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Whip the Cat are a traditional English dance team, formed in 1999 and based in Nottingham. They perform a type of sword dance, known as 'Rapper'. The Northumbrian tunes are performed on fiddle, flute and whistles. Whip the Cat have performed at DERT (Dancing England Rapper Tournament) since 2002. They also perform at National and local Festivals and events (and the occasional pub!). "WHIP THE CAT" - A DEFINITION a. to whip the cat: used (chiefly dial. or techn. colloq.) in various senses, some of which are not satisfactorily explained. (a) To get drunk; ? = 'to shoot the cat'. (b) ? To lay the blame of one's offences on some one else. (c) To work as an itinerant tailor, carpenter, etc. at private houses by the day. (d) To play a practical joke, for description of which see CAT n.1 14. (e) To practise extreme parsimony. (f) To shirk work on Monday. (g) Cards. (See quot. 1854.) (h) Austral. and N.Z. To complain or moan. Cf. whip-cat (under WHIP- 2). (From Brewers Dictionary of Phrase and Fable)

DANCES Whip the Cat's first venture into Rapper was with the dance 'Cutty Sark' - which was named after the very first pub that they ever publicly performed in at DERT in Greenwich in 2000. Their second dance was the self- choreographed 'One Eyed Rat', which was named after a pub in Ripon, in which the dance had its most 'memorable' performance (!?). During 2003 they learnt the traditional dance 'Murton', which originates from the Lowerson family and the village of Murton in Northumberland in the early part of the 20th Century. The other traditional dance in their repertoire is the Winlaton dance. For DERT 2005 they decided to choreograph a new dance, which starts with the swords in a lock, hence it's name 'Raiders of the Lock Start'. It just had to be danced onto the theme from the Indiana Jones movie 'Raiders of Lost Ark'! As well as the Rapper dances, they also perform several step clog routines from the Northumberland and Lancashire regions.

KIT Eye catching and ever changing with a feline flavour….who knows what it will be next season! The dancers' kit currently consists of black trousers, black shirts and gold sashes. Musicians are all in black with a touch of cat print. Tommy and Betty are as sartorially wild as they want to be!

THE DANCERS KATHRYN Heroic post-operative dancer - Caesarian, Appendectomy ... you name it, she's danced with the wounds still in stitches! (what would you expect from a nurse?). Cannot be trusted to take it seriously. Dare to dance next to her and proffer your sword... and beware that laugh! LINDA Softest lips permanently attached to her lip-salve, but arms strong enough to snap any sword. Great morale booster, wild dancer and even wilder hair - a full time job in itself! Clothing has a tendancy to fall off/split at parties - always has a stack of invites. Purveyor of funky kit - if only Doc Martens made Tiger-print boots!! PAT Dancer of vast experience... and likes to 'shake her stuff' on the disco floor. Who says accountants don't lead exciting lives? Keeps tabs on the purse strings (well someone needs to). Doesn't mince her words, but her bark is worse than her bite (we think!) NIQ Cat-lover extraordinaire! Our ideas-person - always a Niq-project on the go - when she's not singing rhymes to under-4's Knows everyone... everywhere! Genius with the sewing machine - can knock up a fancy costume quicker than a flick of a cat's tail. FRANCES High heels essential (eat your heart out Imelda Markos!) then she’s up there with the rest of us, though her feet barely touch the floor in the spin! Stylish and graceful, with a wealth of dance stepping experience, and a vision is leathers and silk scarves. Spends her spare time frequenting dance workshops and mucking about in ditches. VICKY If you think you'll get a word in edgeways, don't even try! This woman can Mazurka whilst non-stop ear caning. Another multi-faceted dancer, regularly seen calling for ceilidhs and bals and instantly recognised by her flaming hair and array of wild hats. YVONNE Bit of a 'Reveller' this one; turned up to a Cats workshop and we are NOT letting her go! Holding her hostage, only to be released for practices with her Cotswold/border/molly side, and helping her daughter with her tumbling practice. Often seen doing a spot of gardening, childminding and melodeon playing. CATH Did the workshop and amazingly came back for more. Another gardener who confesses to being a Cotswold dancer in her other life (what IS the connection) Cath is a whiz with figures, in more ways than one. ALICE Seriously accident prone, Alice has been dancing Rapper since the tender age of 7, with many visits to Casualty in-between. Slave-driving practice 'foreman' and co-founder of the celebrated '2-man Rapper Act' without swords and music and now incorporating tumbles. That's another trip to the Queen's Medical Centre then! JEN A diminutive chip off the old block in every way. Lovably scatty, Jen rarely makes it to a practice without missing her train, forgetting her purse, her 'phone, her shoes... but never her smile! She's also into drama when she can remember where she put her lines. Another exponent of the infamous '2-man Rapper'. NAOMI Took to Rapper like a duck to water (she's her mother's daughter!), when she's not dancing or studying, Naomi spends her time playing the piano, shopping, sitting about in the sun (when we have any!) and job hunting. Rumour has it she swims in reservoirs (with ducks?!) BECS 'Rapper-tart' Becs has more different teams' kits hanging in her wardrobe than the rest of us put together. Bagged this Biomedical Science student the second she arrived in Nottingham to start University. She couldn't have fitted in better as her main interest includes drinking and dancing! BETTY Forget itinerant tailors, Mike is an itinerant performer - Cotswold/Molly/Border/Mumming (and now he's ventured into Rapper) - Mike does it all with his own unique style. Not always in women's clothing, but give him the slightest excuse and he'll don copious amounts of nylon, lace, latex, feathers and fur, which all go wonderfully with the beard!

THE MUSICIANS ALISTAIR Grew up in the North East of England. Has played the fiddle since seven but still can't remember the names of the tunes (or many of the notes either for that matter). Claim to fame: Now Captain of the world famous Sullivan's Sword longsword team since Richard became a "Whip the Cat widow". NICK Our 'Nick-Quig' bless 'im! Where would we be today (where are we?) without his Stone Monkey pedigree guidance (spin and tits especially). Leopard print tie and flute never far away (not that he's got a clue where!). TOM Flute and Whistle. Of Irish/Welsh descent, which explains the red, fiery temper, sorry, that should read 'sideburns', and tendancy to burst suddenly into song. Back pocket a mobile suitcase, variously stuffed with the odd dog-eared Anstey Morris hanky, spare shirt, pair of striped Stone Monkey socks and assorted paintbrushes... WIL Wil, the tumbling fiddler!. So laid back he'd fall off his chair, not mention our shoulders. Netted this 'Dolphin' on a Gate to Southwell, continuing our tradition of picking up itinerant musicians. Wil's version is that he is a founder member of the Nottingham Temperance Society, whose aim is to convert Whip the Cat members to the cause. 0% success rate so far!

THE TOMMY BOB One recent practice night… “I’ll just sit here with my book…" "Another pint?…" "Yes please…" "Bob will tommy for us at DERT won’t you?…" "But I’ve never done it before…" "Another pint?…" "Yes please…" "All you have to do is wear this coat…" "But I don’t…" "Another pint?…" "Oh alright!”

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