The thing is of course that folk music and tradtional dance/morris/longsword/ladies garland etc is that it is generally performed by real people with jobs and commitments. It is the taking part which is most important and the social side.

As I said above practice is year long to be match fit.

it is probably true to say that some teams are not up to scratch as it were! They should be told where to get off!

Allied with all this is the growing strength of both old and new professional acts who are booked at festivals and have more than a handful of quality song and music recordings which deserve a better exposure in the media and play time on Radio.

Much of the material is very here and now and many people still identify with their first exposure to folk music via clubs and festivals they went to when younger.