The Buttercross Belles

The Buttercross Belles, Otley’s North West Morris women’s dance team, is holding FREE taster sessions on Thursday 19th and 26th September 2019 from 7.30-9.30 pm.

We meet for practice every Thursday during term time at St Joseph’s Primary School in the centre of Otley (Manor Square, LS21 3AP).

Come and try some stepping and learn a dance or you can join in the band. Musicians, men as well as women, are very welcome too.

It’s great fun and fantastic exercise. You don’t need any previous experience.

We enjoy dancing and playing music locally and at events further afield. Find out more about us at: www.buttercrossbelles.com

Interested in giving it a go? Contact Jaci Bowman: squire@buttercrossbelles.com and come along to a taster session if you can.

The Buttercross Belles invite everyone to come and join us for our popular community May Day event at the Otley Maypole, at Cross Green, Leeds Rd, Otley.

There will be lots of opportunity for everyone, children and adults alike, to join in the dances with colourful ribbons to celebrate the 1st of May in the traditional way.

The Belles will also entertain with some demonstration dances.

We will be at the Maypole in the evening from 6 to 7.30 pm, do come and join us.

There was an excellent turnout for this year’s May Day celebration at Otley Maypole, and the sun came out too. Children, parents and the Town Mayor all enthusiastically joined in the dancing, making patterns around the Maypole with the colourful ribbons.

The dancing was introduced by the Otley Bellman and led Otley’s women’s Morris side, The Buttercross Belles. The Border Morris side, Wayzgoose, also joined in the dancing, and the afternoon ended with a May Day Mummers play performed by Otley Players.

Jaci Bowman, The Buttercross Belles Squire, said

‘The Belles would like to thank everyone who helped with this annual community event, especially The Town Council, Billy Butlin from Otley builders, Houldsworth, who put up the ribbons for us and Jamie Hudson from Futurist who kindly lent us a mobile microphone so everyone could hear the dance instructions.

This year’s May Day was particularly special for the Buttercross Belles as we are celebrating 25 years of dancing. On Friday evening current and ex-Belles dancers and musicians gathered at the Black Horse Hotel for a re-union. We had a very happy time sharing our dancing experiences, with former Belles travelling from as far away as Switzerland and France to join us’.

 

The Buttercross Belles spent a very enjoyable three days dancing in Vilnius, in Lithuania this May. As well as dancing in some lovely places, with friendly and appreciative audiences, there was also time to explore the wonderful Old Town (a World Heritage Site), with its wonderful baroque churches, beautiful squares, steets and courtyards, and lovely wooded setting.

Thank you to the Vilnius Tourist Information Bureau and friends in Vilnius for their help in organising our visit.

The wet weather did not dampen the enthusiasm of the children and parents who turned out to join The Buttercross Belles, to celebrate May Day in the traditional way, dancing at the Otley Maypole. The Otley Bellman announced the event and the Mayor of Otley handed out sweets to all the children who took part.

Buttercross Belles member, Serena Hardman who led the dancing said:

‘It was a lovely occasion due to the willingness of the children, and their parents to get involved. Their smiling faces and enthusiastic skipping whilst making patterns with the colourful ribbons made the event a real success.

The Belles would like to thank everyone who helped with this annual community event, especially Billy Butlin from Otley builders, Houldsworth, who put up the ribbons for us and Jamie Hudson from Futurist who kindly lent us a mobile microphone so everyone could hear the dance instructions.’

Come along on Thursday 7th & 14th January 2016, 8-10 pm to give Morris dancing a try with The Buttercross Belles, when we will be practising stepping and learning a new dance.

Contact Clare King: squire@buttercrossbelles.com

Practices are held at: St Joseph’s School, Manor Square, Otley, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS21 3AP

www.buttercrossbelles.com

Get fit, make new friends, Morris dance, come and give it a try!:)

Its been a busy weekend for the Buttercross Belles.

We had a fantastic Mayday with the local children from Otley, joining us at the Maypole.

..and then Sunday was spent at theOtley Street Fair / Tour de Yorkshre

The Buttercross Belles celebrated Mayday dancing traditional Maypole dances around the Maypole in Otley. A big thank you goes to Anita from Wayzgoose who kindly called the maypole dances, and to Flash Company who joined us for the evening. We had a good number of local school children and their parents and even Otley local MP, Greg Milholland came out to watch. 

A lovely start to summer.

So the new season is upon us, and from a winter of practices, and learning a new dance we are now ready!

 So far we have had a lovely dance out at fountains abbey, where our lovely new dancer, Jaci showed um how to do it and yesterday we enjoyed a trip to Harrogate and Knaresborough to dance at Betty Luptons Day of dance. It was a very enjoyable with Betty's, Flag and bone, and Hornbeam Molly.

 We have even had a morris wedding!

It has been a good start to the season, and with a trip to Lille in May...it can only get better!

On Thursday 29th September, we will be holding an open session for anyone to come along and have a go at traditional North West Morris Dancing.

Whether you are an experienced dancer or complete beginner, we would love to see everyone there.

We will meet at 7.30pm at St Joseph's School in Otley.

If you are a musician looking to join a group then you would also be very welcome to come along.

All you need are your dancing feet.