The desire to compete appears to be hard-wired into the British psyche. It seems likely that dancers have competed against one another for as long as the dance has existed. These competitions take numerous forms and over time have evolved in disparate ways. Some with mnore or less complex rules, others in a more flexible way.
The sections listed below are currently being developed as we find out more about the forms of competitive dance.
It must be borne in mind that all competitions, even those styled as “World Championships” were locally organised. There has never been, outside of present day Scotland, any sort of national governing body! Rules, such as they may have been, were made up by the organisers, often in the nineteenth century theatre managers.
World Clog Dancing Championships
The world clog dancing championships were held irregularly from 1880 until 1910, mostly organised by theatre impresario J.H. Wood. Originally almost all the entrants were professional music hall performers, the competition being famously won by Dan Leno in 1883 in Oldham.
Northumberland and Durham Championships
These competitions, for entrants from both counties, were probably held before 1908 but that is the first event for which details have been found. After 1908 there was a gap until 1935 when the championships were revived, however they petered out during World War 2, being revived again by the EFDSS in 1949 and last held in 1951.
Northern Counties Championships
Initially organised in 1953 by dancer Johnson Ellwood as the Four Norther Cunties Championships,, the competitions were held each year until aboout 1960 after which they were revived at the 1976 Durham Folk Festival under the new name until that event’s demise, and afterwards at various locations. Although in theory covering Northumberland, Durham, Cumberland and Westmorland in practice the dancerscould come from anywhere. Last held in XXXX.
Lancashire and Cheshire Championships
Started in XXXX as part of the Fylde Folk Festival. When the festival folded in XXXX the competitions continued to run. In fact the only remaining clog competition in 2023.
Devon Step Dancing Competitions
Unusually for a vernacular dance form competitions for step dancing in Devon have a long listory. Revived in XXX by Bob Cann the competitions still take place every year at the Dartmoor Folk Festival.