By Mark Gillett, updated by Pete Milne Thrale’s Rapper were formed in November 1994 when a loose grouping of London based individuals was formed by the highly experienced rapper hacks, Andrew Kennedy and Colin Messer. Originally the team met in the back bar of the Anchor pub in Bankside. The bar itself was called the “Thrale Room” and above the fireplace is a relief of Hester Thrale, companion to Dr Johnson, and wife of the founder of what became the Courage brewery. As the team had danced in front of her for so long, the choice of name became a formality. The dance developed at this stage was a free form “called” dance, named The Anchor after its birthplace. From the outset the dance style was up-front, aggressive and designed for maximum impact. At this time the famous Thrale’s weekend was born. Thrale’s are joined by a guest team for a Saturday tour of Soho and the West End, followed by dinner and a short tour of Southwark pubs. On Sunday is the, now notorious, Rapper Session at which up to 10 different sword teams attend to perform in front of their peers and enjoy Young's finest brew. Novice teams are welcomed and are supported generously. However, for the more confident teams, a bear pit atmosphere soon descends and some thrilling dancing is assured for all. Next the team developed The Lord Clyde dance, in honour of one of the finest pubs in London. This dance consisted of a fixed set of figures chosen to ensure maximum precision. A traditional dance was added to the repertoire, namely Beadnell, a flowing dance which was chosen to contrast with the aggressive, punchy nature of the team’s own creations. A new fixed sequence dance was added in 2007, the Admiral Duncan, named after the famous Soho gay bar, whose manager David Morley was a fan or the team's dancing (and sadly murdered in 2004). This dance scored the team second place at DERT 2008, the Tyzack trophy, best character and second-best musician. Our Beadnell also won the Traditional dance prize.The team have had previous success at DERT, having won the Open Own Dance category in Newcastle (1999) and the Open Traditional Category in Greenwich (2000). Thrale’s remain focused on achievement and enjoy the competitive aspect of rapper dancing. Dancers of vastly differing standards have passed through the team, but the objective has remained the same. Each team member is committed to ending each practice session as a better dancer than when they arrived. If they achieve this, then the team can ask no more. Festival bookings were not long in arriving, including Sidmouth, Whitby (both the Folk Week and Moor & Coast), Cheltenham, Towersey, Beverley and Winchester. On each occasion, beside fulfilling the basic obligations, Thrale’s have always given more. The team passionately believes that rapper should be danced in pubs and the dance is always taken on tour when visiting festival towns. The pub tours have always been the backbone of Thrales’ dancing, and currently the team have danced in several hundred different pubs, including around 150 in London alone. Although the Thrale room at the Anchor was available at no cost, the team were denied its exclusive use, and this was not without problem. The Anchor pub is right on the Thames tourist trail and practice was regularly suspended to allow for impromptu performances to coach loads of Norwegian and American tourists passing through the bar. The teams's practice base for a few years has been the basement of the Borough Welsh Congregational Chapel on Southwark Bridge Road. Most appropriate for a bunch of beer addicts. "Thrales Rapper began in November 1993, The team is 14 years old this
year [2008]. The team was started by Andrew Kennedy when he moved down from
Glasgow. I have no idea how the other dancers were persuaded to join
but for myself I was at a very large Ale run by Hammersmith Morris, I was chatted up by Andrew after a skin full. The first practice was mid
November in Thrales bar at the Anchor on Thames side. The founder
members were Myself, Andrew Kennedy, Mark Gillet, Tony Creason, Paul
Scourfield, John Gibbons. We practiced the Anchor Dance. our first performance in public (although unofficial) was at Phil Heatons derty weekend the following year in Feburary which was a practice weekend for Dert in 94. Our first rapper tour was in May 1994, it was around the Borough starting at the Anchor, The new Thameside, and the Wheatsheaf. I believe that Malcom was a member by this time. We were helped out in the first few months by Colin Messer from East Saxon Sword. Our first birthday tour was with Saxons, Northgate, and us. We toured the Borough and ate at the curry restaurant on Tower Bridge. We were joined in the evening by Ragged Rapper, and Hoddesdon Crownsmen. Thrales Rapper were named as a result of a phone call from EFDSS realising that there was a new rapper team practising in London and that their directory was about to go to print asking what the new team was called, we hadn't got a name so put under a bit of pressure Andrew said Thrales Rapper. When he came to practice and told the team, the feeling was that we could change it if we wanted but we didn't. Mark danced 1, I was 5 Tony was 2 Malcom was I think 3 and John was 4. The team from the very outset was set up to Dance well, not to compromise at all, to be very good or not to exist. I am proud that those few sentiments still exist and that anyone who comes near the team turns into a Thrale (know what I mean) and not just another rapper dancer. I became the dance Teacher after Andrew Kennedy suddenly left the team in May 2000 after the 5 nations Tour staying in Tongeren." Andrew Kennedy moved North, to form the Lamb & Flag team in Preston. In 2007 Andy Williams also moved on to better things in the North, in Southport. The foreman's job was handed on to the only possible candidate, being another Andrew - Andy Kallender. |