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Whip the Cat are a traditional English dance team, based in Nottingham, who perform a type of sword dance, known as 'Rapper'. The Northumbrian tunes are performed on fiddle, flute and whistles. Whip the Cat currently have four dances in their repertoire. Their first venture into Rapper was with 'Cutty Sark' - which is named after the very first pub that Whip the Cat ever publicly performed in at DERT (Dancing England Rapper Tournament) in Greenwich in 2000. The second dance learnt was the self-choreographed 'One Eyed Rat'. This was named after a pub in Ripon, in which the dance had it's most 'memorable' performance (!?). During 2003 they learnt the traditional dance 'Murton'. This originated from the Lowerson family in the early part of the 20th Century. For DERT 2005 they decided to choreograph a new dance with lots of swift, swirling figures. It starts with the swords in a lock, hence it's name 'Radiers of the Lock Start'. It just had to be danced onto the theme from the Indiana Jones movie ‘Raiders of Lost Ark’! Whip the Cat have performed at DERT since 2002. They also perform at National and local Festivals and events (and the occasional pub!). A team of dis-proportionate amount of librarians, nurses, students and accountants..but you’d never notice!

"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)

KIT Whip the cat have a very eye-catching kit, which is always open to new ideas/change! They are pretty good at collecting any cat-print paraphernalia that’s out there…just ask Kathryn! DANCERS KIT It consists (after much discussion) of black trousers, black fitted tops and sashes with cat-print…who know what it will be next season! MUSICIANS KIT All in black (much like the dancers then!) with cat-print accessories.

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 us on our toes each week (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 a spot of gardening, childminding and melodeon playing. Forget sports bras, rumour has it this one prefers PVC! 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. Co-founder of the celebrated '2-man Rapper Act' without swords and music and now incorporating tumbles. That's another trip to the QMC 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'. ISABEL Classically trained dancer with a cupboardful of trophies and A* certificates, took to rapper like a duck to water. In her other life, Izzy lives in such a social whirl that her family have forgotten what she looks like (fortunately they all look alike). Needs constant reminding to eat, sleep, and catch the bus home. 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 'Nik-Qwig' bless 'im! Where would we be today (where are we?) without his Stone Monkey pedigree guidance (spin and t's 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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