Pig Dyke Molly - Quotes

Dear Pig Dyke,

When my daughter took her first faltering steps in the Young Miscellany Costume in 2005, and Morris was a whole new thing to us, we saw Pig Dyke perform at Ely. We were all completely smitten at first sight and thought you were by far the most captivating of all the sides we had seen.

Fourteen years on, and having also been a member of two “grown up” sides as musician and dancer - as well as my continuing involvement in YM - I must have seen the best part of 100 sides. But I still think you completely out-shine them all, which I was reminded of yesterday at St Neots.

Visually, as I’m sure you have been told many times before, you are absolutely stunning. All other sides are competing for second place when it comes to appearance. I’m actually quite ambivalent about “uniforms” and I love the way you all look completely individual within the black and white scheme.

I also love the way you use your own, slightly quirky music, and come up with your own dances, which I can see must take a lot of time creating and rehearsing. I realised yesterday that another thing I like is the complete silence of your dancers - no bells, no whistles, rubber-soled shoes. Very classy.

A couple of years ago I got chatting to your melodeonist who wasn't there yesterday. She showed me her instrument which wasn't tuned in the usual D/G keys. It wouldn't be would it? The common thread in all of this is originality which is something I value greatly and - almost by definition - is usually in short supply at events which feature performances of “traditional” dances.

As a YM’er, I was delighted to see that you had a young member who was an absolutely cracking dancer. I hope she can persuade some of her friends to join too.

I felt honoured to be able to join in with Moral Turpitude yesterday, which has to be about the best audience participation dance on the circuit, due to its spontaneous simplicity.

So I just wanted to say: please keep doing what you’re doing. Keep creating, innovating and engaging audiences, young and old. You light up every event you are a part of.

Joe French, after St Neots Folk Festival, 9 June 2019

Well what can I say ..... another amazing performance!! Thank you all so much for coming along to our Carnival 2011. You all brought your magic, your personality and total WOW factor to Somersham. I, personally, have seen you about 4 times and I am never disappointed. The Somersham villagers loved you. Hope you found the tennis courts okay to perform in, this was a new venture for us in opening them up. Any feedback from you guys would be appreciated about the whole event.

We did so well on Saturday on our Pimms stall we sadly sold out!! Unbelievable! Still it enabled us to have a rest at the end and chat to people.

Thanks again to you all for being so stunning.
Somersham Carnival Organisers, 27 June 2011

[the CD] arrived this morning - already played it and danced round the lounge - thankyou.

I have only seen you on the net but hoping to change that and go to Chippenham this year...
I am an ex north west morris dancer turned drummer but your videos have inspired me to start up a molly group here in South Birmingham.
A Music CD customer, February 2011

There was a girl at the bar who said she 'didn't like folk music and all that hanky stuff' but that Pig Dyke were 'cool and funky'.
Glen describing 28 July at the Woolpack, July 2010

I was at Towersey and there were these really dark, cool looking people with what looked like to me they were wearing this KISS (metal band)like make up...black and white face paint.. just to say they looked cool as %*" !"

"I saw them in Peterborough just before Christmas...they were magnificent, numerous, entertaining, young and mixed. I'm not a Morris participant but if I were I wouldn't go anywhere near an organisation that excludes women. Whereas this lot are just the kind of shot in arm that would get a casual observer like me interested.
Internet forum discussion on the Ring's threat of imminent death of morris dancing

Killer threads, man!
Shouted at three members of the team in full kit and facepaint as they walked over Parker's Piece in Cambridge, Mayday 2009

The Sousa player is a real stormer!
comment on YouTube video, suspected to be from Mike O'Connor

I thought you were fantastic & I really enjoyed your performances - the stand out part/performers of the day for me
Spectator at Benwick Dickensian Market, November 2009

Awesome dance, great musicians, awesome costumes... I normally don't care for Molly Morris dancing, but this is kickass!
Comment on YouTube video from Straw Bear 2009, 2009

With their faces painted to look like Edward Scissorhands, dressed in black and white Op-Art fabrics, and accompanied by a large tuba, the Pig Dyke Molly look like Dress Down Friday at the Robert Smith Academy for Troubled Youths.

At 11am on a cold, sunny day they make a slightly alarming sight, like a giant Goth gang that missed the last bus home last night and are now so out of their minds with longing for White Lightning that they're dancing for pennies.
Caitlin Moran, The Times On Line