Solent Waves
September 1999, Issue 221
Editorial Material

SECRETARY’S CHAT

Welcome to a new season of folk activities. I do hope you have all had a wonderful summer, doing whatever you like doing best, and going to as many festivals as you were able to manage.

To fill in the gaps, Folk in Ruins on 4^th July was a great day in the ruins of Bishops Waltham Palace with 600 attending. The weather this year was kind, and did not rain. There was even an article about it in the Portsmouth Evening News (which I would have re-printed if I’d had room - Editor).

July 10^th was very hot, but nonetheless we had a successful day. The numbers were slightly lower than the committee would have liked, but those who braved the heat thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The cream tea, which the management of the hall provided, was super, and very good value. Belshazzar’s Feast kept us all enthralled with their music, and most people danced themselves to a standstill - well almost.

Due to the goodwill of two schools, FASH was able to further Country Dancing at Padnall Junior School in Cowplain, and Elson Primary School in Gosport.

At Cowplain, schools in the area were invited to an after-school dancing session at Padnall School with Nigel Barrell. Over 120 children turned up on another hot day, but all seemed to enjoy it, and comments from teachers were encouraging.

At Elson School, schools in Gosport and Fareham were invited to join in an evening of dancing, and the Friends of the school organised a BBQ and drinks. Although the attendance from Gosport and Fareham was not as good as Cowplain, the children enjoyed themselves, and the teachers want the event to happen in 2000. Hopefully numbers will increase.

Two lovely occasions during July, with much celebrating. From the photographs of Jacqui Clarke and Henry’s wedding it must have been a really lovely day. Also Nina Barrell, Nigel and Chris’ eldest daughter, married Brendan Reeves. Another very lovely day, and the memories of both will be treasured for a long time to come I am sure.

Looking ahead there is a new set of Workshops lined up for Soberton Village Hall on various Sundays during the winter. Some workshops are repeats of old favourites, while others are a bit different. So come along and pass a pleasant time at Soberton. Dates elsewhere in this edition.

Will those of you who received a grey events leaflet with July/August Solent Waves please discard it as I had a memory loss about February 2000, and the details are wrong. My apologies to all concerned, and due to everyone’s forbearance all is now well. Am I past my sell by date I ask myself? Well perhaps someone out there would like to come forward and do a stint, and then I can retire. It is not difficult, and a lot of pleasure and goodwill comes your way, so how about it someone?

THE M27 MEGABOPS

I think the first M27 Megabop was in the spring of 1992. It was a great dance, but a financial disaster.

The plot had been hatched the previous summer, on the campsite of Wimbourne Folk Festival over coffee (?) with Dave Bainbridge after a particularly wild festival ceilidh. The idea had been maturing for a long time - I had got hooked on the big, loud festival bops over the past few years and I really, really wanted to get those bands and those callers and the sound and atmosphere of those dances to Southampton on a regular basis.

We also wanted to use local bands and callers and especially wanted to introduce non-folkies, those whose idea of folk dance was the annual PTA dance, to the joy and exhilaration of dancing to the high-energy sound described by Folk Roots as ‘the new wave of English country dance music’.

We needed good, danceable, full-sounded bands, callers who would communicate their enthusiasm and, most especially, a good core of experienced dancers to lift the novices into the dance.

It took a while and we made some expensive mistakes, including the notion of guest bands from other genres. It was good in theory, but didn’t work, but I do have one abiding memory of Tickled Pink and musicians from Art Asia playing together!

The name came from - where? ‘Barn Dance’, ‘Ceilidh’, ‘Country Dance’ - none of these seemed to us to indicate the high energy level of the event. We wanted people to bop to the music, so ‘Megabop’. The ‘M27’ bit was because, when we started, we ran dances at both ends of the M27, another mistake.

Eventually the formula worked itself out - a regular venue in the Eastpoint Centre; a regular date, the 2^nd Saturday in the month; a reputation for good, danceable music; and, most important, a core of regular dancers, aged between 14 and 64 (or less and more) who are (usually) welcoming to newcomers.

Dave and Heather Bainbridge and I have all taken different amounts of responsibility for organising and running the dances over the years depending on where we were working. Dave and Heather finally left for pastures new a few years ago, and now I’m off too, but the M27 Megabops will continue in the capable hands of Gill Redmond, Pete Gritton and John Connell.

