Limestone Cowboys

[Martyn]

The band warm up before the Legs Levens Appalachian Dance Team do their stuff.

 

 

 

 

 

[bugmeister]

Great look of concentration as they prepare

[ChrisLumix]

Wow, so Noddy Holder now plays the banjo?  

[FUJI]

An' I thought it was im' from....Time Team

 

FUJI

[colinb]

Wow, so Noddy Holder now plays the banjo?

 

just what I was thinking 

[Martyn]

Very soon after that picture I handed the camera to my missus. I've been training her to use the camera in Auto mode; twist the big thing to get near or far away, press the silver button until it beeps, press the silver button all the way. She did ok I think!

 

That's me with the red braces

 

 

[NannyFerret]

There's energy for you.

Great set, Martyn.

Do the dancers have their own band?

[Martyn]

Yes we do  Nanny, that's 'em!; we are "Legs Levens and the Limestone Cowboys"!

 

We are based in Levens in Cumbria, hence the name Legs Levens. In Levens there is a feature known as the limestone escarpment, that's why the band is known as the Limestone Cowboys. We keep getting introduced as Legs Eleven.

 

Putting that dance floor down is a major task; but with a map, a secret code and military precision we can get it laid in under 10 mins. Last year at the Ingleton Folk Weekend we were introduced as the Ikea Flatpack Demonstration Team!

[NannyFerret]

 

 

Putting that dance floor down is a major task; but with a map, a secret code and military precision we can get it laid in under 10 mins. Last year at the Ingleton Folk Weekend we were introduced as the Ikea Flatpack Demonstration Team!

 

Lol. I can imagine..

 

I got some pics of Morris Dancers as an added bonus to our afternoon in Birmingham. I will post the tomorrow if I get time.

They were here with the RNLI raisng funds.

[Martyn]

Morris dancing is great; it keeps you off the streets and out of the pub! 

[NannyFerret]

I used to enjoy seeing the Morris dancers in Barmouth. I'm not sure if they still do it as we go later in the season now.

[annie]

Wow, so Noddy Holder now plays the banjo?

 

i thought exactly the same thing...

 

love the second shot..what sort of dance is that?

[Martyn]

love the second shot..what sort of dance is that?

 

It's Appalachian clog dancing, or precision clogging as some call it. It's a showy style of formation dance based on flatfooting, the kind of thing folks would do on the back porch to the rhythm of the banjo in the days before tv and radio became popular. In America, clogging has become almost a cabaret act with sequins and pop music, but we try to stick more to the roots of the dance with the traditional steps.

[Guest]

I think I'd like that, been a fan of Bluegrass since I was a lad - almost before Bluegrass was invented :-)

[Martyn]

I think I'd like that, been a fan of Bluegrass since I was a lad - almost before Bluegrass was invented :-)

 

We were performers at the Moniaive Michaelmas Bluegrass Festival again this year, that's where some of my recent musician pictures were taken. Lovely little festival if you ever find yourself in Dumfries & Galloway at the end of September!

[Guest]

And here they are in action - minus Martyn but the girls look better;-)

[Guest]

We were performers at the Moniaive Michaelmas Bluegrass Festival again this year, that's where some of my recent musician pictures were taken. Lovely little festival if you ever find yourself in Dumfries & Galloway at the end of September!

Unlikely but definitely one to visit should I be up there. Thanks.