Clog Dance (1959) | BFI National Archive

[Music] this is port medic a small Welsh seaport on dramatic Bay today only the odd fishing boat or coastal pulled into this Harbor where 50 or 60 years ago the three-masted schooner from Newfoundland and the giant cargo ships in Russia and the Continental force dropped anchor they came for slate from the quarries of Vista New York in those days the town was alive with people engaged in the sleep trade everyone wanted Welsh sleeps to move their houses so the sleep came down from the mountains by donkey or by miniature train and the waiting sailors loaded it aboard in the little cottages people still remember and talk of those days when if Thomas was a girl then and she can tell her grandchildren just what it was like or she lived on the harbour and her most vivid memory is of the sailors who after their day's work danced on the keys and in the warehouses with nostalgia she looks back to the days when from a bedroom window she watched the sailors for the gypsies from a nearby encampment dancing there Jesus [Music] they danced in clogs clogs with leather for uppers and wood for the souls they danced the old traditional dances of Wales and they added to them many of the steps they'd learned during their travels to foreign parts [Music] clog dancing an impromptu expression of enjoyment and the dances such as the jig over a broom was a great favorite both at sea and in the Gypsy cabins the clogs made their own rhythmic pattern of sound and the music that accompanied them had to be simple and easily transportable the clicking of bones the strains of a mouth organ melodeon for the plaintiff ha [Music] [Applause] the forum trade died the sailors left and a young girl grew up and resolved to revive the clog-dancing of olden days but first she had to find a clockmaker John Edwards was the nan clock maker for more than 57 years and he still remembers every trick of the trade he takes the rough wood and chops it into lengths called writhings and it's not just any old wood birch and sycamore will do at a pinch but the very best is alder it's more supple and pliable [Music] in his workshop he turns the rough wood into souls three main tools are used a stock knife the hollow ER the gripper tools which have seen service for a hundred years and more with the stock knife the clock maker turns the rough souls into left and right feet a pair in fact [Music] then remembering which is left in which is right he takes the hollower and shapes the clock [Music] the ball of the foot fits into this Hollow so it must be smooth and have no ridges or rough edges John is a South Wales man and he learned his trade making clocks for the miners for clogs are working Footwear as well as dancing shoes the boys in plot medic have caught the clog dancing craze but they must wait their turn for mr. Edwards now is a full time job trying to fulfil all the orders and with the gripper to scoop out a cradle for the uppers another pair is ready for checking and completing [Music] [Applause] the last job that's done is marrying the upper to the sole John Edwards bind the welt with copper ribbon which he finds much stronger than leather stitching so great is enthusiasm in the town four o'clock dancing that he's kept busy not only making the clogs but delivering them as soon as they're ready for feet eager to start digging over a broom or out dancing each other in the intricate Toby step [Music] when he was a boy John made clocks for miners to work in now he's an old man and he makes clocks for boys to dancing [Music] now the clock maker was busy again import medic mrs. Thomas knew how to train the enthusiastic children and in the schoolroom where they labored over their maths by day they practice and practice their dancing by night [Music] now we'll start from where we left off last night with a whole pipe step ready the steps of club dancing can tell the story of port magic for many a load of slates were carried over the mountains to England and the steps of English country dancing came back with the men the ships sailed for Europe and the Mediterranean shores and the Welsh sailors returned with Latin rhythms pitching in their feet now we'll go on to the next home pipe step not quite right you've got the wrong foods coming forward remember in Welsh dancing he first then so afterwards now take your parties for formal dance remember smile at your partners now go in the old original clock dances the steps were danced as solos by dancers who competed with each other in the intricacy of their steps but mrs. Thomas decided that in order to find her solo dancers out of the new raw material she had to start them all from scratch in teams the port medic team were the first club dancers to appear in public they've carried off the prize at the fling Gothel and i stepped forth and have even pounded their version of the cossack dances at London's Albert Hall [Applause] now that was very good we'll be able to do it now that will be all for tonight but don't forget the dance on Saturday a dance on Saturday they are now expert enough to dance before a special public and their mothers are determined they will be a credit to everyone the Welsh have always had their norson Loen evenings of song and poetry and now costumes must be made and frogs cleaned so that they too can play their part in the tradition of Wales for Saturday isn't David's day [Music] and David see the daffodils are out to tell us that spring isn't far away and to celebrate the feast day of the patron saint of Wales the team has been invited to dance at the old manor house it's a great day for the youngsters dressed in the style of costumes their ancestors wore and traveling in the old way through the country lanes over the hills where time stands still [Music] [Applause] [Music] the manor house an old period house a place where all things traditionally Welsh are honored they used to say in bygone days that there are three things necessary for a man to have in his house a virtuous wife a cushion to his chair and a well-tuned harp the harp a symbol of the guilty love for music the well shall renowned for their musical accomplishments the plaintiff sons of the harp and the sharp rap of the clogs on the old slate floor the past and present meeting when young dancers perform the ancient steps [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] and now our home once more to put away the clogs and costumes until the next dance home to our well-earned tea of hot Welsh cakes and melting butter [Music] hurry up George forget your clogs and put your skates on for there will be many more private parties to dance at many more gatherings overseas and prizes to be one of the Eisteddfod thanks to the enthusiasm of a woman who renewed the simple joys of times long gone for the children up to date [Music] you [Music]

Channel: BFI

Views: 1,262,350

Keywords: British Film Institute (Publisher), British, film, institute, films, movie, movies, BFI, Clogs

Id: YGRn1XDYIVc

Length: 15min 37sec (937 seconds)

Published: Tue Dec 12 2017