Previous Stepdance Days
The annual Stepdance Day again took place at the Swan, Worlingworth, Framlingham, Suffolk on Sunday 3rd August 2008. It featured the 9th annual Steve Monk Memorial Stepdance Competition and the 1st Font Whatling Traditional Stepdance Competition. A stepdance workshop at 12.30 was followed by a music, song and dance session until the Steve Monk Competition at 2.30 followed by the Font Whatling Competition. Steve Monk lived near Framlingham, and was a great character who influenced many people to 'have a go' at joining in with music and dance, and the competition was set up by some of his friends to keep this spirit alive. This year we introduced the Font Whatling competition in memory of the Swan's resident musician and stepper (1919-1998) who was for a number of years also a member of the Old Hat Concert Party and became well known at folk festivals around the country. The aim is to keep the older style of dancing with hard-soled shoes going. Dancers were welcome to enter both competitions. The Steve Monk competition is for allcomers at any level, and dancers had a free choice of music and musician. For the Font Whatling Trophy, entrants were not permitted to wear clogs or tap shoes, and had to dance to two specific tunes: Pigeon on the Gate (hornpipe) and Oh, Joe, the Boat is Going Over (polka) played by the same musician.
Despite exceptionally rainy weather, the event was extremely well-attended: we estimate that nearly 400 people came along to watch or participate! Simon Ritchie ran a short workshop at lunchtime, which was followed by a tune-up.
The Steve Monk Memorial Stepdance Competition attracted 25 entrants of varying
ages and standards, including several first-timers. It was won by Percy West,
with Sean Buckley winning the best newcomer award, and prizes given to all six
children who entered. It was followed by the new Font Whatling Traditional
Stepdance Trophy - a new class instigated this year with some stricter rules,
designed to really raise the bar for experienced dancers. This was won by Lenny
Whiting, who was a friend of Font Whatling, and runner-up was Doreen West .
The Swan is a lovely old-fashioned pub and has recently been under threat from developers ... it deserves your support all the year round! Many many thanks to Maxine and all her staff for being so supportive of the Stepdance Day for the second year. Thanks also to Percy West for again sorting out enough boards for everyone to dance on and to patrons Gloria and Trevor Buckley for their support of the event.
Photos:
Top row, left to right: Brian Whatling (Font's son, and a judge), Catrin Pena dancing to Simon Ritchie, Doreen O'Connor dancing to Steve Matthews, Steve Matthews.
Middle row, left to right: Lenny Whiting dances to Katie Howson, judges Simon Ritchie, Marilyn Monk & last year's winner Pam Buckley conferring, Dusty Smith (another judge) deep in thought, Gloria Buckley with some of the children who entered.
Bottom row, left to right: Gloria Buckley and Catrin Pena, Brian Whatling presenting Lenny Whiting with the Font Whatling Memorial Trophy, Marilyn Monk presenting Percy West with the Steve Monk Memorial Cup, Shaun Kelly with Best Newcomer award.
More photos of the event are on the Facebook website, courtesy of John Halliday: More photos of Stepdance Day 2008
This
took place on a blazing hot day, but the
marquee and mature trees in the garden of the Swan at Worlingworth provided
enough shade for the two hundred or so people who attended the 8th Annual Steve
Monk Memorial Stepdance Competition.
Simon Ritchie ran an informal and informative workshop over lunchtime, and eighteen people entered the competition in the afternoon. Steve Monk, who died age 48 in April 2000, was a great entertainer with a mischievous sense of fun. He introduced Simon Ritchie to traditional music, and Simon continues Steve’s light-hearted approach in this event. Joining Simon as judges this year were Percy West (last year’s winner) and Marilyn Monk.
Overall winner on points was Pam Buckley from Wisbech, with local boys Lenny
Whiting and Billy Heffer as runners up, and a new prize was awarded by Gloria
and Trevor Buckley to the best newcomer: Leo Baker from Tiptree.
Many thanks to Maxine at the Swan for making us so welcome, and to Percy West
for providing step dance boards for everyone.
Photos:
Top row, left to right: Doreen O'Connor, Worlingworth Swan, Cyril Barber, Worlingworth (yes, it really is in the middle of nowhere!)
Middle row, left to right: workshop, the Marquee, workshop
Bottom row: Lenny Whiting, Marilyn Monk presents Pam Buckley with the overall winner's award, Gloria Buckley presents Leo Baker with the Best Newcomer award, Leo in action
More photos of the event are on the Facebook website, courtesy of John Halliday: More photos of Stepdance Day 2007
Blazing hot weather on a Sunday in July 2006 didn’t put off the large
number of people who took part in a stepdancing workshop and competition and got
even hotter! Fortunately, the main hall at the Riverside Centre in Stratford St.
Andrew near the Suffolk coast was nice and cool for the workshop led by Simon
Ritchie from Thaxted, Pam Buckley from Wisbech and Tom Orchard, special guest
from Devon.
Workshop goers were taught a variety of steps and had the treat of demonstrations by the tutors and several other local stepdancers including Cyril Barber, Percy West and Lenny Whiting.
Everyone then moved outside for the stepdance competition, which
saw a record number of twenty-one participants enter, with ages from ten to
eighty-three, and many new-comers. After much debate and recounting of scores,
the winner was announced as Percy West from Palgrave near Diss.
Many thanks are due to Steve and Jayne Delarre who set up the original event, Dick and Angela Plant at the Riverside Centre and Suffolk Coastal District Council, and to all the people who took part in the workshop and competition - keep it up!
Photos (left to right):
Morning workshop, with Tom Orchard teaching.
Lenny Whiting in the competition.
Percy West receiving his prize from one of the judges, Simon Ritchie.
Cyril Barber, winner of the lifetime achievement award!
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