Sunshine and smiles at Rochester Sweeps 2009
Wednesday 6 May 2009 at 10:54 BST
Last weekend saw the annual festival of Morris dancing and associated goodness known as Rochester Sweeps. I was there on Saturday afternoon, and also briefly on Sunday following a cycling tour of the Hoo Pensinsula. On the Saturday I had my decent camera with me, and took a few shots of Morris and clog dancers doing their stuff in the Medway town’s main thoroughfare. Click on the images below for slightly higher-resolution versions in separate windows.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The economy may be going to hell in a handbasket, and the government lurching from crisis to crisis, but folk can still laugh and smile, and have a good time. People of England – white, black, thin and fat – Morris dancing is good for you, so seek out your local side and join in the fun!
Update: The camera with which I took these photos – an Olympus E-1 with a 14–54mm f2.8 lens – is for sale. This professional digital SLR is fast becoming a collectors’ item. The E-1 may only have a 5 megapixel sensor, but it gives results that outshine those of the 12MP consumer-level cameras available today. The lens is absolutely fantastic. I’m only selling as I need a more portable camera for carrying around with me on the bike. The Olympus E-1 is a virtuallty indestructible camera, and fully weatherproof.
Feed the writer! 
Wednesday 6 May 2009 at 17:24 BST
Hurrah! I take back (again) everything I said about Morris dancing. There’s clearly some quite attractive people doing it, especially the Papa Lazarou look-a-like with the enormous wooden penis.
Wednesday 6 May 2009 at 21:55 BST
She was amazing, that woman with the enormous wooden penis, who couldn’t stop laughing throughout her dance. And, as you can see in the picture, her stick was barely holding together. There were splinters flying through the air.
I also like the photo at the top right of the young girl from Phoenix Morris. This lass was in a state of drug-like euphoria. That’s what Morris does to you.
Morris dancing: seriously cool!
Thursday 7 May 2009 at 14:52 BST
I still have my doubts re Morris dancing, but you are absolutely right about E-1.
If only I wasn’t saving for a Canon 50D…
Thursday 7 May 2009 at 14:57 BST
Doubts about Morris dancing? If you weren’t Jewish, Snoopy, I’d call you a [p]hilistine.
As for the E-1, it’s not only a fantastic camera, it could double as a deadly weapon in the right hands.
Thursday 7 May 2009 at 17:14 BST
I should have clarified my principled stance: it covers most activities more strenuous than raising one’s fork or glass to one’s mouth. Dancing is definitely one of these…
Thursday 7 May 2009 at 17:40 BST
Wouldn’t that include lifting an E-1 camera to eye level, or even a relatively featherweight Canon D50?
Friday 8 May 2009 at 07:33 BST
Yeah, the young ‘un at top right certainly is a cutie. But where are the beer bellies of old?? Have you resorted to computer trickery or are they hanging out just out of shot?
Friday 8 May 2009 at 08:59 BST
No computer trickery, Gadj. What you have to remember is that the sides dancing in Rochester are the elite – the special forces – of the Morris world. They are leaner and fitter than your bog standard shambles of a Morris side (e.g., Blackheath). Ale intake is probably the same in all cases, but the athletes of the Morris world are more likely to accept chicken tikka masala in sensibly sized portions as the English national dish, rather than the more traditional meat pie and chips with extra gravy.