South Riding Folk Arts Network

Triskele Sword of Sheffield perform the Rapper sword dance, which is traditional to the coal fields of Northumberland and County Durham.

The rapper is a fast lively dance and is often best seen in a confined space where the interaction of the characters with the audience and the dancers adds to the excitement.

Triskele Sword, a mixed-gender team, formed in 2000 specifically to host and perform at DERT 2002. DERT (Dancing England Rapper Tournament) is the successor to the formal competitions of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. DERT brings together dancers from all over the world, both socially and competitively. The event stimulates innovation and excellence in performance which in turn has led to a thriving and developing tradition.

Triskele Sword have performed at every DERT since 2002.

Triskele Sword take their name from the three-legged Celtic symbol which represents the interaction of earth, water and sky. The most widely-known Triskele is the crest of the Isle of Man, the ‘Legs of Man’, which was registered in 1847 as the trademark of the famous Sheffield tool-maker Joseph Tyzack a maker of fine rapper swords for more than 40 years.

Our kit comprises red shirts, black hoggers, black socks with red tops and a black sash with red piping. We have the Triskele Sword logo on our shirts and sashes.