Traditional Northumbrian Sword Dance (1930) [Restored Video/Audio]

This dance, performed mostly by miners in the Northeast of England, is known as the "Rapper Sword Dance" after the flexible swords which may have been used for removing dirt from the backs of pit ponies. The dance has been performed for at least 300 years. The musician in this video is playing a jig on an Anglo concertina.
The rights to this video belong to the British Pathé KZbin channel, who originally uploaded it here: • Miner Dancers (1930)
This video will not be monitised in any way.
Here are some other videos of the sword dance (silent videos from 1925/6) uploaded by British Pathé:
• Miner Dancers (1925)
• Miner Dancers (1926)
• Cuts / Out Takes For M...
Support this channel on Patreon: patreon.com/Th...

[@Dryhten1801]

The best bit is hearing the kids from a 100 years ago laughing and chatting

[@derekwhitenz]

The 'Rapper' blade (not a sword) was used to clean the mud of the pit ponies. The guy dressed up is known as 'Tommy' and the guy in drag is known as 'Betty'. They danced independently, shouting encouragement and collecting money for poor families, or beer for the group! A couple of generations ago men playing women and vise-visa was very common in musical hall/vaudeville and children's pantomime - so don't get to hung-up on our modern take on cross-dressing/transvestites etc! My favourite video of this is David Black's set to the song 'Byker Hill And 'Walker Shore'. I find it a bit spooky?

[@hetrodoxlysonov-wh9oo]

They dressed up to look silly, the cross dressing and transvestites have nothing to do with this whatsoever.

[@Wotsitorlabart]

It's a form of sword dance - based upon the Yorkshire longsword tradition. And it can be dated to the early 1800's at the earliest as that is when the flexible steel required for the blades was first produced.

[@hetrodoxlysonov-wh9oo]

@@Wotsitorlabart Nonsense this it's Rapper sword dance using the tool for cleaning pit ponies, long sword dance is still being preformed.

[@Wotsitorlabart]

@@hetrodoxlysonov-wh9oo From 'Rapper Online' who provide information on all things rapper; 'The earliest definite account of hilt-and-point sword dancing in England dates back to an article in 1715 describing a dance in the Tyne Valley to the west of Newcastle upon Tyne. The dance described closely resembles linked sword dances of the Yorkshire and continental type rather than the rapper dance. The introduction of the flexible rapper to replace the rigid sword occurred at some time in the nineteenth century. The exact date is unknown, but the rapper was certainly in use by 1880, and there is some anecdotal evidence that it may have been as early as 1820. Nor do we know how the rapper was discovered - but it is most likely that it was discovered by accident when mining tools were adapted to be used as improvised swords. It is certainly known that later on, rapper teams improvised rappers from bed laths or by filing down the teeth of saw blades; occasionally these pit tools were donated by a sympathetic manager at the mine, but they otherwise probably just recycled discarded old tools'.

[@derekwhitenz]

@@hetrodoxlysonov-wh9oo That's my point.

[@deborahberger5816]

The Sword Dance is an exciting example of regional pride and talent. I've seen many groups dancing it, and there's often a character in a silly costume who carries on a silly running commentary. But a chap in drag? I'd love to hear what s/he is saying!

[@memofromessex]

As an Essex boy with mostly Northumbrian (and Border Scot) ancestry it's so amazing to see what my ancestors did after they quit cattle-raiding!

[@Claire-zu5jx]

Very cool- I've never seen a sword dance before! Also, I liked how the swords all fit together at 1:42 Thanks for posting

[@Bridge_Folk_Club]

Great stuff. Quite a few rapper groups are keeping the dance alive and well today

[@TheFolkRevivalProject]

That's great to hear!

[@leornendeealdenglisc]

Wow

[@lukegriffin2467]

Amazing footage.

[@PlanetImo]

Amazing!

[@josebravo7552]

waw!

[@moonoggin]

I hope you have these in the black and white state somewhere. Colorizing is not for everyone. I like seeing one but I love the original black n white film. The odd man out looks like a man to me.

[@andrewwigglesworth3030]

45 seconds in and you can see that this is not an English concertina; the layout of the buttons is quite different. It's most probably a 3 row Anglo (Anglo-Chromatic), though it could be a Duet tuned concertina, but that is less likely.

[@TheFolkRevivalProject]

Thank you! I'll edit the description now.

[@tullochgorum6323]

It's an Anglo - wrong layout for a Duet.

[@andrewwigglesworth3030]

@@tullochgorum6323 Correct.

[@tullochgorum6323]

@@andrewwigglesworth3030 So far as I can tell the Duet wasn't used much for dancing. The Maccann system is pretty demanding to learn and seems to have mainly been a virtuoso instrument for music hall performers. The Triumph system is reportedly easier, but was mainly used by Sally Army bands. At that time, the English was still mainly an upmarket drawing-room instrument beyond the means of most working people, though it was beginning to fall out of fashion so I imagine that a few were turning up in second hand shops. In most of the old photos that I've seen the musician is playing an Anglo such as the one this splendid gent is wielding. They were mass-produced as a cheap and cheerful instrument that working people could afford. Though I'd be interested in any info you have that suggests I'm off track.

[@andrewwigglesworth3030]

@@tullochgorum6323 The duet was contrived for things like music hall acts and other prfessionals, though the Salvation Army had numbers of them.

[@alicecaldwell-kelly9530]

beautiful traditional albanian dance

[@user-gs1jr2hy1y]

Правда! Мечи в Англии 🤣 За такое могут и повесить. Кстати у нас в России есть похожие козацкие танцы с саблями.

[@SteerKarmasLoveBannana]

Not albanian lol. They may be similar but not the same.

[@caveworld7849]

This is English.

[@user-gs1jr2hy1y]

@@caveworld7849 fake dance like all British culture and history.

[@hunkenbunken7578]

northumbria is serbija