FOLK COMPANIONS

This selection of photographs from our archives shows: Folk Companions of the past (People) and other Dance Groups

People

Adrian Dyer - dressed as the Morris Fool (that carrot by the way is still going strong !), on a rainy day on a tour somewhere in Northern Germany. What traditionally should be a pigs-bladder is actually an inflated rubber glove in our case !

In the picture above are our founders, (L-R) Alan Davies (Patchway High School), Diane Sumner and Peter Sumner (Thornbury Grammar/Marlwood School). I think that this photograph was taken in about 1973 in Yate (now a town in South Gloucestershire).

If you look closely at Peter's tabard, just below the silver sword-lock emblem of the English Folk-Dance and Song Society you can see the original Folk Companions badge, a black badge with the letters "FC" on it in gold.

Naomi Sargent (nee Watts) trying her hand at a Hardanger fiddle in Norway, note the eight strings rather than the normal violin's quota of four !

We had been out on a "trip" whilst we were dancing in Norway, and came upon a small silversmiths shop in a timber building by the side of the road. In conversation it turned out that he played the fiddle in a local folk band, and promptly presented our violinist (Naomi) with this beautiful fiddle to try - I think that she was scared that she would drop it.

On the same trip to Norway, the photograph on the left was taken. A slightly different group shot this time, showing all of us kitted out with our rucksacks ready for a "gentle stroll" through the norwegian mountains .... hmmm. We think that the bold adventurers were (Back row, L-R) Dave Sherlock, Adrian Dyer, Sally ?, Norwegian Guide, Nick Dash, Mike Simmons, Andrea Dyer, Neil Gray, Derek Andow, Mark (Jacko) Jackson, Sue Watts, Alan Davies, Peter Sumner, Naomi Watts, Norwegian Guide; (Middle row, L-R) Norwegian Guide, Gillian Dowsel, Caroline Dodds, Geoff Poole, Andy Falconer, Yvonne Andow, Neil Henson, Stuart Robinson, Steve Watts; (Front Row, L-R) Bob King, Martyn Dash, Jon King, Gary Sherlock, Diane Sumner.

Not only do we go in for little strolls (!) but also some Serious Morris Dancing as shown in the right hand photograph. Take a look at the size - and imagine the weight - of these sticks ... especially when you have to keep your arms straight in this Cotswold Morris Dance (the Blue Bells of Scotland). Despite that, Bob Baldwin at least managed to get a respectable distance off the ground.

Dance groups

This picture shows one of the German folk-dance groups whom we have entertained in England over the years performing a Sword Dance in the grounds of Longleat House whilst dancing as guests of the then Marquis of Bath. German sword dancing is fairly obviously related to styles of English Long Sword dancing, although we were told that only some of the figures are original, others were reconstructed in the 1930's by Prof. Richard Wolfram of Vienna from the limited accounts that remained in Germany and the extant traditions in England and the Netherlands.

Not only does the "captain" of the side have to stand on the sword lock and be lifted over the heads of the other dances, whilst there he has to lift his sword in salute and speak a piece of traditional verse !.

[Folk in Thornbury HOME PAGE] . [Folk Companions HOME PAGE] . [The Picture Gallery].