morris copy

I have asked a Morris Dancer to write me some content for the publication, i wanted something causal and positive and something with character that tells the reader a little about Morris dancing and what the big deal is. He has done a great job here and i am really pleased to use it as it fits perfectly with the feel of the whole thing.

The smile factor :-)

No matter who you are where you are from the sight of a Morris Dancer always has the ability to bring a smile to your face, whether it be though nostalgia, a interest or just laughing at these mad men and women dressed like fools. There is something right, traditional and British about seeing a team outside a pub or dancing at a village feat. “it wouldn’t be the same without them”.    

A sort of history.

The known history of Morris Dance is a subject that can and has been used to bore people for many hours but it can be compressed into a relatively short, easily read paragraph (or two):

The Morris Dance is one of the oldest continuing traditions of rural Britain, and in its origins, was thought to welcome the spring and to ensure the fertility of the year's crops. In fact it has been known to stop raining when Morris Dancers are about to start dancing!! A little bit of the Morris luck? 

No-one knows where it came from – there are probably as many theories as dancers! If anyone tells you that they know its origins, then you can safely say "Pull the other leg, its got bells on".  All that can be said is that it is ancient and has had many influences. The origins of the Morris are the subject of much speculation and little actual knowledge. There are English records mentioning the Morris Dance dating back to 1448 and written documentation dating from the sixteenth century, including references in the plays of Shakespeare, indicating that the Dances were considered ancient at that time and that they were a popular form of spectacle. 

What it is like today.

it is thought there are around 14,000 Morris Dancers in the UK dancing for more than 800 sides. With most meeting every week for practice and maybe a pint after with friends that share a common interest in keeping traditions alive, having fun, entertaining and dancing.  

“The definitions of Morris are many and varied as is the history. It is English. It is not folk except in the broadest sense. It is a dance form often married with local ceremonies which may explain to some extent its longevity. But for all the variations on a theme there is no mistaking a Morris team when one sees one. Whether it is Cotswold Morris with the usual bells, hankies and sticks, North West Morris with clogs, garlands and "twiddlers", Rapper and Longsword or Border Morris with there blacked out faces and tattered jackets it is all unmistakably Morris and unmistakably English.

It is energetic, it is vibrant, it is public and it is fun.

It is an excuse to dance and enjoy music and song with friends, even those friends you have just met, usually over a pint.

It is a way of meeting those of the opposite sex.

 It is a way of meeting people of the same sex.

It is a way of life. It is a pastime you fit into a busy schedule.”

(from a Morris Dancer)