JohnCharles wrote: `It is a great hobby,making music with friends,and entertaining like minded folk. The error is in trying to maintain that it is somehow central to British culture and feeling depressed when the vast majority no not share this view.'

I'd agree with most of that except to maybe question why we shouldn't feel a little depressed when our `culture' (officially at least, in the form of state-funded grants from the Arts Council etc) is largely made up of Italian opera and Russian/French ballet. We have a lot of culture of our own which is not so supported. I just wonder what the level of interest might be throughout the country if there was a modicum of support?

And I am also aware that there is a huge downside to such `state support' as it would almost certainly trap everything in art aspic. But I am trying to think of other countries that turn their collective back so vehemently against their own musical and dance heritage. Mybe we need a diaspora to kick it off?

And for what its worth I have most certainly been called a snob for preferring folk music - and not just by kids. But it can be fun at the obligatory disco at a family wedding or whatever to throw in some morris double stepping - it works well with a lot of disco music - and see kids suddenly start to join in as it is `different'. Then tell them they have been morris dancing. Some faces can be quite entertaining at that point.....and at subsequent discos I have seen them continue to do it, all by themselves.