Candyrapper was founded in 2000 by members of Tom Kruskal’s Boston-area teen dance troupe Great Meadows Morris and Sword. (Rapper sword dancing is, of course, an exciting, fast-paced and highly unique form of traditional English dance involving metal blades, percussive stepping and intricate figures.) Inspired by its much-admired sister group Velocirapper, Candyrapper soon became a respected team in its own right, planting the seeds for a 14-year-long rapper dynasty in which new members carried the torch forward when old members left to seek their fortunes after high school. In 2014 the name “Candyrapper” was retired, though many teams continue the tradition under the auspices of Great Meadows Morris and Sword.
Candyrapper VSOP came into being as a one-off “reunion” side when its members were tapped to perform at Tom Kruskal’s “CDSS Lifetime Achievement Award Celebration” in 2011. The participants had so much fun that they decided to compete at the Dancing America Rapper Tournament, or DART, that fall, where they took first place. It was then that the group added the VSOP to its name to signify its members’ "well-aged" dancing -- though, to further confuse matters, the new lineup included one dancer who was not a Candyrapper alumnus, making Candyrapper VSOP not so much a reincarnation of the original Candyrapper as a sort of spiritual cousin, if that makes sense. (It doesn’t.) At any rate, Candyrapper VSOP continues to perform -- internationally! -- to this day. The team has appeared at Sidmouth Folk Week 2014 and 2016, DARToronto 2014, DART Boston 2016, DART Amherst 2017, and DERT Sheffield 2018.
Candyrapper VSOP came into being as a one-off “reunion” side when its members were tapped to perform at Tom Kruskal’s “CDSS Lifetime Achievement Award Celebration” in 2011. The participants had so much fun that they decided to compete at the Dancing America Rapper Tournament, or DART, that fall, where they took first place. It was then that the group added the VSOP to its name to signify its members’ "well-aged" dancing -- though, to further confuse matters, the new lineup included one dancer who was not a Candyrapper alumnus, making Candyrapper VSOP not so much a reincarnation of the original Candyrapper as a sort of spiritual cousin, if that makes sense. (It doesn’t.) At any rate, Candyrapper VSOP continues to perform -- internationally! -- to this day. The team has appeared at Sidmouth Folk Week 2014 and 2016, DARToronto 2014, DART Boston 2016, DART Amherst 2017, and DERT Sheffield 2018.
Candyrapper VSOP is:
- Aidin Carey
- Kristin Fleischmann-Rose
- Peter Kruskal
- Amelia Mason
- Erika Roderick
- Natty Smith
- Gillian Stewart
Candyrapper alumni include:
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About Rapper Sword Dancing
Rapper sword dancing is a sword dance tradition from northeastern England. The dance usually involves five dancers who use "rapper swords" made of flexible steel, weaving them in intricate figures and executing a fast percussive step.
Read more about rapper sword dancing at the Rapper Online website.
Read more about rapper sword dancing at the Rapper Online website.
