Local dance groups were adding their colour and magic to the Rae Gala. Rainbow Morris are based in Shipley and I have friends who dance with them. Their style of dance is in the North-West tradition and the dancers wear iron-shod clogs decorated with bells so that their heavy stepping creates a distinctive beat. They use garlands, handkerchiefs and short beribboned sticks in their dances. It's a lot of fun, though tough on your hips and knees!
They have a very good accompanying music group too, with an accordian, fiddle and percussion. Watching and listening always makes me smile; it's a very infectious rhythm.
The other dance group at the Gala was North Wind Tribal, who dance a variety of Tribal Bellydance. I don't actually know any of these dancers but I've watched them a few times and they all seem to have an absolute ball, shimmying and swaying. I think they are really great; very feisty women. I've occasionally tried to perfect the signature hip lifts and drops and I can tell you that kind of shimmying is a lot harder than it looks!
Very colourful!
ReplyDeleteI haven't been to any Morris dance meets in a long time, something which I should remedy.
ReplyDeleteHow great to see women dancing belly dance moves! Morris dancing is also such fun, and I'm glad to see another group who does something a bit different.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing Morris dancing somewhere in England and it looked like a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun this all looks! I love watching Morris dancing and would love to see the wild belly dancers!
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