We pride ourselves on having a strong dance programme at the Priddy Folk Festival, including Morris and display dance sides, ceilidhs and workshops. And the best thing is that the vast majority of the Dance Festival is absolutely free and open to all!
2025 dance artists
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Thrales Rapper
Style: Rapper
Thrales is a sword dance team from the London borough of Southwark, bringing culture and enlightenment to the congestion charge zone and beyond.
Rapper sword dancing is a fast, exciting and occasionally acrobatic tradition from the industrial North of England. Originally developed by miners and performed in their local pubs, rapper is a high-octane dance, at its best in the confined space of a busy bar. Spawned from the coal mines of south Middlesex in 1994, Thrales perform both original and traditional rapper sword dances.
Website: https://www.thralesrapper.info/
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Sweet Coppin
Style: North West clog and step clog
Sweet Coppin Clog Dancers are from Taunton, Somerset and are named after a local cider apple, reflected in the red and green of their kit. They perform three different styles of dance: English Step Clog with traditional steps from Westmorland, Northumberland and Lancashire; North West dances with sticks, hankies, slings or garlands; and other dances from around Britain danced in soft shoes rather than clogs.
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SomerStep
Style: Step dance
SomerStep are a group of musicians and step dancers based in Somerset, who aim to encourage social dancing and step dancing, supported by their musicians with an impressive repertoire of Dorset and Somerset traditional tunes. Dancing the steps of Dartmoor steppers Bob Cann and Les Rice and freestyling to southern English jigs, polkas and hornpipes. they use traditional steps collected in Somerset, Dorset and Hampshire.
As a group, they dance reels such as the Dorset four-hand reel, and Wiltshire six handed Reel, New Forest Dances and local Somerset Ribbon Dances and demonstrate Clog steps from across the British Isles.
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Quaggy Morris
Style: Cotswold
Quaggy Morris, established in 2019, are a mixed Cotswold side based in Lewisham, South East London. Their costume ties them to the contemporary folklore of the Lewisham Natureman – their very own Banksy. The Natureman White Stag murals can be found all over the borough in the most unexpected places, including along the banks of our Quaggy river, after which the side are named. They share their love of morris dancing with the local community at fetes, festivals and pubs. Further afield, this year they joined the Whittlesey Strawbear Festival for the first time and can’t wait to see you at Priddy.
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Kittiwake
Style: Border
Kittiwake Border Morris are a heady mix of energy, youth, sticks and joy! Swooping into formation in Bristol in 2022, they perform a mixture of original and traditional dances accompanied by a fantastic band of talented musicians – seamlessly blending the best of tradition with fresh innovation. They are a proudly LGBTQ+ inclusive side, with a diverse range of members. Their blue, white and black tatters and feather-style faces (representing their seabird moniker), youthful energy and plenty of stick clashing make for performances that are both fun and fierce. Come and watch a mesmerising show full of yips, yells and bells!
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Kekezza Kernow
Style: Cornish
Kekezza is a Cornish dance and music group who first came together in 2006. They take their name from the Cornish word for ‘heather’, which is often used as a symbol of Cornwall and incorporate the colours of the flowers into their costume.
They have represented Cornwall at many Celtic events and festivals in Wales, Asturias and Brittany as well as extensively at home in Cornwall. They dance a mixture of traditional dances which have been collected and more modern dances in the traditional style.
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Heaps Morris
Style: Cotswold
Founded in 2023, Heaps Morris is a vibrant group of female-identifying dancers passionate about learning and sharing traditional Cotswold Morris dances. Named after the ‘heaps of dross’ found at Troopers Hill in Bristol, our side was initially formed at the creative hub of St Anne’s House in Brislington. We have since grown into a creative and dynamic collective, supported by talented folk musicians. We perform at community events and folk music gatherings, bringing the joy and energy of Morris dancing to a wider audience.
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Harlequin Morris
Style: Cotswold
Harlequin Morris are a tribute to the living traditions from the Cotswolds, that are exciting, energetic and uplifting for both dancers and audience members. The side was formed in June 2013 by a small group of friends from around the country who wanted to learn and dance more difficult and challenging traditions in a polished manner. The side dress in an array of different coloured shirts, black and white ribbons and black waistcoats, so they hope this will help you spot them from a distance!
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DunAvon and Folktone
Style: Hungarian dance
The DunAvon Hungarian Folk Dance Ensemble recently celebrated its fifth anniversary and regularly organises Hungarian folk dance events in Bristol including live music and dance instruction. They are proud to have performed on numerous occasions throughout Wales and England. Their repertoire includes dances from Szatmár, Moldova, Szilágyság, Rimóc, and Kazár, each with its unique style and traditional outfits
Folktone will accompany the performance with authentic live music. The Folktone Productions team is a friendly group of dedicated folk artists, and they first debuted as a folk music band in the UK in spring 2014.
DunAvon:
Folktone:
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Bounds of Selwood
Style: Cotswold
The Bounds of Selwood are a Cotswold Morris side formed in 2023. Based in Frome in Somerset, they dance locally for calendrical celebrations, community events, festivals and wherever else they can. When they dance, they feel a joyful connection to each other, their community, tradition and landscape.
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Ceilidhs
As well as dance workshops and displays, we have three ceilidhs to delight your dancing feet.
Saturday 19.00 to 21.30 Village Hall (Wristband Only)
Our legendary Saturday night ceilidh is led this year by Lasair with Hannah Cummings as caller. With a supercharged lineup of fiddle, mandolin and melodeon backed by a roasting rhythm section of drums, bass and guitars, expect lively tunes and a lot of fun!
Saturday 13.15 to 14.45 Village Hall (Wristband Only)
Rob Wheatley is a very popular and inventive caller who has organised dances for many types of events using uplifting and varied music. He particularly enjoys family barn dances so come and join him for an afternoon of fun.
Sunday 14.00 to 16.00 Eastwater (Free)
Yatton Ceilidh Club is back in Priddy with the Lochrian Ceilidh Band. What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than at a family ceilidh with fellow dancers to encourage you? Yatton Ceilidh Club are a group of enthusiasts who meet in the North Somerset village of Yatton on Tuesday evenings under the tutelage of Alison Black. Expect fun, some great dancing and energetic music – no previous experience required! Sweet Coppin will be providing the interval display at 15.00.
