Thanks for the thread, Weird Sister. It's really made me think.

I dance because I enjoy it; because it's fun. Yes, it does use energy (and drinking and playing time, Paul) but it also energizes me and makes me feel fully alive.

An excellent taster workshop at Sidmouth 3 years ago gave me the chance to try Cotswold, Border, North West and Molly - and I knew immediately that it was Border I wanted to do. I liked the special 'Border energy' - the sort of "whuumphf' it has. When else can you shriek and yell in public and waive big sticks about without getting arrested?

My mother's words to me whenever I did anything slightly showy as a child were "Susan! Don't make an exhibition of yourself!" Maybe it's taken til now for Border to liberate me from those words and from worrying about what others think.

When I dance with my 'proper side' and we get it right I too get that sublime feeling Bainbo describes so well. When I dance with 'Herbaceous Border', the scratch side I help run, the buzz comes from encouraging other people - often non-dancers - to have a go and to hear them exclaim "Wow! That was fun!"