TRADITIONAL dance is being celebrated throughout the city this weekend as Morris dance teams from across the country gather in York for a two-day festival.

The York Festival of Traditional Dance, organised by Ebor Morris dancers, involves teams from Sheffield, Nottingham, Derby and Skipton performing in locations throughout the city.

They will be performing different types of dancing including Cotswold Morris, step clog, sword and border - in which team members black their faces.

Squire of the Ebor Morris dancers Paul Sanderson said: "People enjoy it very much and we get quite big crowds coming to watch.

"This will be the 15th year we have had the festival and we do it because it is fun. I enjoy everything about it, the dancing, the camaraderie and the spectacle."

Dancing will take place from 11am tomorrow in Parliament Street, St Sampsons Square and Kings Square.

Updated: 12:14 Saturday, September 07, 2002