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Dance night at Builder’s Arms of ales, Belles and bells

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The Croydon Night of Dance was an evening of varied musical styles

Photographer CAROLYNNE FEREDAY captured some of the colour of this year’s Croydon Night of Dance

Even Morris dancers have to keep up with the latest football scores

They came from across south-east England, groups of Morris dancers, a Hobby Hoss, clog dancers and folk singers, to parade and prance outside a Croydon pub, and even manage to drink it dry of at least one of its more popular ales.

And there was even a decent sum of money raised for a Croydon charitable cause.

It was the 13th Croydon Night of Dance last week, which drew good-sized crowds to the Builders Arms in Addiscombe.

Among the highlights on a clear summer evening was a beautiful rendition of “The Nightingale”, an old English folk song, by one of the Belles, and the sight of a former Mayor of Croydon being thrown into the air while dancing.

Eight sides came to Croydon from as far afield as St Albans to join in with the fun, taking it in turn to perform for the good-spirited crowd.

The Builder’s Arms did a decent trade on the Night of Dance

The Mayor of Croydon, Toni Letts, was in attendance, as the guest of honour.

The Wild Hunt Bedlam provided wild moments

One of her predecessors, Addiscombe councillor Patricia Hay-Justice, was so impressed with the whole show during her mayoral year that she has since become the Patron of Croydon Night of Dance, and this year she was sufficiently emboldened to join the North Wood Morris for one of their dances.

“The Croydon Night of Dance is always a great event and this year lived up to expectations,” said Nuala O’Neill, the  Master of Ceremonies for the evening.

Groups came from across south-east England to take part, including these dancers from St Albans

“We had some marvellous sides and a wonderful mix of different kinds of Morris from Cotswold Morris, Bedlam Morris, Border Morris and North West Clog dancers.

“Again this year we were helped out by our partners, Rotary Club of Croydon.

“And as well as having a great time dancing, we also raised just short of £400 for the Croydon Hearing Resource Centre, who are the nominated charity this year of the Rotary President, Peter Spalding.”

And you can make a date in your diary, or on your traditional English folk smart phone now: next year’s Croydon Night of Dance will be on August 21.


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