Tittensor, Anthea and Mike

Congratulations Anthea and Mike. What a wonderful way to celebrate your wedding – set up a marquee in a hayfield on a beautiful summer's evening and dance the night away – your very own Glastonbury. When we arrived Anthea mentioned that she might be the only one dancing, but she needn't have worried as we had a good crowd for every dance even though one chap insisted on clinging onto his beer throughout them all. As the light thickened and the shadows lengthend the 'polka dot sisters' and their friends shouted for more at every break whilst their mums and dads chilled out on the grass outside. Children just love to dance. We left happy and content under a yellow moon and with the sweet smell of newly cut hay lingering in the night air.

Here's a list of Steve's dances for those of you who kept your dance cards and would like to fill them in as a keepsake.

Behind the Haystack / Merrily Danced the Quaker's Wife
Lovers' Knot
Cumberland Long Eight
Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie
Lucky 7
Circle Waltz
Ashokan Farewell
Happy Birthday
Square Set
Southern Flavor
Drops of Brandy
Shebag an Shemor / Give me your Hand
Barndance
Circassian Circle
Cock o' the North

Wolstanton, Barbara and Steve

Happy Birthday Barbara and Steve. Was it really 10 years ago that we all met here to celebrate your 50th birthday? How time flies.

This time around we came to help you 'strut your stuff at 60', Victoria sang about her big knickers and we all sang along to Delilah and Leaning on a Lamp Post to the gentle strum of a ukulele. In between dances we ate Hazel's amazing choclate cakes whilst the young at heart blew bubbles. Thanks to everyone for making it such a great night, and well done the little girl with a butterfly in her hair for dancing so enthusiastically all night long. Thanks also to Mike for taking the photos and a special thanks to Richard for depping for 'super drums' aka Emma.

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

Southern Flavor
The Cock o' the North / 100 Pipers
Oxo Reel
Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie
Circle Mixer
Clopton Bridge
Waltz Midnight on the Water / Waltz Vienna
Orcadian Strip the Willow
Siege of Ennis
Happy Birthday
The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
Dave Hunt's Gallop Dance
Sicilian Circle Hornpipe
The Willow Tree
Waltz Shebag an Shemor / Give Me Your Hand
Keswick Square Eight
Circassian Circle

Etruria Canal Festival

Two days for StringFing in a marquee at the Etruria Canal Festival along with fellow musicians Andy Casserley and Michelle Martin. I love playing in marquees in summer – it's a bit like camping, what with the smell of grass and canvas, but without all the fuss of putting up a tent. A heavy shower on the Sunday afternoon ensured that we got a good audience for the last set as the entire festival sought shelter.

Caverswall Castle, Sarah and Geoff

Congratulations to Sarah and Geoff on your wedding.

After Sarah and Geoff danced their first dance to 'Gin Soaked Boy' by The Divine Comedy we had a short and sweet set of ceili dances. It was fierce hot inside and we were not allowed to open the windows – well you know how loud and raucous these ceili bands can be. Thanks to Martin D'Arcy for depping on fiddle for Sue – it was the first time Milly had played a gig without Sue in twenty-five years.

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

Oxo Reel
Goatland Square Eight
Orcadian Strip the Willow
Circle Mixer (Blaydon Races)
Waterloo Dance
Old Swan Gallop