Our Kit

It is believed that Border dancers disguise dates back to the time of "Tied workers" (the house is tied to the job) when during slack times money could be made at fairs dancing and playing music. The workers would be evicted if caught by the squire therefore they used materials close to hand - rags and coal dust to disguise themselves.

We however -just like making an exhibition of ourselves!

So we wear red and yellow to signify fire and explosions.

Our rag jackets have a black base and are decorated with long rag tatters in red, yellow, gold and other ‘fire colours’. A selection of sparkly materials in the relevant colours adds to the ‘fiery’ effect when we dance.

Various rag jackets with ribbons moving in every conceivable direction during a dance. The ribbons are of fire colours red, yellow, gold, orange, and black.

We disguise ourselves by wearing face paint in the colours of our rag jackets:

Five smiling headshots showing different face paint options. The first one has red, yellow and black thick diagonal stripes. The next has painted around their eyes, to look like a mask, with black, red, and gold paint. The third has painted the upper half of their face, leaving their mouth clear, with three thick diagonal stripes of orange, red, and black. The forth has painted a butterfly style pattern around their eyes going onto their cheeks with red, orange, and yellow with a black border. The final face has a simpler butterfly pattern focusing around their eyes and cheek bones with black and red paint.

We wear decorated black top hats - these are stylised by the wearer with feathers, flowers, and anything else that come to hand!

Multiple Powderkegs wearing various top hats decorated with fire coloured knick-knacks. Some have red ribbons, some have orange feathers, one has an owl figurine and another has a large fabric red flower.

And finally to finish our ensemble bell pads are worn on the legs with more tatters (in similar colours to the rag jacket).

A photo of many shins highlighting the different bell pads the side has. The bell pads are made of black material with small bells in vertical rows and are tied around the lower leg. All are decorated with orange, red, yellow, and black ribbons.

Under all that we wear:

Black long sleeved top

Black trousers

Black heavy shoes or boots