By Chris Sparkes – A Founder Member
I formed Quayside Cloggies in March 1985. My husband, son and two daughters danced for a local morris side “Moose Morris Men”.
It was in the summer of 1984 I was pushing a pram with coats all over the top, and underneath on the rack was a dozen beer tankards and we walked Corfe Mullen Carnival (about 3 miles). After talking to other wives and girlfriends of the men’s group it was decided we wanted to form our own group. I spoke to Sylvie (Brian Bisp’s first wife) and we went to Bournemouth Pier to watch “Knots of May”, a North West Group; they were brilliant and I then decided it must be North West Clog dancing.
Our first practise was in St Osmund’s Church hall and we had 12-16 dancers. It was so energetic that we then lost quite a few members.
We needed to earn money quickly so Brian suggested we dance in Swanage and the surrounding area. We couldn’t afford to buy clogs so we bought soft shoes and my husband glued “Blakeys” (studs) on the bottom. It was Sylvie’s suggestion we had royal blue dresses, I wanted long dresses of different colours similar to “Knots of May” but I was out voted.
We danced firstly for a Summer Fayre in Swanage and then down to the centre of Swanage. We all agreed the money collected on the sea front was for charity but the money we earned at the fayre could be used for clogs.
