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Thursday 31 December 2009

Brown Edge, New Year's Eve, 2009




Happy New Year!

Thanks to everyone who came to share New Year's Eve with Moody Food and Sylvia and for dancing all night long. We managed ro raise £300 for the Douglas Macmillan Hospice.

I hope some of you used your dance cards even though Sylvia carefully avoided virtually every dance on your card. Just for the record, here is the programme for the evening.

Cock o' the North / 100 Pipers
Beccles Slide
A Simple Longways Set
Circle Waltz
Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie
Orcadian Strip The Willow
The Humours of Scarrif / Some Say the Devil is Dead
The Cottagers
The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
The Siege of Ennis
Happy Birthday Carol
Jack's Alive
Haddenham Square Eight
The Dashing White Sergeant
Shebag an Shemor / Give Me Your Hand
The Willow Tree
The Gay Gordons
The Chimes of Big Ben
Auld Lang Syne
Polka Off
Circassian Circle


If you were wondering about the account
in your dance card it was taken from the diary of the Revd Francis Kilvert for Tuesday 7 January 1873  whilst he was at Langley Burrell. Here's the extract in full:
At 8 o'clock Fanny, Dora and I went to a jolly party at Sir John Awdry's at Notton House. Almost everybody in the neighbourhood was there. There had been a children's party with a Christmas Tree at 5 o'clock, but when we drove up the harp and the fiddles were going. 'Bang went the drum, the ball opened immediately, and I knew not which dancer most to admire,'  but I think it was – Francie Rooke. Dear little Francie Rooke. The dining room was turned into the ball room, beautifully lighted overhead, and the smooth polished oaken floor went magnificently, just like glass, but not a bit too slippery, though Eliza Styles came down with a crash full on her back in Sir Roger de Coverly, and there was a roar of laughter which, combined with Eliza's fall, shook the room.

I danced a Lancers with Harriet Awdry of Draycot Rectory, a quadrille with Sissy Awdry of Seagry Vicarage, a Lancers with Louise Awdry of Draycot Rectory, a Lancers with Mary Rooke of the Ivy, and Sir Roger with dear little Francie Rooke of the Ivy. How bright and pretty she looked, so merry, happy and full of fun. It was a grand Sir Roger. I never danced such a one.The room was quite full, two sets and such long lines, but the crush was all the more fun. `Here' said Francie Rooke to me quietly, with a wild, merry sparkle in her eye, and her face brilliant with excitement, 'let us go into the other set.' There was more fun going on there, Eliza Styles had just fallen prostrate. There were screams of laughter and the dance was quite wild. There was a struggle for the corners and everyone wanted to be at the top. In a few minutes all order was lost, and everyone was dancing wildly and promiscuously with whoever came to hand. The dance grew wilder and wilder. 'The pipers loud and louder blew, the dancers quick and quicker flew.' Madder and madder screamed the flying fiddle bows. Sir Roger became a wild romp till the fiddles suddenly stopped dead and there was a scream of laughter. Oh, it was such fun and Francie Rooke was brilliant. When shall I have another such partner as Francie Rooke?

An excellent supper and we got home about one o'clock, on a fine moonlit night.
Sir Roger de Coverley sounds like fun – lets do it next year.

Thanks for helping us raise £300.

    Monday 28 December 2009

    Biddulph Moor Village Hall



    Happy Birthday Claire. Here's a list of our dances for your Moody Food Dance Card.

    The Circassian Circle
    The Flying Scot
    Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie 
    Pattercake Polka 
    Goatland Square Eight
    Lake Arthur Stomp / Empty Bottle Stomp 
    The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair 
    Clopton Bridge
    Midnight on the Water / Waltz Vienna
    The Oxo Reel
    Molloy's Favourite / The Foxhunter's Reel / Cooley's Reel
    The Gay Gordons
    Shebag an Shemor / Give Me Your Hand
    The Circassian Circle
    Cock o' the North



    Saturday 21 November 2009

    Wye Road Community Centre, Clayton


    Happy birthday Norah! I'm afraid that no-one believes that you are really 50 — nice try though! We'll all meet up again in 10 years time for your real 50th birthday party. Good to see everyone getting into the spirit of a barn dance, especially all the little cowboys and cowgirls in their costumes. It's been a long time since we've seen anyone play pin the tail on the donkey. Thanks to James for depping on guitar — but where was your cowboy hat?.

    Sylvia's dances for your Moody Food Dance Card.

