User:Tumblegumclarke/sandbox

Founders

The Governors Pleasure was founded by Kit (Chris) and Heather Clarke in 1992.

Kit commenced his association with folk dance in 1972 at the Strathspey and Reel Scottish dance club at Cambridge University. He diversified into English Country Dance shortly afterwards and performed with Bristol Fashion at folk festivals and other events in and around Bristol, UK from 1975 to 1979. He also danced with Bristol University's Playford dance display group at the Inter Varsity Folk Dance Festival held at the University of East Anglia in 1979.

In 1979 he moved to Sydney, Australia and performed with the Sydney Playford Dance Group and Sydney Colonial Dancers, including performances at the Folkoric Festival held in Sydney's Opera House. He was a member of the team that presented a workshop on Australian dance at the 1981 National Folk Festival in Brisbane, as well as at several other, smaller folk festivals. At this time, he started morris dancing with Blackwattle Morris. He returned to England from 1982 to 1983 and danced with the The English Country Dance And Song Society's pretestigious performance group, London Folk, including a performance at the Albert Hall in London. He continued his interest in morris with Long Man Morris, based near Eastbourne, Sussex.

Returning to Sydney in 1983, he rejoined Sydney Colonial Dancers and Blackwattle Morris, where he took on teaching roles. It was there he and Heather met.

In 1983 he and Heather were a founder members of the Australian Heritage Dancers. Moving to Murwillumbah in northern NSW, Kit danced with Moreton Bay Morris at Expo 88 in Brisbane and elsewhere and successfully completed the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society's teaching exam. He taught English, Scottish and Australian dances in Lismore, NSW and he and Heather choreographed and performed dances with that group at various festivals, including the Maleny Folk Festival.

In 1991 they moved to Canberra and shortly afterwards formed The Governors Pleasure.

In addition to performing with the Governors Pleasure, they were also members of display teams for various Scottish Country Dance clubs in Canberra and Sydney.

They were specialist dancing extras for a number of films and TV productions, including the Boy In The Bush, Tusitala and Over The Hill.

They have presented dance workshops at many festivals, including several appearances at the Australian National Folk Festival.

Heather commenced folk dancing with the Bush Music Club in 1981 and Irish dancing with Sydney Ceilidh dancers. She competed in several step dancing competitions and performed in dance displays with both groups and later with Sydney Colonial Dancers, including performances at Sydney's Opera House. Her dancing interests include Highland Dancing, Irish step dances and ballet. She currently teaches Scottish Country Dancing at The Gap in Brisbane's northern suburbs and is a keen member of The Two Ballerinas dance group.

Since the early 1990s, she has been conducting research into the history of dance in Australia. In 2012 she launched her website, www.colonialdance.com.au as a vehicle to publish her findings. Since then she has presented papers at both the National Folk Festival and The National Folklore Conference and is regarded as a leading authority on this topic.

Members

Dancers

Jenny Atton, Margaret Horne, Nerida Gibb, Jean Gifford, David Baldwin, Michael Braund, Dennis Wright, Susan Reid, Kit and Heather Clarke

Musicians

Jenny Gall, Sandy Grey, John Dobson, Jane Donahue, Nicola Reid, Geoff Dawson

Repertoire


 * Isaac's Maggot/Braye's Maggot/Mr Beveridge's Maggot
 * Jack's Maggot/Edwin's Maggot/Dick's Maggot
 * Ribbon Dance/The Triumph/Soldier's Joy
 * The Slip/Cheshire Rounds/Glory Of The West
 * Red House/Oranges And Lemons/Green Willow
 * Rural Sports/Lilliburlero/Portsmouth
 * Bartlett House/The Last Of Twenty/Cupid's Bridge
 * Touchstone/Merry Andrew/Shrewsbury Lasses
 * The First Set Quadrille
 * De'il Amang The Tailors/Braes Of Breadalbane/Deuks Dang Ower My Daddie
 * Eight Men Of Moidert/Lochiel's Rant/Rakish Highwayman
 * The Drummer/Mr Wilson's Hornpipe/C'est L'Amour
 * Yellow Haired Laddie
 * Foursome Reel/Reel Of Tullch
 * Newcastle/Rose Of Rochester
 * Beautiful Fields/Measured Obsession/Two's Company
 * Mona's Delight
 * Pachelbel's Canon
 * Minuet

Solo Dances:


 * Clog waltz
 * Clog hornpipe
 * Lilt
 * Three Sea Captains
 * Irish Jig
 * St Patrick's Day