Editing Rapper sword (section)

==Costume==
[[File:Earsdon 1910.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Royal Earsdon sword dancers in 1910]]
The costume in which the dance is usually performed, referred to as the ''kit'', is a stylised version of the working clothes of the local nineteenth century coal miner (''see photograph''). It consists of a shirt; [[sash]]; ''[[breeks]]'' (breeches), ''hoggers'' (similar to breeks but shorter), or long trousers; and socks or stockings. Some traditional teams decorated their kit with ribbons or rosettes, and added a tie and/or waistcoat.

Modern teams use a variety of kits, mostly based on the traditional costume, with each team using different combinations of colours to try to have a unique corporate image. Some other modern sides, especially women's sides, use very different kits.