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Who are Anstey Royale Chalfont?
Who are Anstey Royale Chalfont?
The team was formed in 1984 by a group of local women keen to participate in this vigorous style of dancing. North West has a tradition of women dancers. The team itself was ‘born’ at a planning meeting in The Old Hare and Hounds in Anstey! There was much talk about kit and the name. At one time, bloomers was discussed and the name ‘Chalfont’ came about from a Lord Chalfort who invented bloomers! This turned out to be false but the group liked the name so kept it! The early group was ‘Royal Chalfont’ for a while until someone pointed out you could only use ‘Royal’ if appointed by the Queen, so the name was changed to Royale.
There were a couple of garland dances in the early days along with sticks and hankies. Once at a Scarborough weekend, the Morris Traveller containing the garlands was stolen and there was much more concern about the garlands than the car! Luckily they both turned up later down near the beach!!
The group have danced at fêtes, fairs and festivals; in church halls, village halls, town halls and the De Montfort Hall! We have processed through the centre of Birmingham, danced in the shadow of the Cutty Sark and along the length of the prom at Scarborough! No matter the venue, we always enjoy dancing.
WHAT IS NORTH WEST MORRIS?
North West Morris dancing is just one of the several traditions of Morris dancing to be found in England. The dances originate from the North West counties – Lancashire, Cheshire and Cumbria and often take their name from the town where they were first danced. In our repertoire for example, we dance 'Glossop', 'Ashton', 'Keswick', 'St. Helens' and 'Runcorn'.
Many of the dances were initially processional dances and they were danced through the streets at carnival time with the more difficult figures being performed wherever there was an audience and simpler stepping reserved for the uphill slog.
A variety of dance implements are held by the dancers, namely garlands, handkerchiefs, 'fluffies' and short sticks decorated with ribbons and bells. Some North West sides use cotton bobbins from the old mills instead of short sticks. The 'fluffies' are a reminder of the carnival nature of North West Morris. The precise high stepping style of North West Morris is further accentuated by the wearing of clogs.
In a North West side there is usually a minimum of eight dancers and sometimes a leader who calls the figures or indicates a change of figure by blowing a whistle.
Some of the original Dances performed by the group include:
THE NOOK
A Traffic roundabout in Anstey, Leicestershire
Our own dance using N.W. figures and stepping but symbolising the village of Anstey where 4 roads converge on a very busy roundabout called 'The Nook'. Hence a chorus and figure is danced in each of the 4 directions representing these 4 roads. There is even a figure called 'roundabout'.
NEWTON LE WILLOWS
A small town between Liverpool and Manchester
The dance was performed by a ladies side in the mid-1920's and has been danced by a 'fluffy' side up till the late 1950's. The dance was collected from Carol Broadbent in 1978. She was Leader of a present day 'Fluffy' side, having danced with the ladies in the 1920's as a young child.
RUNCORN
A town near Liverpool (once famous for its suspension bridge)
Taught to us by Derby Crown at a N.W. Leaders Weekend. Alternative name is 'The Medieval Car Wash Dance'.
LOSTOCK
A town near Bolton in Lancs.
Properly called 'Lostock Junction'. Originally this was a stick dance dating from about 1880 and later used as a carnival dance with garlands. Now generally it is a stick dance. This version is from about 1921. Dating the origin to 1880 is actually dubious when considered in the context of Lostock Junction's development as a town, but it is definitely an early carnival type dance.
GLOSSOP
A mill town north of Manchester.
A hanky dance – the first dance ARC was taught by Sue Swift when we formed in 1984.
KESWICK
A small town in the Lake District
A stick dance
ASHTON
Fairly typical N.W. dance
ANSTEY ROYALE CHALFONT
Our own dance written by Sue Swift based on traditional N.W. figures and stepping using sticks. We have been dancing it since the side was formed in 1984.
PLYMOUTH
A well known town in the N.W. Added to our repertoire in 1989. Danced without the aid of sticks, garlands or hankies. A death defying stunt!
Anstey Royale Chalfont are members of The Morris Federation.
Anstey Royale Chalfont are members of The Morris Federation.
For bookings or enquires, please contact us at arcsquire@yahoo.co.uk
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