Chris started clog and step dancing in 1970 with the Reading Step and Traditional Dance Group. After moving to Newcastle upon Tyne in 1978 he was instrumental in founding the Newcastle Cloggies dance team and was one of the founder members of the Instep Research Team authoring, often with other team members, many of the Newcastle Series booklets. He has published numerous articles on clog and step dance as well writing reviews and obituaries. A member of the High Spen Blue Diamonds for many years he has also run Garland Films publishing DVDs on many aspects of traditional performance. He also plays melodeon and nyckelharpa and served as the President of the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland from 2017-2019.