[T]raditional English and Scottish folk dancers will perform on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th August, as part of the Lake District Folk Weekend, on Staveley’s Mill Yard, near Wilf’s and Hawkshead Brewery.
Pecsaetan is the (strange) name of a women’s team from Sheffield, who dance Cotswold style Morris. The name in Anglo Saxon means “Dwellers of the Peak District”
Although Morris dancing was, historically, always thought of as a pastime for men only it’s widely believed that without women adopting the tradition in wartime it would have died out.
Pecsaetan dance with great energy and passion to music provided by superb musicians.
Also performing over the weekend are two local teams Westmorland Step & Garland and Legs Levens.
From Edinburgh Mons Meg bring rapper sword dancing, from the north east borders Hadrian Clog are bringing some younger members, to demonstrate how they are keeping their local clogging tradition alive.
The Flagcrackers of Craven, a Border side of men and women, are making a return visit to Staveley too with their black faced disguise, tatter jackets and clashing sticks. They’re not easy to miss.
There will be free workshops too, teaching clog and rapper on Sunday 5th August, in Staveley’s Ayland pavilion. Full programme details are on the website www.thelakedistrictfolkweekend.com
