Category Archives: Dance Outs

Public appearances.

Boxing Day

Another well-established date in the Havoc calendar is a Boxing Day danceout at the Seacourt. Usually we dance outside, but the weather this year was, well, a bit mucky.

So we retreated inside. Space was a little limited.

Hankies fly in a confined space.

All Up!

Now, is there ceiling clearance for sticks?

Rather crowded here. What happens if we try sticks?

Only just was the answer.

We do have one dance, Shave the Donkey, that requires a lot of space for much leaping about? Could we do it inside with no casualties?

Doing Shave The Donkey with no room is very silly. Looks like we made it to the end.

Yes, but you can see the relief.

We danced for about 40 minutes, and then settled down to lunch and some music.

Kazoo time. What are these two doing?

All right, that’s enough mucking about.

Let’s get some music in.

Mick and his fearsome weapon.

A whistle and a nyckelharper.

One of Santa’s Little Helpers, and hat.

A Happy Christmas and Merry New Year to all.

Presenting our charity fund for 2019 to Botley Bridges

During the course of the Morris dance-out season, we rattle buckets under the noses of unsuspecting passers-by, collecting for our charity of the year.

Presenting our cheque to Botley Bridges.

This year the charity was Botley Bridges, a cause very close to our hearts and right in the centre of our home patch. We were very happy to be able to present them with a cheque for £1000. This will fund their Saturdads group for a year, so appropriately we presented it to them during a Saturdads session. We did a few dances for the dads and children, and made them join in a dance with us too.

They, and we, got a write-up in the local paper. You can read their report and see the picture here.

Bunkfest 2019

Wallingford Bunkfest is often our last local dance-out of the season. It’s always a fun day out.

As usual we danced at several locations around the town and the festival ground. We started the day on the early shift in front of the main stage.

In front of the main stage.

Pete and Mick concentrate.

Havoc musicians in front of the main stage.

Poor Nigel had had a recent close encounter with a surgeon, and was out of action, but turned out to lend support.

Is that stick to walk with, or to belabour bad dancers?

After which it was off to the Boathouse and the back to the Dance Stage on the Kinecroft before lunch.

In the festival Dance Stage.

.. and the lines are looking straight for once.

A fair morning’s work. After that we got a few hours break before finishing the day outside the Dolphin.

A weekend festival and workshop

An new event for us this year. The good folk who organise Willowbrook Farm Festival got in touch, and booked us to not only perform but to give a dance workshop too.

None of us had ever been to this festival before. It’s a small family-oriented affair on a rather unusual farm just a little way outside Kidlington. We had to wait for the birds of prey demonstration to finish and people to get some lunch, but we had a fair selection of curious spectators for our first dance set.

Stick out at the Willowbrook Farm Festival

So we took full advantage and made them work too!

Shepherds Hey

Shepherds Hey – for all sizes and ages.

After a quick lunch ourselves, it was time for our workshop. After thinking we might get 1 or 2 people, we found outselves with at least 12, which required all Havocs to the pump. So, unfortunately, there was nobody spare to take pictures. We may get hold of some at some point, in which case I’ll add them here.

After the workshop, a second dance spot. This time we were a little overshadowed by a bloke with some snakes. So once we’d finished, time to see what the fuss was about.

Pete and a snake. Emma doesn’t look overly impressed.

It was a nice event. We’ll be hoping to be back there again.

Back at the Seacourt

Generally speaking, we tend of wind down a bit in August. People will insist on going on holiday and being generally unobtainable. So, Thursday was the last of our regular Thursday evening dance-outs, and we went back to our winter home, the Seacourt Bridge in Botley, for a special evening. Our very own Isobel was celebrating one of those birthdays with a nought in it.

So, definitely time for a dance.

Constant Billy – ready for the off.

Constant Billy – on the move.

And we welcomed a special guest musician.

Tilda shows us how to shake.

It was a warm evening. Squire permitted removal of waistcoats.

Hankies flying in the heat.

There was a spectacular cake.

The cake.

The birthday girl cuts the cake.

And, after dancing and cake, tunes and songs outside. Our summer is by no means over, but what a great way to finish the regular season.

Havoc on the cards

An enterprising Morris dancer called Owain (there’s a limerick in there somewhere) has produced a Morris card game, Top Trunkles.

We were sufficiently on the ball when the call for sides came out. And here we are!

Top Trunkles

An evening in Eynsham

Aided and abetted by Wolvercote Morris, we snuck out of Oxford on Thursday and into Eynsham. The Swan Hotel, to be precise.

Wolvercote getting warmed up.

We came equipped with a special guest star. Veronica, Squire of Sydney’s very own Black Joak Morris.

Our guest star with Emma and Kate.

We passed a relaxing evening of turn and turn about.

Hankies a-fly.

A Wolvercote turn.

The Swan has a nice stone wall in the back yard. Emma’s not one to let a good clogging surface pass her by, even if it presents challenges.

Emma shows off her clogging.

Emma on the wall.

We’re past midsummer, so the evenings don’t last quite as long as they did.

Musicians in the gloaming.

And not to be out done, Veronica thought she’d try the wall as well.

Veronica conquers the wall.

After that, inside for some music.

The evening session.

Pete sings!

Sandford Fete

Today we’ve been dancing at the village fete in Sandford. Another traditional fete – if this was Midsummer Murders, we’d be lucky to get out alive – and another fee to swell our charity fundraising for this year. The fete bought the crowds out.

Fete crowds.

We did two half hour displays on a grass area.

Hankies flying.

Constant Billy.

The thing about dancing on grass is that it’s rather hard work.

Sidesteps. It’s hard work on grass.

So we all needed the break at half time.

Musicians and Morris Dancers gravitate to the Beer Tent.

And Squire had to consult with the other Important Personages there present.

Cheers, Ma’am!

Back for the second half. Delighted that Oliver was in town, and back with us for the afternoon. These days he’s more likely to be dancing with Blackheath Morris, the side that appeared in the 2012 Olympics Closing Ceremony, no less. We are not worthy.

Oliver takes time out from Blackheath.

Just us, a country pub and a summer evening

Whether it’s the regular Tuesday evening session, or a dance out, we’re regular visitors to Tommy and the Eight Bells at Eaton. It’s a warm and dry summer evening, so we’re doing our usual thing.

Vandals of Hammerwich.

Back to Back!

Not having any other sides around means that Squire can put us through our paces on some dances to check that we’ve not forgotten them.

Dogs or War – Kill!

And we have a fete coming up on Saturday, so let’s practice some crowd-pleasers too.

Shaving the Donkey.

Jenny Lind.

Of course, when there’s only us dancing, it’s not only the dancers who have to work hard. Spare a thought for the hard-working engine room of the side too.

Our musicians.

At the Six Bells at Warborough with Old Speckled Hen

It’s a near-perfect summer evening, and we’re off to meet Old Speckled Hen for the second time this season. This time we are once again their guests at the Six Bells in Warborough. A pub familiar to Midsommer Murders fans. Let’s hope we get out alive.