Vertical Expression

Friday 3rd March 2023

Alcester Contra with caller Mark Elvins

Saturday 11th March 2023

London Barndance Contra with caller Lynne Render

Sunday 7th May 2023

Contra dance in Sheffield with caller Cis Hinkle at Crookes Social Club, Sheffield.
Also see the Facebook event

Friday 26th-Monday 29th May 2023

Chippenham Folk Festival, Wiltshire

Saturday 10th June 2023

Ian & Charley Roberts (duo gig) at Lancaster Contra with caller Rhodri Davies

Saturday 30th September 2023

Nottingham Folk Dance Group Contra with caller Seth Tepfer

Sunday 8th October 2023

Alcester American Dance Weekend with caller Ivan Aitken

Saturday 28th October 2023

Exeter Ceilidhs with caller Jeremy Child

Saturday 22nd October 2022

Leeds Contra, St Chad's Hall, Leeds, with caller Rhodri Davies

Saturday 8th October 2022

London Barndance, Cecil Sharp House, Camden, with caller Rhodri Davies

Sunday 28th August 2022

Towersey Festival, Claydon Estate, Buckinghamshire, with caller Bob Morgan

20th-26th August 2022

Whitby Folk Week, Whitby, with caller Lynne Render

23rd July 2022

Warwick Folk Festival with caller Mike Courthold

Saturday 9th April 2022

London Barndance, Cecil Sharp House, Camden, with callers Mark Elvins and Charlie Turner (Charley & Ian duo)

Friday 8th April 2022

Alcester Contra, with caller Mark Elvins (Charley & Ian duo)

Friday 25th February 2022

IVFDF 2022, University of Sheffield, with caller Charlie Turner (Charley & Ian duo)

Saturday 12th June 2021

London Barndance, on Zoom, with caller Geoff Cubitt

Friday 16th April 2021

Alcester Contra, on Zoom, with caller Lynne Render

Saturday 12th December 2020

London Barndance, on Zoom, with caller Rhodri Davies

23rd August 2020

Zoom contra for Whitby@Home 2020, with caller Lynne Render

Saturday 11th July 2020

London Barndance, Cecil Sharp House, Camden, with caller Lynne Render (on Zoom)

Friday 3rd April 2020

Alcester Contra, Alcester Grammar School, Alcester, Warwickshire with caller Nicola Scott (on Facebook)

Saturday 7th March 2020

IVFDF 2020 Nottingham with caller Rhianwen Davies

Saturday 14th December 2019

London Barndance, Cecil Sharp House, Camden, with caller Bob Morgan

Saturday 14th September 2019

London Barndance, Cecil Sharp House, Camden, with caller Adam Hughes

Sunday 7th April 2019

Contra Holiday in Medieval England, Ely (private event)

Friday 8th March 2019

Alcester Contra, Alcester Grammar School, Alcester, Warwickshire with caller Nicola Scott

Saturday 10th November 2018

Paris Contra Dance, Mairie du 14e, Paris, France, with caller Geoff Cubitt

Saturday 3rd November 2018

Hawk Green FDC, St Peter's Parish Centre, Hazel Grove, with caller Geoff Cubitt

Saturday 27th October 2018

Leeds Contra, St Chad's hall, Leeds, with caller Charlotte Rich

Saturday 13th October 2018

London Barndance, Cecil Sharp House, Camden, with caller Kathy Anderson (USA)

7th-9th September 2018

Bromyard Folk Festival

August Bank Holiday

Shrewsbury Folk Festival

3rd-10th August 2018

Sidmouth FolkWeek with callers Rachel Wallace and Lynne Render

25th-28th May 2018

Chippenham Folk Festival

Saturday 12th May 2018

London Barndance, Cecil Sharp House, Camden, with caller Adam Hughes

Friday 20th April 2018

Alcester Contra, St Benedict's School, Alcester, Warwickshire, with caller Jen Morgan

Friday 13th April 2018

Unicorn Ceilidhs, Baldock, Herts. (caller TBC)

Saturday 17th February 2018

Sheffield Contra Dances, Heeley Hall, Birkdale School, Sheffield, with caller Rhodri Davies

Saturday 27th January 2018

Poynton Ceilidhs, Poynton Civic Hall with caller Andrew Swaine

Saturday 9th December 2017

London Barndance, Cecil Sharp House, Camden, with caller Rhodri Davies

Monday 2nd-Thursday 5th October

Halsway Manor American dance week with caller Carol Ormand

Sunday 1st October 2017

Brummie Contra with caller Carol Ormand

12th-19th August 2017

Broadstairs Folk Week (exact dates tbc)

