Rheda’s Dream musicians and dancers at their rehearsal space in Hatton’s Yard.

’Tis the season to wassail!

In January and early February it is traditional to sing and dance around apple trees, bless them with cider and make lots of noise to scare away evil spirits. This is meant to ensure a bumper harvest of apples in the autumn – or maybe it’s just another excuse to have some fun and keep warm on the cold winter nights. HOT’s Erica Smith gets to grips with the realities and myths of Morris dancing – with bells on!

I moved to Hastings in late April 2002 and was immediately immersed in the full Jack-in-the-Green weekend of pageantry, paganism and Morris dancing. But until recently, I’ve kept my flirtations with folklore to the Beltane weekend.

Then I met Amy Cullis. Amy is an experienced Morris dancer who was keen to set up a Morris ‘side’ in St Leonards. She shared flyers by email and around town and in October last year, a bunch of newbies to Morris found ourselves in Hatton’s Yard where we were given sticks and hankies and taught how to dance traditional Border and Cotswold Morris dances. Even for someone as dyspraxic as I am, it was fun. It is great exercise and an opportunity to meet people from all walks of life.

Our side is called Rheda’s Dream – named after a Norse goddess – and this Saturday, 21 January, we are going to dance in public for the first time as part of a wassail ceremony for the five baby apple trees in Gensing Gardens. The five trees were planted by local community groups including Arts on Prescription, Active Arts and Christchurch School in December 2021 and January 2022.

Sassie Yasamee on the left with Councillor Amanda Jobson and local resident Emma Harding.

The trees have thrived in the park despite an incredibly long, dry summer. Last weekend they were inspected and pruned for the first time by Sassie Yasamee of Eve Apple Press with members of the local community. All five trees are different varieties of Sussex-bred apple. It will be a few years yet before they will provide enough apples for all the people who use Gensing Gardens, but the wassail this weekend can only help with future harvests!

You are cordially invited to come and join in with the first wassail in Gensing Gardens! There will be apple juice and cider, but you are encouraged to bring your own drinking vessel and additional juice to add to our mulling pot. This is a free event but donations to cover the costs of the performers and to support Friends of Gensing Gardens are welcome.

We will meet by the baby apple trees on the Charles Road side of Gensing Gardens at 4pm on Saturday 21 January and stay there until dusk has fallen at about 5.15pm. As well as the chance to see Rheda’s Dream dance for the first time, folk singing group Rattlebag will be there, and we hope She Choir will join us.

Also in: One Long Party