Guest Sides

Our guest sides have been invited to join us in celebrating the tradition of Morris Dancing that is deeply rooted with Bromyard Folk Festival; some for the first time this year. Look out for them in town this year, and hopefully in years to come!

Chinewrde 

Chinewrde Morris were formed in Kenilworth in 1982. They aim to perform NW Morris with vigour and crispness, preserving and developing the tradition – and they have lots of fun!

Domesday 

Based in the Domesday Village of Penkhull, Domesday Morris were formed in 2012 and dance a mix of self-penned and adopted dances, all in a border style, danced with high energy and most importantly fun. Their kit is simple white collarless shirts, brown corduroy trousers as labourers may have worn in times past. Their tatter jackets in mixed woodland colours are finished off with black top hats decorated with flowers, foliage, and feathers.

Erstwhile 

Meaning ‘from a time before’, Erstwhile Border Morris are a mixed side with a modern twist. They started the side because they are passionate about Morris dancing and folk tradition in general, and support new members as they learn about the tradition.

NYFTE 

NYFTE (pronounced ‘nifty’, stands for the National Youth Folk Troupe of England) are a team of 10-18 year olds from all over the country who perform traditional dance, music and song. Expect high energy dancing (morris, sword, clog, social dance and more) alongside fabulous musicianship and singing. NYFTE last came to Bromyard in 2018 and are thrilled to return in 2023, with a bigger team than ever, a whole new generation of young performers, and some exciting new dances in the repertoire.

Silkstone Greens 

Silkstone Greens take their name from the coal seam that runs beneath their home of Dodworth, Barnsley. They were formed in 2007; more than 10 years later they are going from strength to strength, dancing self-penned dances in traditional North-West style. They focus on smart, precise lines and movement. Oh, they also focus on partying when they get the chance!

Silver Flame

Fresh off the back of a win at the Dancing England Rapper Tournament, Silver Flame can’t wait to be back at Bromyard Folk Festival this year. Fun and fast dancing with ferocious music – come and marvel at how tired they can make themselves!

Styx of Stroud

Styx of Stroud is a mixed Border Morris side, launched in 2012 to perform traditional and contemporary dances in the Border style.
They wear tattercoats, black with flashes of red and green to reflect the felt-making heritage of their home town, mixed with corsets, boots, a bit of steampunk, bells and black hats with feathers and flowers, and hand-whittled sticks made of hazel.

Styx of Stroud follow the Border Morris tradition, with black tattercoats, lots of shouting and clashing sticks (hence the name). We’re a friendly mixed side who meet in Stroud every Thursday throughout the autumn and winter, and dance out at festivals and pubs throughout the summer. We’re always keen to meet new dancers and musicians, so watch out for the notices on Facebook in August as we get ready for the practice season; or come and say ‘hi’ if you see us out and about.

Wakefield

Wakefield perform North-West Morris which originated in Lancashire in the late 19th century when dancing took a central role in the annual village carnival processions. They dance a mix of traditional dances and self-penned dances, taking their inspiration from landmarks in and around Horbury. The team colours of blue and gold are taken from the crest of Wakefield City, influenced by a traditional dance kit from the 1890s. In the 43 years that the team has existed they have toured in France and Germany and performed at many folk festivals throughout England, gaining a reputation for a fast and lively dance style.

JV & Folk

Jake of JD & Folk dances Appalachian Flatfooting, with influences from Clog, Tap, and French-Canadian dance. Vikki of After Dinner Clog dances traditional English Step Clog. Manny plays whatever is most appropriate (and sometimes other things too). Together they adapt to all situations, joined by other fantastic musicians and guest dancers to come up with any fresh and fun idea that can (mostly) fit on a dance board.

Regular Sides

Our (more) regular sides include teams that have been performing at the festival for many years, and newer local teams who celebrate the border tradition borne from Herefordshire and neighbouring Gloucestershire, Shropshire and Worcestershire. Look out for some of them at this year’s festival!

Earlsdon

One of the finest exponents of North West clog Morris in the country. Founded in 1971 in Coventry, they have delighted audiences across Europe with their colourful kit, energetic dances and fantastic band. They perform a selection of traditional and self-written dances, and with a youthful and large number of dancers they will be hard to miss at this year’s festival.

Faithful City

This male Cotswold side is named after the motto of their hometown of Worcester, Civitas fidelis in bello et pacem (‘the city, faithful both in war and peace’).

Jockey

Jockey Morris was formed in 1949 and have performed ever since in Birmingham, country wide and in Europe. They mainly perform Cotswold dances in their traditional kit of straw hats, white shirt and trousers, blue baldrics with a rosette based on the Sutton rose and red, green, yellow and blue flashes on the end of the baldrics.

Ledbury

Ledbury Morris are a relatively new, mixed side formed in 2018 based near the market town of Ledbury in Herefordshire, a few miles south of Bromyard.
Their look is influenced by local tradition and inspired by the vibrant hedgerows, and they perform a mix of both traditional Border and Not for Joe dances.

Leominster

Leominster Border Morris started in 1983. They have a range of traditional Border dances and reinterpretations of dances from other traditions that we perform in a Border style, together the odd smattering of Cotswold dances just to prove they can! There is a historical record of Leominster men wearing ‘cheap print jackets, jingling bells and clashing sticks together’. Today, they wear boots, black jeans or trousers, braces, arm ribbons, a formal jacket made from colourful curtain material and a top hat. In the winter, the hat is decorated with feathers and foliage, a black shirt is worn under the jacket and faces are disguised with green face-paint. In summer, a white shirt is worn and the hat is decorated with fresh flowers.

Lord Conyers

Lord Conyers Morris are a traditional Morris Dancing side from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, founded in 1974. They dance a wide variety of Cotswold dances from different traditions, plus Border dances from the Pershore tradition. They can be found in the summer months dancing at various pubs plus other events in South Yorkshire and the surrounding areas. They are also to be seen at festivals both throughout the country and abroad.

Shakespeare

Shakespeare Morris consists of a men’s and a women’s dance side, sometimes dancing separately, sometimes together. They dance Cotswold in the Bidford on Avon tradition. Shakespeare Morris have the privilege of wearing the family Coat of Arms of the house of John Shakespeare, William Shakespeare’s father, by kind permission of the Shakespeare Trust. The gold & black shield familiar to visitors to Stratford shows a ‘shake spear’ or in historic terms, a left leaning spear.

Silurian

Founded by folk legend Dave Jones, Silurian began dancing in 1969 in Ledbury and have kept faithful to the Border dances Dave and others collected from documents & old people in the Welsh border counties. Over the years Silurian has performed all over the country and tours abroad, gaining friends, admirers and lifetime bans across the continent. They organise the annual Wassail of apple trees at Weston’s Cider in Herefordshire, taking very little credit for the way it has become an international success & raised thousands of pounds for St Michael’s Hospice. Their motto for the recent half century anniversary was, ’50 years and still going wrong!’.

White Hart

Formed in the 1970’s and based in Alcester, White Hart perform a number of Cotswold Traditions and their own distinctive Headless Cross style of dance.

Soft Option

This long established Worcestershire side performs fast and furious dances in the spectacular Appalachian precision stepping style. The percussive rhythm of their feet is complemented by the bluegrass/old time sound of violin, mandolin, guitar, banjo and double bass as performed by their band ‘No Option’.