    The Flying Scot
    Goatland Square Eight
    Midnight on the Water / Waltz Vienna
    The Snowball
    Clopton Bridge
    Happy Birthday Norah
    The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
    Glasgow Gallop
    The Caerphilly March
    Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie 
    A Simple Longways Dance
    12345 / Seneca Square Dance 
    The Oxo Reel
    Circassian Circle
    Cock o' the North 

    Thanks again to Mike for his photos of the dancing.




    Friday 20 November 2009

    Mosley Primary School, Anslow



    Another great night put on by the 'ladies who lunch' at Mosley – great dancing from everybody, including a salsa display by two couples during the Siege of Delhi (lets make it three next year), a ploughman's supper, and a wonderful community spirit that raised £490 by auction for St Giles Hospice.

    Sylvia's dances for your Moody Food Dance Card.

    Dorchester Caper
    Circle Hornpipe
    The Siege of Ennis
    Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie 
    Orcadian Strip the Willow
    Old Swan Gallop
    The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
    Circle Mixer
    Polka Off
    Waltz
    Postman's Knock
    Cumberland Square Eight
    Circassian Circle
    Cock o' the North 

    Thanks again to Mike for his photos of the dancing and for these pictures from the school hall.

    Saturday 7 November 2009

    Rode Heath Village Hall, Robert's 50th


    Sylvia's dances for your Moody Food Dance Card

    The Cock of the North / 100 Pipers
    The Snowball
    Goatland Square Eight
    Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie
    Orcadian Strip The Willow
    The Gravel Walks / Crowley's Reel
    Old Swan Gallop
    Happy Birthday Robert
    Circle Waltz
    The Siege of Ennis
    The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
    Polka Off
    The Circassian Circle

    Saturday 24 October 2009

    Eccleshall Community Centre


    Collin's Dances for your Moody Food Dance Card

    Cock of the North / 100 Pipers
    The Snowball
    Old Swan Gallop
    Thady U Ganda
    Stoke Golding
    The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
    Doxie Marches
    Lucky 7
    Boston Tea Party
    Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie
    Virginia Reel
    La Russe
    Foula Reel
    Cumberland Square Eight
    Circassian Circle

    Saturday 3 October 2009

    Dairy House, Di's Birthday Dance


    Happy Birthday Di and Sally.

    Sylvia's Dances

    Cock of the North / 100 Pipers
    The Snowball
    Goatland Square Eight
    Clopton Bridge
    Waltz
    Old Swan Gallop
    Happy Birthday Di and Sally
    The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
    Circle Waltz
    Orkney Strip The Willow
    The Gravel Walks / Crowley's Reel
    Swedish Masquerade
    Waltz
    Postman's Knock
    The Humours of Scarrif / Some Say The Devil is Dead
    Polka Off
    Circassian Circle

    Friday 2 October 2009

    Brown Edge Village Hall




    Lots of old friends and some new dances made for another great night. Our next gig here is on New Year's Eve – see you all then!

    Sylvia's Dances for your Moody Food Dance Card

    Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie
    Glasgow Gallop 
    Square Set Polka 
    Humours of Scariff
    Orkney Strip the Willow
    Waltz
    Circle Hornpipe
    The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
    The Siege of Ennis 
    Jack's Alive
    The Gravel Walks / Crowley's Reel
    The Maypole
    Rosa
    Old Swan Gallop
    Cornish Six Hand Reel
    The Willow Tree
    Circassian Circle

    Saturday 26 September 2009

    Betley Village Hall



    Collin's Dances for your Moody Food Dance Card

    Cock of The North / 100 Pipers
    Collin's Big Set
    Snowball
    Thady U Ganda
    The Gay Gordons
    Boston Tea Party
    Waltz
    The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
    Orcadian Strip The Willow
    Clopton Bridge
    Virginia Reel
    Old Swan Gallop
    Foula Reel
    Circassian Circle

      Saturday 15 August 2009

      The Ashes, Ruth and Andrew



      Congratulations to Ruth and Andrew from the Moody Food Ceili Band. That was the first time we've seen an ice-cream van as part of the catering at a wedding. Sorry about all the pictures with mic stands in them – Emma claims she can't play drums and take photos at the same time. You can see some fantastic photos of the whole day, sans mic stands and in focus, taken by Raymond Lin on his website.

























