If it was Black Swan with the luminous swords, they stole the idea from Barnsley Longsword (that's what Manitas says but I think it was Carlisle longsword team) who were doing it before half of Black Swan were in short trousers!

It was at the LNE at Sidmouth in 1989 when I saw them; they put a UV purple light on a tent pole, and turned all the others off. All you could see were these disembodied white shirts and stockings, all glowing an eerie purple and the reflective tape they had on the longswords. They danced around the pole, in complete silence apart from the footfalls which were so crisp and together (not like Black Swan when I saw them at Towersey, think they'd been celebrating a bit too much), and it was one of those moments that remain in the memory for ever.

I thought I'd dreamed it (bearing in mind it was Sidmouth and it was a Late Night Extra after several pints of beer.... until a couple of years ago, whilst at a giant moot in Sheffield, I was describing this dance (to a member of Sheffield City Morris, strangely enough), and there was a member of the team there! He confirmed that I wasn't losing that particular marble, and said it was the dance they are most remembered for. All those years of dancing out, forgotten. One dance with a UV light and they go down in history!

Good to see that someone else has taken it up, it is very effective if done well.

LTS