originates from the cotton mills of Lancashire.

Spokeswoman Joan Monks said they had been enjoying the festival.

‘Everyone has been so friendly,’ she said.

Customs and Exiles travelled over from Berkshire to dance north west clog dancing. The group even gave a musical performance on the boat over from Poole.

Sel Adamu from the group said it was great to meet with other dancers and explore the island.