      Collin's dances for your Moody Food Dance Card:

      The Snowball
      Collin's Big Set
      Thady U Ganda
      Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie
      Old Swan Gallop
      The Foula Reel
      Cumberland Square Eight
      Circassian Circle 

      Here's a little extract of the Scottish dance The Foula Reel taken by Raymond:

      Saturday 1 August 2009

      Sandon Hall, Christiane and Phil


      Congratulations to Christiane and Phil on their wedding at Sandon Hall. I know that many of you were over from Germany so I hope that you didn't find the instructions for the dances too confusing. You seemed to be enjoying yourselves anyway. Every night has its special moments and we wont easily forget the chap who heroically fought his way through a bevy of bridesmaids to catch Christiane's bouquet—it's good to be in touch with your inner woman. His moment of triumph can be seen at the end of the slide show. On a more musical note we also enjoyed one of Christiane's cousins playing some jazz and finger pickin' solos during the interval—hot stuff!




















      This was our first time at Sandon Hall so we took the opportunity to look around away from the main hall with its impressive stair case. I particularly liked the library with its fine bindings—A Treatise on Aerial Locomotion took my eye—and also the charming orangery with its ornate metal work and water features.



      Two more 'features'—Christ Church, Lord Sandon's faithful horse and a rather foppish bust—somebody didn't read the house rules. Here's a link to some more of Mike's photos of the evening with instructions on how to download them.

      Finally, here for my new friend with the Foley bouzouki are Sylvia's dances and the tunes played by the Moody Food Ceili Band.

      The Glasgow Gallop (The Kesh / Mist on the Mountain / The Blackthorn Stick)
      The Snowball (Munster Buttermilk / Merrily Danced the Quaker's Wife)
      Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie
      The Goatland Square Eight (Cutting Bracken / The Connaught Man's Rambles / My Love in the Morning)
      The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
      Orcadian Strip the Willow (Waterloo Dance / Bluebell Polka / Atholl Highlanders)
      Circle Waltz
      (Midnight On The Water)
      Clopton Bridge (The Rehaired Boy / Off to California)
      Waltz (Shebag an Shemor / Give me your Hand)
      Circassian Circle (Patsy Geary's / Colman's Cross)
      The Cock O' The North / 100 Pipers

      Friday 5 June 2009

      Patricroft Working Men's Club



      A dance organised by Spurgeons Salford as part of the annual Volunteers' Week – a national celebration of volunteers and volunteering that takes place from 1–7 June every year. Volunteers, their families and staff danced the night away to the Moody Food Ceili Band with Collin Higgs. A prize raffle also raised more than £80 towards Spurgeons international work.

      Peter Hook, quondam of Joy Division and New Order, presented the volunteers, who work with children and young people in Spurgeons projects across the city, with certificates acknowledging their dedication. Sadly Hooky didn't stay around to do-si-do but we all loosened our guitar straps by a couple of notches in honour of a Mancunian legend.

      Collin's dances.

      Cock of the North / 100 Pipers
      The Dorset Reel
      The Snowball
      Doxie Marches
      Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie
      Thady U Ganda
      The Siege of Delhi / The Earls Chair
      Nova Scotia Reel
      Boston Tea Party
      The Foula Reel
      Cumberland Square Eight

      Saturday 30 May 2009

      Maer, Sharon and Garry



      Congratulations Sharon and Garry on your wedding. I think that this must have been one of the smallest venues that we have played in for a wedding reception. Venues often have their own particular charm and the village hall at Maer, small and square with its large windows letting in the evening sunlight, made quite an impression on me. The photos don't really show this but it was a lovely day and I'm glad that we were a part of it.

      Here are Sylvia's dances for your Moody Food Dance Card:

      Sharon and Gary's First Dance
      The Cock O' The North
      The Glasgow Gallop
      Goatland Square Eight

      Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie
      The Snowball
      Clopton Bridge
      The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
      The Gay Gordons
      Waltz (Midnight On The Water)
      Lucky Seven
      Polka Off
      Circassian Circle
      Patsy Geary's Jig

      Friday 8 May 2009

      Mount Pleasant



      The Moody Food Ceili Band with Sylvia Fisher.

      Happy Birthday Wes and well done Helen for organising a fantastic night – the secret email accounts and clandestine phone calls finally paid off. Good to see the Black Dog Molly dancers again. We've played a number of gigs with the Mollys over the years. I think the first time was at the wedding of Annie and Doug, who started it all off, when we were known as Cut-Throat Jake. We also had a display of Appalachian dancing from Mind the Step with music from the Helsby All Stars.

      Besides all the dancing we had some great interval music from Josh who played a stonking set on the banjo, Escher's Waltz and Black Jack before getting his Dad up to play bull fiddle on Nine Pound Hammer and Take Me Back To Tunstall.

