End of erafor amazingdance band

Caller Jane Downes will be calling her last dance at at St Mary in the Castle, Hastings on Saturday January 18.

However, the band continues, with some additional members and a new, dancer friendly caller, Rachel Roberts.

Jane and melodeon player husband Will are moving on to do some serious sailing.

Paul and Jo Dengate are also leaving.

whilst co-running The Lamb Folk Club, Eastbourne and meeting up with Mad Jack’s Morris, Will became more and more interested in the traditional music and Jane taught the set dances in schools. ‘Let’s put on a dance for the public’, one member of the fledgling band was heard to say, and the rest is history.

Jane was determined to keep a helpful eye on the dancers and to keep the dancing light hearted; fundamentally, fun.

The Steamers have only played three or four festivals, rathe,r they are a Sussex band who have brought joy to hundreds of local weddings, celebrations and fundraisers and have kept traditional music and dance right in the public eye for forty years.

Tickets for the dance; £8 from BT Music, Claremont and Old Town Gallery, George Street ,Hastings and Music’s Not Dead, Devonshire Road, Bexhill on Sea.