How happy's the man...

This is Lester doing his first dance in public as Aldbury Morris Men's new Squire. The reason he isn't wearing the usual hat, waistcoat and baldricks* (nor bells on his legs, but you'll have to take my word for that - :-D) is because he mostly plays melodeon for the dancing and the musicians don't tend to wear full dancers' kit.
Lester has been dancing and playing for the Morris since 1974. He's been teaching dances, off and on, for quite a lot of years and has written some himself.
He's dancing opposite Rod, in the middle of a set of 6 men doing The Valentine from the Fieldtown tradition of Cotswold Morris. The title of this shot is the first line of a song written to the tune of The Happy Man, Adderbury.
Aldbury Morris Men took part in Tring's Apple Fayre procession today. The weather was beautiful. After they'd processed to the market and done a couple of dances, most of us went to the pub and they danced some more. That's where this was taken. Aldbury is an all male side. I don't dance Morris.
*Baldricks are sashes, that went across the body, from which scabbards for swords were suspended.

15th October 2011 15th Oct 11