Who has registered?
Unprecedented interest from overseas groups is matched by the UK teams - who effectively act as sponsors for the event. However, the number of overseas dancers the festival can accommodate will depend entirely on how many UK teams sign up.
Confirmed Overseas Teams
- Bagnasco Bal Do Sabre
- Bal Da Sabre Fenestrelle
In Fenestrelle, on the occasion of the patronal Feast of St. Louis IX, king of France (25th August), it's possible to appreciate the "ballo degli spadonari" or "Bal dâ Sabbre" (the local dance). This originates in the traditions of the mountain people of Provence and the Dauphinois on the French side of the Alps, and of Cuneo and Moncenisio on the Italian side.
The history of the dance is unclear, but it was well-known throughout the 20th century, and in 1935 the dancers travelled to London to take part in an international folklore meeting. This was so successful that they were invited to perform at the Royal Court in Brussels on their way home.
The team is composed of 15-20 men with their leader, and followed by a Harlequin. In the past they wore a white shirt, red and white trousers of Turkish style, and a felt hat of various colours; the leader was dressed all in white, with a white scarf across the shoulder like an officer. The costume has now changed. The trousers today are red and green knickerbockers, the socks are white, as is the shirt, while the hat is like a little turban in stripes of the colour of the national flag and all the dancers have the tricolour scarf across the shoulders.
This will be their first visit to the International Sword Spectacular, and we look forward to it.
- Boerke Naas
- Candyrapper
- Charles River Rapper
- Clownfish Rapper
- Cutting Edge Rapper
- De Wouwe
- Great Meadows Sword & Morris
- Kezka
- Komna
- Lange Wapper
- Les Pas d'la Yau - Quevaucamps
In our region, this dance celebrates on one hand the end of winter and on the other the passing over of the young people (teenagers) to the men’s community.
And what is the sword dance?
Much more than just a show, it is a ritual dance in circle; the various figures are linked together and follow each other for the spectators’ pleasure.
The sword dance is a men’s dance.
Going over the swords at very precise moments, each dancer undergoes an initiation which gets him fully in the men’s community.
The sword dance is the expression of the solidarity among the group of which each member must give the best of himself to get a perfect performance.
The wolf refers to a legendary animal called Galouche in our region and especially in Quevaucamps.
Through his acting and his costume he stands out immediately among the dancers and tempers the formal nature of the dance and, if he dies at the end, is it not to be better re-born in the mind of people?
The Group
Where can you see us?
Each year, our ritual outing takes place 2 weeks before Easter in various places in the Beloeil area.
And a proverb says: Whoever touches the head of Galouche will get love and chance.
- Orion Longsword
- St. Martin in Sulmtal
- St. Sebastiaansgilde Westerlo
- Scrambled Six
- Überlinger
Schwerttanzkompanie
The sword dance is an age-old guild dance, whose roots are to be found in the Überlingen Shrovetide customs. The first documentary evidence of the dance occurs in the minutes of the council of the Imperial cities, dated 8th February 1646.
The true origin of the dance is unclear. The local tradition is that it was granted by the Holy Roman Emperor following a military encounter in the 15th or 16th century.
Within the sword dance a special role is played by the Hänsele, the central Shrovetide figure in Überlingen. The local tradition explains his appearance thus: the Imperial City of Überlingen had to supply the Emperor with 100 men for his war. Before they marched away they all went to Mass, all except for one, who went to the pub instead. After the war they all came safely home except for one townsman who had fallen in battle. He is the one, the fool and apostate, who is commemorated by the Hänsele. The people of Überlingen also call him “den Töten”, the dead man.
The dance was originally performed by all the unmarried young men on Shrove Tuesday, but the privilege was quickly taken over by the Vintners, the largest and most powerful of the guilds in Überlingen.
The custom gradually changed during the nineteenth century. The link with Shrovetide was loosened and it became a separate tradition, taking on new elements as it did so. It is now performed on special occasions, and in particular on the second Sunday in July for a local religious festival known as the Sweden procession (this commemorates the struggle against Sweden in the Thirty Years War of the seventeenth century).
In the sword dance the piper and drummer play a tune called the “Maidlintanz” (maidens’ dance). Every sword dancer requests a dance from one of the women who are dressed in traditional costume, and while the pairs are dancing the Hänsele entertains the public with mime and practical jokes.
- Vineyard Swordfish
- Zerutxu
Confirmed UK Teams
- Black Swan
- Carlisle
- Castleford
- Claro
- Coventry MM
- East Saxon
- Flamborough
- Gaorsach
- Goathland
- High Spen
- Hoddesdon Crownsmen
- Lamb & Flag
- Newcastle Kingsmen
- North British
- Northgate
- Pengwyn
- Rockingham
- Ryburn
- Ryknild
- Sage Rapper
- St Monday
- Sallyport
- Short Circuit
- Snark
- Spen Valley
- Southport
- Stevenage
- Sullivan's
- Triskele
- Wype Doles