      If you like bluegrass come and see Plucked! at the Coachmaker's Arms in Hanley on the second Wednesday of every month.

      Here's a link to some more of Mike's photos of the evening with instructions on how to download them.


      The Dances

      Happy Birthday Wes
      The Cock O' The North / 100 Pipers
      The Snowball
      Circle Mixer

      Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie
      Drops of Brandy
      The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
      Siege of Ennis
      Boston Tea Party
      Molloy's Favourite / The Foxhunter's Reel / Cooley's Reel
      The Willow Tree
      Waltz (Midnight On The Water)
      Circassian Circle

      Sunday 3 May 2009

      Dukes 92, Anna and Jim



      The wedding dance of Anna and Jim at Dukes 92 in Manchester. Nice daps Anna!

      The Dances

      Behind The Hatstack / Merrily Danced The Quaker's Wife
      Anna and Jim's First Waltz (Midnight On The Water)
      The Snowball
      Oxo Reel
      Orkney Strip The Willow
      Thady U Ganda
      Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie
      The Gay Gordons
      Shebag An Shemor / Give Me Your Hand
      The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
      Cumberland Square Eight
      Circassian Circle
      Cock Of The North / 100 Pipers

      Saturday 25 April 2009

      Eccleshall Community Centre



      A special fund-raising dance in support of the Katherine House Hospice. With a packed hall and a great crowd Collin kept everyone dancing throughout the night so not much time for tune sets. However we did get to play a new waltz, An Turas Fada (The Long Journey Home), composed by Fiona Dalgetty to celebrate the marriage of Richard and Keeley. In fact it was so good we played it twice.

      The Dances

      The Cock O' The North / 100 Pipers
      The Snowball
      Doxies March

      Thady U Ganda
      Oxo Reel
      The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
      Nova Scotia
      Clopton Bridge
      Boston Tea Party
      Circle Waltz
      Old Swan Gallop
      Orkney Strip The Willow
      Foula Reel
      Cumberland Square Eight
      Waltz An Turas Fada (The Long Journey Home)
      Circassian Circle
      The Gay Gordons

      Saturday 18 April 2009

      Audlem Public Hall, Sara's Birthday Dance



      Happy birthday Sara.

      The Dances

      The Cock O' The North / 100 Pipers
      The Snowball
      The Siege of Ennis
      Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie
      Goatland Square Eight
      Old Swan Gallop
      Happy Birthday Sara
      Happy Birthday Sheila
      Circle Waltz
      Orkney Strip The Willow

      The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair

      Circle Hornpipe
      Polka Off
      Shebag an Shemor / Give Me Your Hand
      The Willow Tree
      Swedish Masquerade
      Circassian Circle
      The Gay Gordons

      Saturday 11 April 2009

      St Wulstan's Hall, Pete's Birthday Bash


      Happy birthday Pete.

      The Dances

      The Cock O' The North / 100 Pipers
      The Snowball
      Goatland Square Eight
      Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie
      Circle Mixer
      Humours of Scariff / Some Say The Devil Is Dead
      Orkney Strip The Willow
      Happy Birthday
      The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
      The Siege of Ennis
      Waterloo Dance
      Shebag an Shemor / Give Me Your Hand
      Polka Off
      Molloy's Favourite / The Foxhunter / Cooley's Reels
      Oxo Reel
      Circassian Circle
      The Cock O' The North / 100 Pipers

      Saturday 4 April 2009

      Bishton Hall, Ruth and Joe



      The wedding of Ruth and Joe at Bishton Hall. Thanks again to Terry and Glen for depping on guitar and fiddle and to Mike for the photos.

      The Dances

      The Cock O' The North / 100 Pipers
      Ruth and Joe's First Waltz (Ashokan Farewell)
      The Snowball
      Goatland Square Eight
      Women of Ireland / The Tarboltan
      Circle Mixer
      Clopton Bridge
      Old Swan Gallop
      Patsy Geary's / Coleman's Cross
      Orkney Strip The Willow
      Pity The Poor Pig
      Circle Hornpipe
      Swedish Masquerade
      Oxo Reel
      Waltz (Midnight On The Water)
      Circassian Circle
      Cock of the North

      Friday 3 April 2009

      Brown Edge



      Thanks to birthday boy Chris, Terry and Glen for depping on bass, guitar and fiddle and to Mike for the photos.

