The Falconers Folk Dance Club started in 1974. Members met
in the Falcon Ball Room and danced to borrowed records,
played on a member’s record player. The regular
“caller” was Frank Stanbridge, a resident of
Bromyard. Ceilidh dancing was in its heyday and the Club
flourished with folk from Worcester, Hereford, Bromyard and
Ledbury supporting it. Occasionally, visiting callers would
be invited.
A few months later in 1975, the Falconers Band was formed, led by Roger
Wilkins who still enthusiastically leads it today.
Although initially formed to play for the club, the
band was soon playing to a wider audience, especially
after appearances at the Sidmouth Folk Festival, where
an ability to ‘have a go’ at anything
thrown at them quickly made them much in demand. The
Band is highly respected and recognised as a
“dancers” band throughout the country.
Over the years the Band members have changed, but the
live music at the Club is an attraction to both
dancers and visting “callers”. The band is
now usually a duo on outside events (see the band page on this
website) but club nights are usually with Roger on
accordion, together with, as and when available, Anna
Beddows on flute, Ian Wrenn on fiddle, and recently,
and as studies permit, David Wilkins on piano.
When the Falcon Hotel closed for a period in 1985 the Club
moved to the Public Hall, and then when that closed in
1995, the Bromyard Leisure Centre became home to the Club.
The Club returned “home” to the Falcon Hotel in
Autumn 2003. This has proved to be the ideal location for
the Club.
The Club meets fortnightly on Sunday evenings with a
visiting “caller” every other meeting. A
variety of dances are enjoyed from Playford through to
American squares and contras, with the occasional Running
Set and National Dance included.
Parties are held at Christmas and in May, at the end of the
season. The Bromyard Folk Festival is supported by members
and in some years the Club has also organised a half-day of
dance with workshops and an evening dance during the
Spring.
After a long gap, the Club enjoyed a residential weekend in
November 2002 in Somerset at Halsway Manor, a beautiful
Manor House dating from the fifteenth century, where folk
related events are held regularly. Since then, the club has
revisted Halsway every eighteen months or so.
The club has held two very enjoyable Playford Ball
events - click to see pictures of the Playford Ball in October 2006 at the
Falcon Hotel.
The future for the Club looks rosy and “well in
step!”
