Although one of the original members of the 1979 version of MBM, I have not danced for many years, so it was great to catch up with past and present alumni as well as friends and supporters of the team.

To the delight of the Squire, Caroline Williams, June and Don Nichols (who were the instigators of the revival of Moreton Bay Morris in 1979) presented the current team with a congratulatory 21^st birthday key – which was duly signed by all present.

The festivities took place beneath Nicole Murray’s fabulous painting Dance Up the Sun (after a republican coup involving a very long ladder to relegate the Queen to the back of the stage). There was a great line-up of musicians and the only time the dancing stopped was during supper. Some dancers were exceptionally busy throughout the night changing costumes to suit their different styles of dancing.

There were stick and handkerchief dances from the Cotswolds; garland and stick dances from the North-west tradition; clogging; those Border dancers with brightly coloured tatter coats and others of which I’ve probably forgotten the names. And bells, bells, bells! After a quick reminder lesson, I even joined in one of the dances (Knutsford) - though I almost needed CPR at the end of it!!!

One of the highlights of the night was Nicole Murray singing The Green Man from the Cloudstreet (Nicole Murray and John Thompson) CD: Swallow the Concertina. The harmonies from the assembled gathering sent shivers down my spine – and many others, no doubt.