Loose Women was born in 1977 when an advert went out asking for Loose Women needed for a respectable pastime! In fact...
Dance sides
There are many forms of Morris Dances and the styles vary from different parts of Britain. Enjoy watching and being impressed by them.
The basis for most dances is rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures performed by groups of dancers usually wielding handkerchiefs, sticks, swords, mollies, garlands and staves etc.
The Festival also encompasses traditional folk dances from Bulgaria, Slovak Czeck, Middle East, England and Ireland.
Click on any of the entries below to get more information. At the bottom of this page is a map of the festival locations.
These sessions are free to enjoy, although we welcome donations to cover our costs. The Festival is a non profit organisation run by volunteers, if we don’t cover our costs, they’ll be no more festivals! Please bring lots of change to donate on the day.
Mendip Morris
Founded in 1956 as “Mendip Morris Men”, although since 2018 they've been a mixed side. They are based in Congresbury,...
Wickham Morris
Marlings Morris
Marlings Morris are a mixed North West Morris side from Edenbridge in Kent. They dance in blue, purple, white and...
Garston Gallopers
Garston Gallopers are a mixed Morris dancing side based at East Garston in the Valley of the Racehorse, West...
Broadwood Morris Men
Bulgarian folk dance Zlaten Klas
Treacle eater clog
Knickerbocker Glory dancers
Knickerbocker Glory are a must see for fast colourful clog dancing. They're dressed in blue or black with brightly...
Hook Eagle Morris
In 1991, Stuart Foster, Vicar of St John the Evangelist Church in Hook, held an auction of promises to raise money for...
Isambard’s Gasket Rats
Raddon Hill Clog Morris
Raddon Hill Clog Morris are based in Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot, Devon and dance in the North West Style of dancing....
Wicket Brood
Wicket Brood are a Border side formed in 1994 who practice in the village of Bricket Wood, near St Albans in...
Festus Derriman
Blackrock
Blackrock School of Irish Dance are traditional Irish dancers. They wear Traditional Irish dancing dresses, hand made...
Winkleigh Morris
Winkleigh Morris is an inclusive and entertaining side presenting new dances along with the traditional. They have...
Basingclog Morris
Basingclog are clog side from Basingstoke who dance the North West style of clog, performing dances from the North of...
New Forest Meddlars
New Forest Meddlars were formed in 1990 and are a mixed Morris side dancing mainly in the Border and Cotswold...
Full Moon Morris
Full Moon Morris are a mixed Cotswold Morris dancing side loosely based around South Wales, UK, although members come...
Cry Havoc
Cry Havoc are a mixed side – mixed genders, ages, backgrounds, abilities; with a base of members who live in Botley,...
Ilfracombe Red Petticoats
The Ilfracombe Red Petticoats are a clog dancing group based, as the name suggests, in beautiful Ilfracombe, North...
Anonymous Morris
Anonymous Morris are a mixed border Morris side from Poole with an energetic, free-flowing dance style. Their tatters...
Madder Mill Molly
Madder Mill Molly is a mixed gender Molly team based in the Carshalton/Wallington area, who, after much research and...
Phoenix Morris
Phoenix Morris are a side of Morris dancing men and women based in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire and meet every...
Magog ladies
Magog , from Horsham in Sussex, were formed in 1974 and will be celebrating 50 years in 2024. To begin with Magog...
Fleur de Lys Ladies’ Morris
Fleur De Lys are a Ladies’ dance side with both sex musicians, who occasionally dance out with Cup Hill Morris Men....
Aurora
Aurora are an Appalachian step team, based in Exeter. They have been performing for 4 years at various festivals and...
Sarum Morris
Sarum Morris was founded in 1982; they're a group of Morris dancers - both men and ladies - based in Salisbury,...
Taeppas Tump
Tæppa's Tump is a Ladies North West Morris side which was formed in 1981. It's a women's Morris side based in...
Southern Star
In 1936, a group of miners in the village of Lingdale in Yorkshire were filmed by Lady Trevelyn, performing their...
Dorset Buttons
Dorset Buttons is a women's NW side wearing red & green dresses, white shirts and red clogs, with straw hats...
Bideford Phoenix Morris
Bideford Phoenix is a mixed Morris side, based in Bideford, North Devon. They dance a mix of Cotswold and Border...
Sovicka -Slovak Children’s folk dance group
Sovicka Slovak on their last trip to Swanage
Dr Turbevilles
Dr. Turberville's tend to go dressed as pirates when dancing in Swanage. Dr Turberville’s Morris is a mixed Morris...
Moonlight Morris
Moonlight Morris are a new small side of friends who formed to dance unusual and self-penned dances. Their tatters of...
Somerset Morris
Pump House Clog Morris
Pump House Clog Morris dance a north west style. The women dance in cream blouses with sash and brocade waistcoat,...
Oyster Girls
No Mean Feet & the Shoestring band
No Mean Feet are an Appalachian folk dance team, and have been dancing for over 22yrs. They dance to folk music and...
Morena Slovak Dance Co
Hurst Morris People
Hobos Morris
Hobos Morris was formed in 1993. They're female border dancers with a great band, based in Poole, Dorset. Their first...
Fishbourne Mill Morris
Enigma Border Morris
Dorset Button Rapper
Bourne River Morris Men
Baharah Dance
Baharah Dance are a Swanage based group of dancers, who respectfully share our love of Egyptian and middle eastern...
Armaleggan
Armaleggan are performing at the 2022 Swanage Folk Festival, in Multi-coloured tatters, black and white faces, top...
Alton Morris
Alton Morris will be in their red and green tatter jackets and bowler hats at Swanage Folk Festival September 2022...
Mr Wilkins Shilling
Mr Wilkins is a mixed gender North West Morris side based in Bath, England. They dance in Red and Black skirts, white...
Quayside Cloggies
Quayside Cloggies are a North West style Morris side who are appearing at the Swanage Folk Festival 2023. They wear...
Spank the Planks
Spank The Planks was formed in 1988 and is based in Bournemouth, Dorset. They specialise in Appalachian clog dancing...
Old Palace Clog
Old Palace Clog are a North West style Morris side who are appearing at the Swanage Folk Festival 2022. Their dance...
Ellington Morris
Ellington Morris are a Cotswold style Morris side who are appearing at the Swanage Folk Festival. They are a...
Steps In Time
Steps in Time perform several styles of English dance, including Step, Playford, Dorset dances. They all wear a...
Holly Copse Molly
Holly Copse Molly are a Morris side who perform Molly from the Fens. Their kit is Magenta, yellow and black and...
O’Leary Academy of Irish Dance
Kvet and Kvitek
They all have traditional folklore costume including shoes from Czech and Slovak folk traditions. In Czech and Slovak...
Whitethorn
Horizon community college
Horizon are a secondary school from Barnsley in South Yorkshire. They blend traditional folk style dance with styles...
Sidmouth Steppers
Rockhopper Morris
Rockhopper Morris perform Cotswold dances from the modern tradition of Raglan, first developed by Bantam Cocks, which...
These sessions are free to enjoy, although we welcome donations to cover our costs. The Festival is a non profit organisation run by volunteers, if we don’t cover our costs, they’ll be no more festivals! So, please bring lots of change to donate on the day.