Back to Banbury Town Hobby Horse
Le Taureau poses with Banbury's Fine Lady and pupils from Greatworth Primary School and Ecole Internationale Eridan who were responsible for making the beast.
Back to Banbury Town Hobby Horse
Le Taureau poses with Banbury's Fine Lady and pupils from Greatworth Primary School and Ecole Internationale Eridan who were responsible for making the beast.
During the second half of the summer term 2001 children from Ecole Internationale Eridan came to stay with families of pupils at Greatworth Primary School as part of an exchange scheme. Staff from Greatworth had already visited the south of France to meet the children and teachers and research local traditions of ritual animal disguise. ( see A Hobby Horse from the south of France).
Information about the methods used in constructing such creatures and about the dance like movements that were made formed the basis for the planned first performance at the 2001 Banbury Hobby Horse festival. The French partner school is situated in a village called Perols near Montpellier. In this part of the country bulls are common and bull games are popular hence the creation of Le Taureau rather than any other kind of beast.
Both schools were united in their belief that children should become completely involved in an exploration of their world as an integral part of their education. This sometimes means joining residential trips away from home in order to become part of the communities that they visit and celebrating their discoveries in words, music and dance. So it is that we have representatives of two nations coming together to build a French Hobby Horse here in England.
The Taureau confronts a fool on the streets of Banbury!