The team is holding an open session on Sunday January 18th between 11.00 until 3.00 at Farnhill Village Institute, Main Street, Farnhill, BD20 9BJ.
The Flagcrackers regular practise night is Wednesday, at the same venue. Beginners, improvers and experienced musicians and dancers are welcome to come and have a go, especially families.
The Flagcrackers are proud to be part of an evolving tradition, and where many Morris sides feature all-men or all-women dancers, the Flagcrackers are unusual as a mixed side which actively encourages families to join. With grandparents and grandchildren in the side together, it’s a rare hobby that spans the generations and helps to keep the whole family fit and enjoying travelling to weekend festivals together.
‘Squire’ Nigel Foster explains “We are always looking for new members as we are invited to dance at events all over the country and for every dance out we need a quorum of dancers and musicians available to go in order to accept the opportunity. The more members we have, the larger the pool of people, which means we can accept more bookings without the pressure of everyone having to commit every time.”
There are several different dance styles in the world of Morris dancing, and the Flagcrackers black faces, sticks, clogs and bright tatters are distinctive of the ‘Border’ tradition. Nigel adds “Having fun is what it’s all about, and entertaining the crowds can be very rewarding. Even shy people can be Border morris dancers though; no one will recognise you out with your blacking on!”
Anyone interested in joining the Flagcrackers should visit their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Flagcrackers or website www.flagcrackers.co.uk or contact the Nigel on 07772 165135 or squire@flagcrackers.co.uk