The Sword Dances The Yorkshire

Usually in early January, sometime between Christmas and the New Year

The Sword Dances, which with a few exceptions are found chiefly in the northeastern counties of Northumberland, Durham and North Yorkshire, are thought to have possibly originated in the folk dances of the Danes who occupied this part of England over a thousand years ago. The dances, similar to those of many other European countries, are traditional to the midwinter season.

The Sword Dancers appear sometimes at Christmas, sometimes at the New Year, to perform dances which folklorists think symbolize the conflict between dying winter with the quickening forces of spring. The dancers themselves--simple workingmen--are unaware that the theme they present is common to primitive people of every land. For centuries the men, their sons and grandsons, have made village rounds and presented a crude play, distinguished by stock characters such as the Fool, or Medicine Man, the Woman (a man, dressed in feminine attire), Beelzebub with his club, and a hobby horse. The beheading of the Fool, and his subsequent resurrection and restoration to youthful vigor, follow ancient folk rites which represent Winter's death and the resurgence of Spring.

The Yorkshire perform"s traditionally employ a long steel or wooden sword, while those of Northumbria (as the counties of Northumberland and Durham are called), generally use the short, flexible steel sword which closely resembles a workman's tool. The technique of the Northumbrian dance features highly complex, close formation, "stepping" or rapid tap dancing, and elaborate sets, ending with a locking of the short swords.Some of the traditional Sword Dance teams which are well known are:

1. The North Skelton and Lingdale Teams of Yorkshire. Both of these groups are composed of ironstone miners who, when unemployed after World War I, revived their ancient county dances and presented them in various North Riding villages, to raise funds to support themselves and their families. The two teams, which were organized independently of each other, are active in the mining area of Cleveland.

The North Skelton dancers have no distinctive costume but generally dress informally in white or colored shirts or tunics.

2. The Handsworth Dancers of Yorkshire. There are eight men in this group from Handsworth, near Sheffield. Although costumes vary among all the dancers from time to time, the Handsworth dancers have long been distinguished by lambswool caps which are dyed red on one side and left white on the other.

3. The Grenoside Dancers * of Yorkshire.

4. The Plough Stots † of Goathland and Sleights, Yorkshire.

5. The Flamborough Head Dancers of Yorkshire. The dance of this team of eight men from the fishing village of Flamborough Head is done rapidly and with great skill, in spite of the heavy fishermen's boots that are worn. The dancers link their wooden swords, which are held in the left hand, as they perform figures suggesting the operations of net making. The costume of the men usually includes blue jerseys and caps, in addition to the boots already mentioned.

6. The Royal Earsdon Sword Dancers of Northumberland. This team, composed of miners, is said to be one of England's most distinguished. The costume generally consists of white shirts and crimson jackets and breeches.