21st-23rd July Summerfestival in Denmark 2017

with Carol Ormand and Geoff Cubitt

Friday 14th July 2017

Alcester Contra with caller Bob Morgan

16th-18th June 2017

Lichfield Folk Festival

Sunday 11th June 2017

Gate to Southwell Festival with caller Geoff Cubitt

Saturday 10th June 2017

London Barndance with caller Lynne Render

Saturday 6th May 2017

Sheffield Contra with caller Andrew Swaine

Sunday 2nd April 2017

Contra Holiday in Medieval England, Ely (private event)

Saturday 31st December 2016

Vertical Expression's New Year's Eve Contra Dance Party with callers Bob Morgan and Jake Wood

Saturday 17th December 2016

Sheffield Contra with caller Lynne Render

Saturday 12th November 2016

ICBINI (I Can't Believe It's Not IVFDF)/Exeter Contra

Saturday 24th September 2016

Leeds Contra with caller Lisa Heywood

27th-30th May 2016

Chippenham Folk Festival

Sunday 15th May 2016

Leeds Contra with caller Cis Hinkle

Saturday 14th May 2016

London Barndance Contra with caller Cis Hinkle

Saturday 5th March 2016

Hawk Green Spring Dance, Hazel Grove, with caller Martyn Harvey

Friday 15th January 2016

Alcester Contra, St Benedict's School, Alcester, Warwickshire, with caller Jake Wood

31st December 2015

New Year's Eve Contra, Harbury Village Hall, near Leamington Spa, CV33 9JE, with callers Bob Morgan and Jake Wood

Friday 6th-Sunday 8th November 2015

Tommerup square and contra dance festival, Denmark

Saturday 31st October 2015

Leeds Contra with caller Geoff Cubitt. Note the date: Halloween-themed fancy dress strongly encouraged!

Friday 9th October 2015

Alcester Contra, St Benedict's School, Alcester, Warwickshire, with caller Brooke Friendly (USA)

Sunday 4th October 2015

Brummie Contras, Newman House Catholic Chaplaincy Hall, Birmingham B15 3QS, with caller Mary Devlin (USA)

Saturday 26th September 2015

Paris Contra Dances, France, with caller Andrew Swaine

Saturday 29th August 2015

Shrewsbury Folk Festival, Shrewsbury, Shropshire

Friday 31st July-Friday 7th August 2015

Sidmouth FolkWeek with callers including Tom Hinds, Lisa Heywood and Bob Morgan. More details and updates on our Facebook event.

Saturday 27th June 2015

Bakewell Day of Dance, Bakewell, Derbyshire, with caller John Brown

Sunday 12th April 2015

Contra Holiday in Medieval England, Ely, with caller Adam Hughes

Saturday 14th March 2015

London Barndance, Cecil Sharp House, Camden, with caller Linda Leslie (USA)

Saturday 7th March 2015

Sheffield Spring Contras, Walkley Community Centre, Sheffield, with caller Linda Leslie (USA)

Saturday 28th February 2015

Inter-Varsity Folk Dance Festival (IVFDF) 2015, Exeter University, with caller Linda Leslie (USA)

Sunday 25th January 2015

Brummie Contras, Newman House Catholic Chaplaincy Hall, Birmingham B15 3QS, with caller Jake Wood

Saturday 13th December 2014

London Barndance, Cecil Sharp House, Camden, with caller Geoff Cubitt

Friday 28th November 2014

Sheffield University CeilidhSoc, The Edge, Endcliffe Student Village, Sheffield, with caller Andrew Swaine

Saturday 25th October 2014

St Albans Friday Folk special event, St Albans, with caller Kathy Anderson (USA)

Sunday 24th August 2014

Towersey Festival, Towersey, Oxfordshire, with caller Andrew Swaine

25th-27th July 2014

Sønderjyske Sommerfestival, Denmark, with callers Geoff Cubitt and Bev Bernbaum

23rd-26th May 2014

Chippenham Folk Festival

Friday 16th May 2014

Alcester Contra, St Benedict's School, Alcester, Warwickshire with caller Seth Tepfer

Saturday 26th April 2014

Sheffield Spring Contras, Walkley Community Centre, Sheffield, with caller Geoff Cubitt

