The former chairman of the Manx Folk Dance Society has released a book of new Manx dances.

Joan Cowell, who was chairman of the society from 1981 until 2017, was keen to create a written record of the dances when the group stopped last year after its 70th anniversary celebrations.

And she hopes the dances that feature in Manx Dance With Me will inspire other dancers to give them a try and go on to perform them.

Joan told Island Life: ‘There is a total of 30 dances in the book - 10 have been performed by the Manx Folk Dance Society, some regularly in displays, others maybe only once in Yn Chruinnaght competitions.

‘The other 20 are dances that were created over the years, but were never tested out - these can be used for inspiration, or ideas, or danced as they are - if they work - no guarantee!’

Joan, who had been a member of the society since 1971, explained that she has been creating dances for many years.

‘Luckily, I had put them on to my computer so they would not get lost,’ she said.

‘Along with the other dancers, I created many new dances based on traditional steps and figures.

‘Yn Chruinnaght festival was a good push for us, as there was a class for a new dance.

‘We tried to come up with an entry for this each year for many years, with the occasional success.

‘Sometimes our inspiration was an imminent event or celebration.’

Joan said she had been contemplating putting the new dances into a book for a while and the ending of the Manx Folk Dance Society seemed to be the appropriate time.

She said her friend and past dancer Tricia Craig had encouraged her to progress the thought and that Culture Vannin had also been very supportive.

She thanked Culture Vannin for the financial support she had received too.

And she thanked fellow members of the Manx Folk Dance Society ‘for all the collaboration, support, travels, enjoyment and fun they have given me over the years’.

Joan said she hoped some of the new and untested dances would be performed by dance groups.

‘The only thing I ask is that if they are danced or if they have influenced a dance, that some credit is given to me and/or the Manx Folk Dance Society,’ she added.

Manx Dance With Me has been printed as an A4 softback book.

It’s available to buy from the Manx Museum in Douglas, House of Manannan in Peel, as well as the Bridge Bookshops – both Port Erin and Ramsey, for £10.