Cliff Barstow Jig Competition
Cliff Barstow was a founder member of White Rose Morris Men, as well as being one of the organisers of the folk dance festival which would go on to become IVFDF. He was a proponent of an elegant, upright, unforced style of dancing, which White Rose commemorate in the jig competition held in his memory.
The Cliff Barstow Jig Competition places the emphasis squarely on the performer, not on the dance, using the traditional canon of jigs with music provided by a sole musician for the first round, to focus wholly on the dancer’s own interpretation and style. Dancers in the final round are then asked to perform a jig of their own choice played for by their own musician. This consolidates their first round performance whilst also allowing for some personal flair and adaptation.
Since its inception in 2016, it has been held at Shepley Spring Festival, Whitby Folk Week and, in 2020, online as part of Whitby@Home and, this year, will once again be returning to Whitby Spa Foyer at 4.30pm on Tuesday 222nd August; for more information and to enter the competition, see http://nicksites.net/WhiteRose/index.html