The group was initiated in September 2023 by Mike Billington, not long after we moved to Verwood.
My husband Vaughan and I have been enjoying this style of dancing for more than 20 years and
were pleased to find that a new group was starting up.
As I had previous experience of running a similar group, I was able to help Mike by providing dance
material and being a caller. In January 2026, due to many other commitments, Mike handed the
running of the group to me.

In the spirit of the u3a it is a shared learning experience, for the callers as well as the dancers! 

The dances are mostly in the Playford style, a more genteel type of country dancing!
Some of the dances and music date back to 1600’s or earlier, some are more modern and
they suit any age, gender and ability, there are no specific steps to learn. The emphasis is on the
patterns of the dances and instructions for the moves are called throughout.
We are a lovely, friendly group, always happy to partner and help beginners and newcomers. The
dances can be skipped or walked. Those of us who have a few minor mobility problems, miss out or
simplify moves which would be difficult or make us dizzy. Nobody minds! We aim to get the dances
right, but if things go wrong, we laugh and try again. A lot of the time, we cheer! It’s all part of the
fun. We have a short break halfway through the session.