Founded in 1985 Feet First are the UK's longest running Appalachian Dance Team. They perform traditional Appalachian steps choreographed into performance dances in much the same way as the American Appalachian teams do. The dances themselves have a wide variety of influences e.g. Ballroom, Irish, Greek, clog, Morris and jazz, and new dances are continually being added to the repertoire. Above all the dancing is high energy, fast and fun. Feet First always dance to their own band consisting of fiddles, guitar, mandolin, and banjo. Take home some of their music on their CD 'Feet First..Ask Questions Later'.

The Kingsmen have been at the forefront of the revival of the Northumbrian rapper sword dance since 1949, leading the field in research, publication and teaching, as well as performance. We were founded by Prof Bill Cassie of King's College Durham (hence the name). In 1963 this became a university in its own right, the University of Newcastle upon Tyne (hence the other bit of the name). Originally a student team, we maintain strong links with the University, although the team now has a good mixture of students with graduates of Newcastle University and others. The dances we perform are the honest hard-working traditions from the northern industrial heartland, represented in the Kingsmen’s performances by the Rapper sword dance (from the coal-mining communities of Northumberland and Durham), the Grenoside Longsword dance (Yorkshire) and the Royton northwest dance (Lancashire).

 Redcar and Cleveland based community arts organisation Whippet Up will be performing their pop up theatre show, 'For the People, By the People'. 'For the People, By the People' is a pop up puppet theatre telling tales inspired by local folklore. Redcar and Cleveland based Whippet Up worked alongside people referred to them for a wellbeing boost turning junk and found items into puppets, props, and costumes. They are joined live on set by local folk artist Amelia Coburn, who worked with Whippet Up's groups to write songs that narrate the tales. Together they have created a dazzling family friendly show that unlocks the humour, meaning and mayhem found in local folktales.

Rattlejag Morris, based in Retford, Nottinghamshire, is a mixed dance side formed in 2002, with the aim of reviving and developing a dance tradition, based in our own local area. Taking inspiration from the local ploughboys of the 19th century and using material collected from East Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire, we dance Plough Morris.
Each dancer and musician has their own colour ribbon and face paint which together gives the side a multi-coloured effect. We perform a variety of dances; some include swords or brooms; almost all are unique to our group. We use many rarely heard local tunes or music written to suit a particular dance. 

Leven Sword are performing for the first time at Saltburn Folk Festival. Formed in 2016, our mixed side aims to bring back to life the local tradition of Yorkshire Longsword in the Great Ayton and Stokesley area following a gap of 100 years as far as we know.  Based in Great Ayton, we dance the nearest recorded dance Boosbeck and our own dance High Green. When we dance out we like to finish with a song and tune session so please join in if you spot us around Saltburn on Saturday.

The Flagcrackers of Craven Border Morris side was founded in Skipton, North Yorkshire, in 1988. Their style of dancing originated on the border of England and Wales, hence the name "Border Morris".  The dancers wear top hats, tattered waistcoats and clogs and have disguised faces, the band dress in the side's colours (black and red). They have a wide repertoire of dances, most of which were devised by themselves, and dance to traditional tunes.

Hailing from Newcastle upon Tyne, Star and Shadow will dazzle you with their rapper sword dancing, swirling skirts and class tunes. From the Northumberand and Durham coal mining tradition, Rapper sword dancing is fast-paced style in which dancers hold onto double-hilted sprung steel swords to make intricate patterns and wow audiences.

Harlequin North West Morris were formed in 2011 (as Harlequin Women's Morris) to dance traditional and new dances in the north-west tradition. Based in the village of Cleasby, just south of Darlington, our members are drawn from the Darlington, Northallerton and Richmond areas. Our kit includes petal skirts or waistcoats in primary colours, black tops or trousers, and black clogs.

Locos are pleased to be invited once again to Saltburn Folk Festival, one of our favourite events in the dance calendar.  We have been dancing together for more years than most of us can remember, building a reputation in the Tees Valley for Morris dancing 'with attitude'.  We perform traditional stick dances from the English/Welsh border with the emphasis on fun.  

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