Saturday 12th April 2014

London Barndance, Cecil Sharp House, Camden, with caller Rhodri Davies

Saturday 22nd March 2014

Poynton Ceilidhs, Poynton Community Centre with caller Andrew Swaine

Saturday 1st March 2014

Inter-Varsity Folk Dance Festival (IVFDF) 2014 Edinburgh with caller Rhodri Davies

Tuesday 31st December 2013

New Years Eve contra dance party with caller Andrew Swaine

Friday 27th September 2013

Alcester Contra, St Benedict's School, Alcester, Warwickshire with caller Mike Courthold

Saturday 14th September 2013

London Barndance, Cecil Sharp House, Camden, with caller Rhodri Davies

Saturday 7th September 2013

private booking

9th-16th August 2013

Broadstairs Folk Week, Broadstairs, Kent with callers Cis Hinkle and Andrew Swaine

April 2013

USA tour

Saturday 12th January 2013

Red Fox Ceilidhs, Church of the Martyrs Community Hall, Leicester, with caller Andrew Swaine

Saturday 5th January 2013

London Barndance, Cecil Sharp House, Camden, with caller Lynne Render

Saturday 17th November 2012

private party

Saturday 6th October 2012

London Barndance, Cecil Sharp House, Camden, with caller Lynne Render

Sunday 3rd June 2012

Gate to Southwell Folk Festival, Southwell, Notts, with caller Andrew Swaine

Friday 18th May 2012

Alcester Contra,

Saturday 26th May 2012

private party

Saturday 3rd March 2012

Inter-Varsity Folk Dance Festival 2012 with caller Rhodri Davies

Ian and Charley with Gareth and Linda of English Contra Dance Band:

:Friday 25th November 2011: Alcester Contra with caller Ian Wilson
Saturday 10th December 2011: London Barndance with caller Rhodri Davies

Friday 10th June 2011

Alcester Contra with caller Geoff Cubitt

28th-30th May 2011

Chippenham Folk Festival

12th March 2011

London Barndance with caller John Meechan

Friday 24th September 2010

Alcester Contras, Alcester, Warwickshire, with caller Geoff Cubitt

Saturday 8th May 2010

London Barndance, Cecil Sharp House, London, with caller Rhodri Davies

Sunday 4th April 2010

Mumpers, Derby, with caller Bob Morgan

Saturday 6th March 2010

IVFDF 2010, Durham, with caller Adam Hughes

Friday 6th November 2009

Alcester Contras, Alcester, Warwickshire, with caller Rhodri Davies

Saturday 24th October 2009

Leeds Contra, Leeds, with caller John Turner

31st July - 7th August 2009

Sidmouth Folk Week, Devon, various events with callers Wendy Graham and Rhodri Davies

Saturday 14th March 2009

London Barndance, Cecil Sharp House, London, with caller Lynne Render

Friday 9th January 2009

Phoenix Ceilidhs, Horwich, with caller Rhodri Davies

Saturday 11th October 2008

London Barndance, Cecil Sharp House, London, with caller Andrew Swaine

Saturday 1st March 2008

IVFDF 2008, Sheffield, with caller Andrew Swaine

Saturday 24th November 2007

Leeds Contra, Leeds, with caller Rhodri Davies

Sunday 26th August 2007

Towersey Village Festival, Towersey, Oxfordshire, with caller Andrew Swaine (workshop 10am, dance 3:15pm)

Sunday 3rd June 2007

Mumpers, Derby, with caller Geoff Cubitt

Saturday 3rd March 2007

IVFDF 2007, Edinburgh, with caller Rhodri Davies

Some time in 2004, Ian and Charley were asked by their friend Grace if they could put together a scratch band for a couple of contra dances she was hoping to run in Sheffield, with a view to trying to establish a regular contra series.

They had a think about who else to ask, and decided Ian and Margaret would be a good choice, if they were interested. They were, and the at-first-unnamed band played for quite a few dances in Sheffield.

This was the first version of a Sheffield Contras dance series. Unfortunately interest dropped off after a while and there weren't enough dancers to keep the events going.

Then a few months later, we got an email from the organisers of IVFDF 2007 in Edinburgh. Somehow Scotland had heard about us and wondered if we'd like to come and play for a contra dance at IVFDF. Why not, we thought. Let's dust off the set list and have another go, it sounds like fun. The rest all went from there...

Vertical Expression's first ever gig: