Not the rapping of the 21st century, of course, but that of 19th century rapper sword dancers.

Grassington based Penny Plain Theatre Company have enlisted the help of one of the country’s leading folk song and dance celebrities, Damien Barber, to teach them a rapper dance for their annual touring Christmas show.

Damien, whose own Demon Barber Roadshow features everything from beat box to Cotswold hanky waving morris including a breathtaking sword rapper display, was voted Best Live Act at the 2009 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

GP Andrew Jackson, founding member and the face of Sudbury Spoone in Penny Plain’s ragged Victorian players troupe, explains,

“We discovered that Damien teaches rapper sword dance in schools, so he was the ideal man to ask to come to give us a workshop. He has taught us some of the moves which look most impressive, including the famous ‘knot’ of swords which is held up at the end of the dance”.

Penny Plain’s half hour Christmas wassail show which is performed in and around the pubs of the Dales in December, features a miscellany of ancient carols, mummery and mayhem including four part harmony singing and traditional morris dancing.

Arriving with flaming torches and colourful traditional costumes, the talents of this boisterous troupe already include Latin sung ancient carols, the fancy footwork of the Bacca Pipes jig and a Yorkshire mummers play.

Troupe member Jane Ellison-Bates who plays Tess Tiquelle adds,

“Learning the rapper dance is a great new challenge for us this year, which we hope to survive without garotting each other!”

Venues wishing to play host to the wassailers in December should contact Barbara Leigh-Mason on 01756 753696. Performance dates can be viewed at www.pennyplaintheatre.co.uk