The wild joy of dancing

Ah yes, now I remember what the 'sport' mode on my camera is for!

CleanSteve and I had the good fortune to attend a day time party for Stroud stalwart Camilla Hale's 6oth birthday. When we arrived, we were served with a fabulous Indian vegetarian buffet lunch prepared by Ish and Daksha Patel, who sell their food regularly in Stroud's markets.

Later, The Bucket Band set up and began to play. Camilla had found them busking on the High Street some days ago (Stroud has no busking laws. Anyone can busk here without a licence.) She was so impressed that she asked them to play at her party! They played a selection of Irish, English and the odd Hungarian folk tune, which Camilla and her friend managed to dance to with great flamboyance. I danced to pretty much every tune: I have no style, but I don't mind taking the floor, as it gets other people up and dancing, and it's good exercise. I love to see the children joining in, too. At one point, a young man got up and amazed us all with a display of genuine Cossack dancing, as well as some other moves. I chatted to him later and found out that his name is Sam; it's his birthday too; he's just graduated with a degree in dance at Cheshire. I have posted this picture because I love how the little girl is watching him, ready to reproduce his every move a little later. Her name is Laura.

Later, after two friends, Helen and Francis and I had also attempted Cossack dancing, I befriended the children by helping them to make enormously high wobbly megabloks towers, which we then had fun knocking over. Once the kids had realised that I wasn't mad and no one was going to tell them off, they joined in enthusiastically, with the girls co-operating and the boys competing to take over.

After a lovely speech by Camilla and the cake cutting, we left and nipped into the church to see the miniature Christmas tree festival, which was about to close. We had about five minutes, enough to make me wish to take part in decorating a themed group tree next year. Perhaps Stroud branch of the WEA (Workers' Educational Association) could have one, now that I've joined the committee!

Days like this make me SO glad I live in Stroud. Such richness and diversity in one small market town!