Before I go, thanks are due to many - the bands, the callers, the volunteers and, of course, the megaboppers who enjoy themselves and bring their friends to try (especially Richard Wren - we probably would not have survived without him!). Thank you to the management and staff at the Eastpoint Centre for all their help. Thank you to (EFDSS and then) FASH for support both moral and financial. And finally, a very special thank you to the editors, past and present, of both Solent Waves and Folk on Tap - all very understanding people.

In future, for Megabop tickets, please phone John Connell on 01703 581843. I wish him, and Gill and Pete all the very best. Please continue to give them the support that you gave Dave, Heather and me.

P.S. If anyone is visiting Milford Haven, our new phone number is 01437 781923.

Advance warning for the next 2 Twyford Barn Dances on 11^th September and 4^th December, both in Twyford Parish Hall from 8 ‘til 11.30 with an American Supper and raffle for only £5.00.

The first dance is with Nigel Close and the Bursledon Village Band in aid of World Villages for Children, and the second with Nigel again and Turk Town Troopers, this time for Target 2000.

The September dance is a sad occasion for me as my confederate in crime and best friend, Victoria Close, is leaving the dances to go to University in Nottingham. We have been running the dances since November 1997 and have so far raised £1,444 for charity. So thanks, Victoria, for being a great partner to run dances with and for putting so much into them.

For bookings, phone me on 01962 713854 or Victoria (September only) on 01962 714220.

HEADINGTON QUARRY MORRIS MEN AT WINCHESTER

On Boxing Day 1899 Cecil Sharp was spending Christmas with his mother-in-law in Headington near Oxford. On Boxing Day the local Morris dancers visited the house, dancing out of season because the very cold weather had led to many of them being laid off from their jobs in the building industry. Sharp persuaded the musician, William Kimber, to return the next day and play the tunes over again on his Anglo Concertina so that he could note them.

William Kimber was a guest of honour at the inaugural meeting of the Morris Ring in 1934, and thereafter was a frequent visitor to Ring events. After the Second World War, he was introduced at Morris Ring events as ‘the Father of the Morris’. On the 4th September 1999 to celebrate the centenary of Sharp's meeting the current Headington Quarry Morris Men will be joining Winchester Morris Men for their annual day of dancing in Winchester. This will be a unique opportunity to witness a ‘living tradition’ in action. The times and venues are listed below. There will also be two other tours on the day around the town with other morris sides.

10.30 Great Hall

11.30 Butter Cross

12.30 The Willow Tree, Durngate

2.00 Weirs and The Old Monk

3.00 Wickham Arms, Kingsgate

5.00 The Square (near Cathedral)

THE FOUR MARKS FOLK MUSIC CLUB

The Four Marks Folk Music Club was formed in February 1999, greatly helped by a generous donation from the Folk Association of South Hants.

Some twenty musicians attended the first workshop on 22^nd February, since when membership has grown to over forty.

The objectives of the club are - to provide opportunities for musicians of all ages and abilities to come together on a regular basis to practise folk music of all kinds, to build a repertoire which is within the capability of every member, and to ensure that everyone gains maximum enjoyment. A measure of the appeal of this approach is evidenced by the ever-increasing membership.

The workshops are organised by Lawrence Storey who also writes appropriate second and third parts to the music for the various sections of the band. This creates a deal of fun and makes for a ‘joyful sound’.

The workshops are held on the fourth Monday of every month in either the Village Hall or Church Hall in Four Marks near Alton Hants. Future dates are September 27^th, October 25^th, and November 22^nd, all in the Church Hall at 7.30pm.

The band will be making its first public appearance on September 17^th when it will be performing a short repertoire in a concert staged in connection with the Four Marks village Gala.

For more information, phone Lawrence on 01962 773207.

HOLIDAYS

Two holiday opportunities sent in this month, Belgium and the Isle of Wight.

