It's hard to believe, but the Black Sheep Morris Dancers have been a part of the cultural life of Bowen Island since early 2001. If you've seen us at Bowfest or other community events, or just been curious, September is the traditional start of our practice season. New members are always welcome, but this is an especially good time to drop by and see what it's all about. Morris Dancing is a very old English custom, and the sort we do is loosely based on dances from the Welsh border. There are teams, or 'sides', all over the U.K., Canada, the U.S., and other countries. We've been fortunate to travel and meet some of these groups in Northern England, California, Vermont, and Washington.
It's huge fun and a great way to make the sun shine, guarantee the crops grow, and keep the winter blues away. We practice at the Legion on Bowen Island every Wednesday, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. and we'd love to see you. No experience necessary, but a sense of humour helps. The Black Lambs (the kids' side) are always happy to welcome new members; they practice about once a month on Sunday afternoons. For more info on the Black Sheep, please contact me at [email protected] or 604-947-0698. For the Black Lambs, please email Dwayne Matthews at [email protected].
