Sword Dancing in England: The Readers Digest Version

Ok, I’m months behind, but it’s been busy! I’m going to just do a summary of my England Sword Dancing Adventures! and then move on to the present (at the moment, Spain again!)

The first few days in the UK I spent at the  Longsword Dancing Competition Hosted by the Redcar Sword Dancers. In particular I got adopted by Newcastle Kingsmen, and met with Monkseaton dancers, some of whom had been in Basque country and met my friends there!

I ended up joining the Kingsmen and dancing out with them several times. A great bunch of guys and I learned a lot![youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNTbwBlnzBk]

I also ended up dancing with Carlisle Morris and Sword, Hexham Morris Men, High Spen Blue Diamonds (Rapper), and even squeezed in some time with Sallyport (Rapper).

Hexham Morris Practice

One of the highlights of the trip was living with Frank Lee and learning how to make rapper swords.

Frank is an amazing source of knowledge about rapper, life in the north of England and the production of rappers (and engineering in general!) I am honored to have been able to work with him and learn so much.

Also while I was in England I joined a band called Holy Moly and the Crackers and played a few gigs with them on banjo.

We had a great gig all about whisky and I ended up living in their house for a bunch of my visit. Thanks guys!

One last tidbit was the Occupy Newcastle movement. On the day I arrived in Newcastle I met a bunch of people sitting around Earl Grey’s monument with Occupy signs. I spent a few nights there and many days and am pleased to say that Newcastle is still occupied!

I’ve just come from filming a sword dance in Villanueva de los Cruces in Huelva, Spain with my friend Ariela. That will be the subject of the next post!

Hasta pronto!