Gaorsach Rapper and Step are an all female rapper and step team. Well, the dancers are all female anyway. We decided to let male musicians into the fold, simply because Andy was such a grand Northumbrian Pipes player, knew what rapper swords were, and is generally enthusiastic about the whole thing. What more could a team want out of a musician?

The dancers are made up of all sorts of folk, from the very experienced dancers, through to those who have only just been conned into taking a sword into their hands and waving it randomly about their head.

Beth is currently the team Squire, and she's still not entirely sure how that happened. A few years ago she'd never even heard of rapper, and then before she knew it she was responsible (in the loosest possible sense) for a D.E.R.T. winning team. Despite previous fears, so far no one has been made to wear a monkey costume, but the story has only just begun - who knows what next year's exhibition dance will involve...

Lynne is the team's Secretary, and a damn fine job she's doing too! Her primary responsibility seems to be liaising with our embroidery man to create such items as team hoodies, towels and even pyjamas. Without Lynne it's safe to say very few of our crazy ideas would actually come to pass so it's her fault we're all mad.

Erika is responsible for all our worldly possessions, well, the money anyway. As Treasurer she has the very taxing job of OKing random purchases of embroidered goodies and writing cheques. I'm sure she does other things as well but those are the important ones.

In a newly formed role, Jen is our Social and Events Co-ordinator. As the most outgoing (or some might say outrageous) member of the team she is responsible for all national piss ups, as well as the logistics of getting to and from our many gigs.

At the end of 2007, when Gaorsach decided they were going to win D.E.R.T. (not believing for a second that they actually would), Sarah appointed herself Minister for Realism. Although not truly in keeping with Gaorsach's new Democratic Republic ethos, the position has stuck; she is the only person who truly knows what it entails though. Like many things, it is a closely guarded national secret.

Then there's Nat, our little dreamer. Living in a bubble puts her at a slight disadvantage (or does it?) so we have made her responsible only for herself, the swords and making sure the rest of the team drinks enough water at the end of the night. So far she's doing very well!!

John and Caroline are our musicians, and they do put up with a lot. When not being waved at frantically in the middle of dance, or made to hang around with a bunch of crazy girls at gigs, they have to sit around for hours while we fanny and/or prat about writing and practising dances, and they hardly even get bought a pint for their efforts. Awww.

Finally we have the official team transport - The Battle (or sometimes Party) Bus. What else but a bright red Zafira? Without it so many things might never have happened...