Anglo-American dance weekend, Maille Belgium (near Antwerp), 26^th - 28^th November 1999. Featuring a variety of English country dances and American squares & contras. Callers are Susan Kerva from Vermont and Philippe Callens from Belgium. Adults 3350BEF. Details from Anglo-American Dance Service vzw, Resedastraat 8, B-9920 Lovendegem, Belgium. Tel/fax +32 9 372 96 35, email aads@village.uunet.be

Isle of Wight Folk/Craft holiday at Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park, 23rd - 30th October 1999 (half term). Self catering fully equipped chalets. £65.00. Host Alan Davies. Contact Jean Howard, 0181 902 2937. (This is apparently where everyone disappears to when the dance clubs go quiet.)

Are you approx 10-13 years old?

Do you enjoy folkie music?

............ have a sense of rhythm?

.................. fancy a fun way to keep fit?

COME AND JOIN OUR
JUNIOR MORRIS SIDE!

Thursdays, 6.30-7.45pm in Wickham

Starting 23rd September 1999

Call (01489) 892911 for details

If you can remember that far back, in the last issue I set you the simple task of composing a limerick to the following rules - it must include a reference to a folk event, and it must include the name, real or imaginary, of a song, dance or tune. As an incentive (incentive?) there was to be a prize of £5.00 for the best entry (my decision).

Well, I got a grand total of 17 entries, 5 each from two sources and sundry others. But, why did I put myself forward as the judge and jury? I finally reduced them to a choice of two, but in the end Fiona Birchall was just pipped by Syd Wilkins (and as he’s the treasurer, he can write himself a cheque and try and get it past the auditors). The winning entry from Syd is at the top. Other entries in this edition are from Syd, Fiona and George Grassmeder. Thank you to all who participated, including Rosemary Hughesden and Brian Ballard, and I will be using the entries to fill up little corners of Solent Waves over the coming months.

At a Soberton Workshop by FASH,
The caller showed style and panache
In teaching new tricks,
Like picking up sticks,
And showing how white sergeants dash.

They’re running a barn dance in Hell
(Satan plays fiddle quite well).
You’ll dance ‘Devil’s Dream’
Until you could scream-
I don’t think the tickets will sell.

At a Barn Dance whilst stripping the willow
Sybil’s Roundabout skirt was to billow
Fred wanting a nap
Put his head on her lap
And said "Sorry, I thought ‘twas a pillow".

At Sidmouth, a morris side, "Clancy",
Dazzled crowds with their footwork so fancy.
Asked, "What’s your best dance?"
They said "Just a glance
Will show you it’s ‘William and Nancy’".

We went to a Playford Ball
Where in Nonesuch we heard the call
"Up a double and back"
But our knees went crack
And we both to the floor did fall.

EDITORIAL

Where do folk dance musicians come from?

In my case, I was a folk dancer with a classical piano background who was persuaded to go to a one-off musicians workshop organised by the NE Hants branch of EFDSS and led by Ian Graham. At the last minute the venue was changed to a scout-hut with no piano, so Rene Pike lent me her accordion. I must have picked up something for I was playing fairly competently in 3 weeks, and playing for dances in 3 months. I’m probably not typical, as I was playing the piano and organ at a fairly respectable level before I started on the accordion, but all it took was the opportunity to try and I was off.

Which brings me to the point I wish to make. Where are the opportunities for budding folk musicians, of whatever level of competence, to make music together, develop their skills and, incidentally, to have fun doing it? Mostly in this area it seems to be playing for morris and display teams, of which, I’m glad to say, we have quite a few. Also there is a semi-‘open house’ for musicians at the Eastleigh Folk Dance Club. There used to be a regular evening class at Chandlers Ford, originated by Rollo Woods, and later taken on by Dave Ingledew, but that has been defunct for some time. So congratulations to Lawrence Storey whose monthly workshop at Four Marks has taken off in a big way and well done FASH for funding it.

Lawrence is obviously helping to fulfil a need. But I am sure that there is still scope for the provision of other opportunities for musicians in the area. Is there anyone out there who would like to run a regular session elsewhere in the district? Is there anything going on already that needs advertising? Perhaps FASH might care to consider running a session at Soberton as part of the Sunday workshops. If anyone has any views, please write, either to the FASH committee or me.

Finally, Yvonne Ransom has asked me to let you know that Madding Crowd is providing the music at the Harvest Festival at St Peter’s Church Soberton on Sunday 26^th September at 6.00.