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Earsdon Sword Dance facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Earsdon Sword Dance is a super old and special traditional dance from England. It's performed by a group called the Royal Earsdon Sword Dancers. They come from a village called Earsdon in Northumberland, which is in the north of England. This village is near other small towns like East Holwell, West Holywell, and Backworth. The popular beach town of Whitley Bay is also just a short drive away.

Earsdon 1910
The sword dancers in 1910

What is the Earsdon Sword Dance?

The Earsdon Sword Dance is a type of folk dance. Folk dances are traditional dances that have been passed down through many generations. This particular dance uses special flexible swords. It's not a fight, but a graceful performance where dancers move together, weaving the swords in patterns.

A Long History of Dance

The Earsdon dance group is one of the oldest sword dance teams in the whole country! Their history goes back a very long time, even before the 1600s. That's over 400 years of dancing!

Since 1829, they have had a special tradition. Every Christmas, they perform for the Duke of Northumberland at his amazing home, Alnwick Castle. Imagine dancing in a real castle!

Who are the Dancers?

The dance team has seven performers in total.

  • There's a leader called the Tommy (or Captain).
  • There's also a Bessy, who is a man dressed up as a woman. This is a traditional character in many old folk dances.
  • Five other dancers make up the main group.
  • Finally, there's a musician who plays the fiddle (a type of violin).

The seven performers wear bright, colorful costumes. The fiddler usually wears his normal clothes.

The Swords They Use

The swords used in the Earsdon Sword Dance are quite special. They are called rapper swords.

  • Each sword has two handles.
  • The blades are flexible, meaning they can bend a little.
  • They are about 24 inches (609 millimeters) long.
  • They are about 1 and 1/8 inches (29 millimeters) wide.

These swords are used to create intricate patterns and movements during the dance.

See also

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Earsdon Sword Dance Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.