Search
Close this search box.

Names of Sword Dances

Back issues of Rattle Up My Boys were analysed in order to discover the names of the sword dances featured in the publications.

About the analysis

The analysis was carried out using the ChatGPT Pro and the OCR extension. Initially findings were published for series 1-9, 10-19 and then 20-29 in order to gain experiences of the effectiveness of a simply query. Subsequently an analysis of all issues was carried out but after listing 29 dances this followed up with the message that the list “is a general representation and may include common sword dance … for a precise and exhaustive list, manual extraction from the documents would be required“. The list provided was:
 
Abbots Bromley Horn Dance; Ampleforth Sword Dance; Bampton Traditional Sword Dance; Bessingby Sword Dance; Cambridge Sword Dance; Carlisle Sword Dance; Dartington Sword Dance; Durham Sword Dance; Earsdon Sword Dance; Grenoside Sword Dance; Handsworth Sword Dance; Headington Quarry Sword Dance; Helmsley Sword Dance; Knaresborough Sword Dance; Longborough Sword Dance; Lymm Sword Dance; Manchester Sword Dance; Newcastle Sword Dance; Oxford Sword Dance; Papworth Everard Sword Dance; Platt Bridge Sword Dance; Ripon Sword Dance; Sheepscar Sword Dance; Southport Sword Dance; Thaxted Sword Dance; Wakefield Sword Dance; Winlaton Sword Dance; Wolverton Sword Dance; Yorkshire Coast Sword Dance

Findings

The findings of the names of dances listed below are taken from the sword dances listed in the findings for series 1-9, 10-19 and then 20-29 with the data being analysed to removed duplicate names.

Acaster Malbis Sword Dance; Addison Rapper Dance; Ampleforth Sword Dance; Ampleforth sword dance; Askham Richard Sword Dance; Askham Richard longsword dance; Bagnasco dance; Barlborough; Barton-le-Street Sword Dance; Basque longsword dances; Bellerby Sword Dance; Bishopthorpe Sword Dance; Bramham Sword Dance; Bystrice pod Lopenikem Sword Dance; Calusari Sword Dance (Romania); Castleton Sword Dance; Chester Sword Dance; Cleveland Sword Dance; Conniston Sword Dance; Cotswold Morris Dance; Coventry Mummers’ Play; Elgin Sword Dance; Escrick; Escrick Sword Dance; Fennestrelle Bal du Sabre (Italy); Flamborough; Flamborough Longsword Dance; Flamborough longsword dance; Goathland Plough Stots Sword Dance; Goathland Plough Stots performance; Great Ayton Sword Dance; Greatham Sword Dance; Grenoside Sword Dance; Grenoside dance; Grosmont Sword Dance; Guipuzcoa Province Sword Dance (Spain); Handsworth; Handsworth Sword Dance; Haxby Sword Dance; Helmsley Sword Dance; High Spen Blue Diamond Rapper Dance; Kirkby Malzeard; Kirkby Malzeard Sword Dance; Kirkby Malzeard sword dance; Lange Wapper dance; Legazpia’s Okravario Dantza; Loftus Sword Dance; Longwood Rapper Dance (USA); Malpas Sword Dance; Markina ko Zerutxa Sword Dance (Spain); Naburn Sword Dance; Newbiggin Rapper Sword-Dance; Newton on Ouse Sword Dance; North Skelton; North Skelton Sword Dance; North Skelton Sword-Dance; Papa Stour Sword Dance; Papa Stour dance; Perth Glovers Guild Sword Dance; Pickering Sword Dance; Pitmen sword dancing; Poolsbrook; Poppleton Sword Dance; Riccall Sword Dance; Robin Hood’s Bay Sword Dance; Ryburn Longsword dance; San Sebastian Ezpata dantza; San Sebastian Sword Dance (Spain); Skelton Sword Dance; Sleights Sword Dance; Southport Swords; Stillingfleet Sword Dance; Strani Sword Dance (Czechoslovakia); Sword dance of Arrate; Toronto Women’s Sword Dance (Canada); Uberlingen Sword Dance Company (Germany); Westerhope; Wiggington Sword Dance; Xemeingo ezpata dantza (Spain); York Sword Dance

There are 80 unique dances listed

Discussion

As with the “Analysis: Names of Sword Dances Sides” there are some obvious duplicates (Kirkby Malzeard/Kirkby Malzeard Sword Dance/Kirkby Malzeard sword dance and Goathland Plough Stots Sword Dance/Goathland Plough Stots performance); areas of uncertainties and confusion over names of sides and names of dances. 

Other notes

This initial analysis (together with the analysis of Names of Sword Dance Sides) was useful if gaining experience of the analysis tool, including the ‘prompts’ to use and the time it takes to carry out the analysis, once the data (scanned PDFs with relevant metadata) is available.

In terms of the output the information cannot be regarded as a definitive list of swords sides mentioned in the publications. However for those wishing to search for information about sword dance sides (including sides which may now be defunct)  this information may be a useful starting point, with further searching of Rattle Up My Boys needed to provide contextual information.

Technical issues

For those who may wish to replicate this analysis or carry out similar analyses, here are some technical details.

Data analysed: A series of over 100 PDF files were analysed. The PDF files had been OCRed and title and similar metadata added. The files had consistent file names (rumb-01-01.pdf to rumb-28-04.pdf)  which made it much easier to manage the analysis process, as well as pre- and post-management of the files.

Analysis service used: The Chat GPT 4o service was used, with the OCR extension.

Prompt used: The initial prompt used was
Give me a list of the sword dances (not sides) mentioned separated by semi-colons and say how many there are
 with slight variants used for subsequent analyses.

Updated: 1 July 2024
#rattleupmyboys 

Don't miss out

Get The Morris Federation's News

Subscribe for news about The Morris Federation and morris related activities. Available for all.