      The Dances

      The Cock O' The North / 100 Pipers
      The Snowball
      Goatland Square Eight
      Orkney Strip The Willow
      Circle Hornpipe
      Postman's Knock
      Patsy Geary's / Coleman's Cross
      Circle Mixer
      Cornish Six Hand Reel
      Old Swan Gallop
      Women of Ireland / The Tarboltan
      Haddenham Square Eight
      Shebag an Shemor / Give Me Your Hand
      Circle Waltz
      Polka Off
      Circassian Circle
      Cock of the North

      Thursday 12 March 2009

      Winsford Library

      Off to Winsford Town with an embryonic StringFing (this time under the name of Terry Fox's Bunch of Bardsters) to the library there and the book launch of Homage to Cheshire, and Terry's own collected poems, Dance of Fools.

      I enjoy these civilised affairs, reverence to the artist from the audience and lashings of wine. Terry even managed to persuade the library to get a music licence for the night so that I could play my mandolin, along along with Chris Bingham on bass and James Berriman on guitar, on the final two poems – 'Owed to Paddy O' and 'Talking Revolution'.

      A Bunch of Bardsters.

      He was this tall.

      Saturday 28 February 2009

      South Bank Centre, Bristol



      Happy Birthday PC!

      Thanks for a great night and for arranging a Keele reunion,
      music from Clayton Blizzard 'a one man folk-rap army' and a set of party songs from Plucked! on sin, loneliness, heartbreak and poverty, great food - curry and cake, even though the candle refused to light, burlesque hoola-hoop dancers and a cuddle for everyone from Char. Sorry it took so long to get the pics up, but we didn't get back to Newcastle until 3.30 a.m. and needed all Sunday to recuperate. You can find a few more here.

      Friday 13 February 2009

      Ashbourne, Empire Ballroom









      I missed last year's Highland Fling with the Ashbourne and District Pipe Band so this was the first time that I've been up close and personal to massed bagpipes – loud aren't they? We first met Jonathon one New Year's Eve at the Royal Oak Hotel in Cheadle but I didn't know that he also played the Irish uilleann pipes. We'll have to arrange a bit of a session next time.

      If you would like to know more about the ADPB or fancy learning to play Scottish or Irish pipes you can find out more here.


      Not as many pictures of dancers as usual – something to do with Emma not being able to play drums and take photos at the same time. What is the point of all those paradiddles?


      The programme for the night.

      Behind the Haystack / Merrily Danced the Quaker's Wife
      Ashbourne and District Pipe Band
      The Gay Gordons
      A Highland Welcome
      Jonathon Whilock – small pipes
      St Bernard's Waltz
      Ashbourne and District Pipe Band
      Warwick Adams – Address to a Haggis
      Supper accompanied by Jessica and Jonathon Whilock on uilleann pipes
      The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
      Barn Dance
      Snare drum solo
      The Ashbourne Fling
      Warwick Adams – three Robbie Burns poems
      The Dashing White Sergeant
      Pipe Major James Dungavel
      Prize Draw
      Cumberland Reel
      Strip the Willow
      Auld Lang Syne

      Friday 6 February 2009

      Cobridge, Doreen and Tom



      There may have been snow on the ground for Doreen and Tom's wedding but a big crowd from Ireland made sure that we all had a great time inside the hall. Everyone seemed to have their dancing shoes on from Doreen and Tom's first waltz together to displays of step dancing, salsa and even body-popping!

      Thanks to Mike for the photos - more can be found here.

      The Dances

      Doreen and Tom's First Waltz
      The Cock O' The North / 100 Pipers
      The Glasgow Gallop
      The Snowball
      The Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie
      The Siege of Ennis
      The Gay Gordons
      The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
      Doreen and Tom's Second Waltz
      The Goatland Square Eight
      Strip The Willow
      Polka Off
      Waltz Midnight on the Water
      Step Dancing
      Old Swan Gallop
      Waltz Shebag an Shemor / Give Me Your Hand
      Circassian Circle
      Step Dancing

      Saturday 31 January 2009

      Haughton Village Hall




      The Dances

      The Cock O' The North
      The Snowball
      The Sicilian Hornpipe
      The Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie
      Swedish Masquerade
      Orkney Strip The Willow
      Waltz Midnight On The Water
      Dorchester Caper
      Happy Birthday
      Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
      Circle Waltz
      The Dashing White Sergeant
      Waterloo Dance
      Waltz (Shebag an Shemor)
      The Old Swan Gallop
      The Circassian Circle
      The Gay Gordons