SWORD SPECTACULAR

Overseas groups who attended

Kemen Dantza Taldea, Basque Country, Spain: Formed in 1973 by the parents of children at the Txingudu Basque School in Irun, there are now two distinct groups - a 180-strong school group and the adults, Kemen, with 60 musicians and dancers. Sword dancing in the Guipuzkoa area dates from at least the 15th century and Kemen's dance follows closely a description of 1754. Kemen aim to spread the Basque culture through polished performances. Prize winners at Llangollen and in Catalonia, they have travelled widely across Europe but are making their first appearance in England.

Podable, Komna, Czech Republic: Komna is a village near Zina in Moravia, on the Czech and Slovakian border. Its sword dance is performed at Carnival festivities and can be traced from the 17th century, when villagers had to organise themselves against the attacks by the Bochkojovians and Tartars. Their dance is performed in front of each house in the village at the end of Shrovetide (42 days before Easter) and lasts about six minutes. The Podable group have appeared at festivals in Strakonice and Uhersky Brod and also at the 1996 Sword Spectacular in Scarborough.

Bobkovnici Bystrice pod Lokenikem, Czech Republic: Bystrice pod Lokenikem, in the Bohemiam region of Slovacko, lies on a mediaeval trade route, near the town of Uhersky Brod. It was frequently attacked by Tartars, Turks and Kumans, and this 17th century sword dance was performed by the local guards. The group is named after their commander, a Mr Bobek. When danger receded, it became an annual Shrovetide tradition for the guards to dance with their swords at each house, collecting money or food. The Czech Republic's oldest traditional dance, it has 10 dancers, a concertina player and a collector.

Volkskunstgroep Boerke Naas, Flanders, Belgium: Founded in 1949, this group has brought to life the cultural heritage of dancing and flag waving traditions of Flanders. Its members are passionately committed to the region's traditional music and and does much to keep alive Flemish traditional crafts such as lace-making, spinning and weaving. Their varied performances include a sword dance, which presents a symbol of the sun, source of life. The group's spectacular flag waving skills ensured that they were huge favourites at the 1998 Sword Spectacular festival and we are delighted to welcome them back.

Dansgroep Lange Wapper, Antwerp, Belgium: In the 15th and 16th centuries, Flemish religious processions often included lay elements such as giants, monsters, and sword dancers. Religious troubles in 1566 saw these revert to purely religious events and sword dances dwindled, although their societies continued up to the early 1800s. The tradition survived in the Trawantel, a six-man hoop and stick dance in the hilt-and-point style. Since reviving the sword dance in 1970, Dansgroep Lange Wapper have performed each Half-Lent in front of Antwerp cathedral. 11 dancers perform the 20-minute dance to drummers, bagpipes, violins, flutes and hurdy-gurdies, in front of thousands of people. The group limits its performances to this day and special occasions such as the Sword Spectacular!

Text Marki ako Zerutxu, Markina, Basque Country, Spain: This group is based in Markina, a small town in the Basque province of Biscay. They traditionally perform their sword dance on St Michael's Day (29th September) in Arretxinaga, formerly a hamlet of Markina, when the festivities also include plays and other dances. The dancers carry long and short swords in two different dances - the long swords for hilt-and-point sword dances and the small swords used for figures representing fighting skills. Unusual in Basque sword dances is the hoisting of the captain on the swords. First recorded in 1704, the tradition can be clearly be traced with some interruptions through to the present.

Bal do Sabre, Bagnasco, Italy: Sword dancing had largely disappeared from Italy's mountainous Piedmont region until revived by the Bal do Sabre group in 1968. The dance had been performed from 1900-1927, then in 1948 and 1951-1952; records go back to 1895 but it must have existed long before. The dancers use curved scimitars, peforming to the beat of a drum to recount the legend of a peasant condemned to death for refusing to give his daughter in marriage to a Moorish emperor. After his death, the Fool breathes new life into him in a role remininscent of mediaeval plays. The dancers wear colourful, Turkish-style costumes and were popular stars of both the 1996 and 1998 Sword Spectaculars.

Jack the Rapper, Norway: This is Norway's national rapper side! Jack the Rapper are from Oslo and have been dancing together since 1993. They have attended the Dancing England Rapper Tournament twice, in 1996 and 1999, and were popular participants in the first Sword Spectacular in Scarborough in 1996. Their kit consists of white shirts, purple and black waistcoats, black jeans and (of course) black shoes.

Volkstanzgruppe Sankt Martin in Sulmtal, Austria: One of the few of Austria's 30 known sword dances to be recorded in detail, this Miners' Guild dance was documented by Richard Wolfram in 1586. St Martin in Sulmtal is a mining centre and its flag bears the sign of the miner. Miners were specially permitted to carry weapons for protection due to the isolated locations of their mines. We were honoured by the presence of the St Martin dancers, who perform only on Whit Sunday and a few other special occasions. The ten dancers dress in traditional miners' clothes and perform with a harlequin character to a drum and flutes. Founded in 1974, the group aims to preserve traditional Styrian folk dance, songs and theatre, and has performed across Europe, the Far East and the USA.

Schwerttanzgruppe der Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Sing-, Tanz- und Spielkreise in Baden-Württemberg eV, Germany: These dances are performed in traditional regional costume by members of different groups in a federation of 70 folk organisations. The sword dance opens with a flag waved above the dancers to honour them and symbolise their union. A fool represents the Antichrist, who lives outside the community until he is killed, resurrected and finally accepted by the dancers. At the end, the “King”, representing authority, is hoisted on the swords to give a short speech. The only music is the drummer's beat. The group also performs a stick dance from a German-speaking part of Slovakia, in which six dancers and a “Lazzo” perform sword dance figures - the higher the Lazzo would jump, the higher then flaxen was said to grow.

Orion Sword, Boston, USA: A mixed team from Boston. Formed in 1986, the team prefers English longsword dances and combine innnovative choreography with traditional dance elements. They have expanded their traditional repertoire with new interpretations and dances, such as “The North Shirley Volunteers” (named after a town in their native Massachusetts). Two dances - “Dual Pelican No Bleeper” and “Take 5” - were choreographed after attending the 1996 Sword Spectacular. Their kit of white trousers and black fitted jackets with a red and gold waistband is styled on a US Civil War uniform.

Velocirapper, USA: Velocirapper, a rapper dancing team for high schoolers, was founded in Sudbury, Massachusetts, in the fall of 1996. Drawn from the children's morris teams Hop Brook Morris and Banbury Cross and instructed by concertina player Tom Kruskal, Velocirapper members include Michael Ahern, Mark Burkhardt, David Fleischmann-Rose, Peter Kruskal, Emily Leonard and Andrew and Aaron Marcus. This was their first tour outside the United States.

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