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07:00 - 30-April-2008
In England, we tend to view Morris Dancers as blokes with beer bellies and beards who hang out in pubs,” says Damien.
“And while that's probably true, there's no reason why it can't be brought up to date.”
The 37-year-old's solution to modernising this veritable tradition – one with more than a whiff of real ale and rolling tobacco about it – is to, well, ramp up the energy a bit.
His unique dance project, The Demon Barber Roadshow, mixes the ancient English dance form into a fast-moving show which features hardcore techno. Not to mention the occasional clog dance.
It sounds, outwardly, an unholy mix. But the affable Damien insists it is a way of reconnecting the English with their native culture.
“We'd been running a traditional show for about seven years, and decided we wanted to do something a bit different,” he said. “There is a lot of interest in rediscovering English identity and this was a way to bring traditional styles of dance to a modern audience.
“A lot of them have been performed for hundreds of years, but this is a way to keep them fresh rather than making them into museum pieces.”
The show includes traditional forms such as the Rapper Dance – sword dancing from the mining villages of Northumberland and Durham – to a new segment which mixes clog dancing, beat-boxing and break-dancing.
And the entire spectacle – and, judging from some frenetic Youtube footage, spectacle is the best word – is backed by a live band which includes the folk stand-bys of fiddle and guitars.
But behind the carnival atmosphere, with musicians rushing off stage to change into their dancing gear, is a serious intent.
“In this country, for whatever reason, we tend to laugh at our traditional dances in a way they don't in other parts of the world – such as the Irish who embraced theirs with River Dance,” Damien said.
“It is quite strange how we get a lot of people in England laughing at Morris dancing, but many going along to samba classes, which has nothing to do with our own culture.
“But I think that's changing – I find young English people are thinking about and getting interested in what our culture is.”
Maybe this, break-beats, clogs and all will be another moment in that change of tides.
The Demon Barber Roadshow performs at York Theatre Royal, St Leonard's Place, York on Wednesday, May 7, 8pm. Tickets cost £5-£12. Call (01904) 623568 or visit www.thedemonbarbers.com
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