New dancers and musicians are always welcome to join us. It’s a great way to help you keep fit – you use a whole different set of muscles. It’s also a great way of getting around the countryside during the summer.
We practice on Thursday nights at Bathampton Church Hall, Holcombe Lane, Bathampton 8-10pm. Don’t know where it is? Fill in the Contact form and we’ll let you know how to get there – we may even be able to offer you a lift!
Dancers are currently mostly ladies. We have been a “Ladies” side after all. But the world is changing and so are we … so all can be welcome. Men joined us at a recent dance-out in Frome for instance, as did a wheelchair user. Two Gentleman is now dancing regularly – more would be very welcome! You don’t need any kit to start with – just comfortable shoes to dance in (trainers or other soft shoes that won’t slip off) and appropriate clothes. As you get more confident and are ready to think about dancing out, we will help you make your kit and order your clogs.
Any type of musician is welcome – men, women, old, young, virtuoso or barely competent. It’s a great chance to come along and play with other folk music enthusiasts. Perhaps you’re just starting out and need some confidence playing with others? Just bring your instrument. Anything will do (well, almost…) We do play outside, so large instruments would be a little unwieldy, and we do occasionally have to parade around as well, so you might want to practice walking and playing at the same time (there’s a reason double basses aren’t traditional?). We have melodeons and fiddles, often seen as the traditional folk instruments in England, but we also have mandolins, drums and other percussion, guitars, banjo and other strings, flute, oboe and an occasional recorder. We used to have a French horn … and may soon have a trumpeter! So, strings, fixed-reeds, brass or woodwind are welcome. If you’ve got any more questions, let us know and we’ll put you in touch with the musicians.
Come on, join us and have some fun.
You can download our current tune-book here …
Mr Wilkins' Shilling 