What we do
Clerical Error are a Welsh Border Morris dance team. We perform mostly stick dances although we do dance one dance with hankies - 3 Jolly Black Sheepskins. Some of our dances were taught by, passed on by or stolen from other teams - we learned The Tide from the Witchmen; and more recently Worcester Monkey from Fox's Morris. As you'll see from other pages on this site, the founders of Clerical Error also spent some time initially learning from Flag Crackers.
We have developed a couple of our own dances in the Ysceifiog tradition (ahem...) including the infamous dance to Tom Jones' Delilah, which was danced at the All Wales Morris Weekend and culminated in knickers being ripped off and thrown. We still sometimes sing Delilah round the camp fire, to the delight of other dance teams. During 2010 another new dance has been developed, to the tune of Cold, Haily, Rainy Night. The dance has yet to debut in public...
" A fierce, fire-breathing dragon has made its home right here...."
Our fine dance team is enhanced by the inclusion of the dragon. The original dragon was known as Mordaniog. However like Dr Who the dragon is recreated every so often and the current fearsome dragon is a lean, mean modern beast which inspires fear in all. The new dragon has been heard to refer to himself as Idris.
We also have our bovine groupie, Gwilym, the Welsh Black Bull. Gwilym is a real survivor, having made it through foot and mouth. He's a favourite for audiences everywhere we dance.
If music be the food of love....Clerical Error is the indigestion....
Clerical Error has a fine musical tradition. From the early days we have attracted keen and talented musicians of all sorts - we have fiddles, boxes, mandolin, saxophone and drums, piccolo and bombard. We have an occasional guest performance from the French section of the team on sousaphone.
The percussion section is well managed and orderly and never gives the music foreman cause to complain.
Street Ents
Our street ents are famed far and wide, from the amazing spectacle of the sack trick and Paul's stool trick, to the world renowned Mummers' Play, and the St Winifred's play.
The Mummers' Play is performed occasionally at summer dance outs but is also taken on tour round the village pubs in North Wales over the Christmas period. Contented revellers are often surprised to hear the sound of Clerical Error's tuneful song at the door before Prince Paradise bursts into the inn, followed by fair Megan.
