WHAT IS MORRIS DANCING?
The
Morris comes to us through the mists of time. It has been part of English life
for at least six hundred years and many scholars would argue that it is much
older.
The
name "Morris" is a general term which refers to the many forms of
traditional dance and drama which are peculiar to the English mainland. These
fall into a number of distinct groups:
Cotswold
Morris - The best known variety of Morris from the South Midlands in
which six men perform a dance to the accompaniment of a fiddle, melodeon or
concertina, often with a fool and Hobby Horse or other animal totem. Each
village had its own dances (usually handkerchief dances, stick dances and
handclapping dances) and style of dancing, although many of the tunes were
widespread. The men generally wear a white shirt, white trousers or dark
breeches and black shoes. Bells will be worn below the knee, and the club
costume will often be a coloured baldrick or a waistcoat.
North
West Morris - This style of dancing is performed in the North
Western counties of England, from Cheshire to Westmorland. It is danced by at
least nine men and is of a processional nature. They wear the most elaborate
and colourful costume, and dance in clogs that accentuate the rhythmic
stepping. The dancers carry short sticks, slings or garlands.
Border
Morris - From the counties of Shropshire, Herefordshire and
Worcestershire. They are danced by sides of four, six or eight men who will
black their faces and wear "rags" and dark trousers. The stepping and
figures are very simple and vigorous, and many of the dances involve stick
clashing.
Lichfield
Morris - The Lichfield tradition is unique and despite having
some similarities to both Cotswold and North West Morris, it has many steps and
figures found nowhere else. There are nine traditional dances including
seven dances for eight men, one for three men and one for one man. They all
have names associated with the City of Lichfield.
There
are many other regional traditions found in England, such as Rapper dancing
from Northumberland and Durham, Longsword dances from Yorkshire, and Molly
Dancing from East Anglia, as well as the traditional Mummers plays usually
performed at Christmas and the New Year.
All
over England our town and village communities have developed strange
traditions. Many of these are very old and in most cases the communities have
forgotten the original reason for continuing the custom. It is enough that the
custom must be observed. Some of them have close links with the Morris, and in
fact the term "Morris" is sometimes held to include all of these
traditional celebrations. The oldest include the famous Padstow and Minehead
Hobby Horses, the Britannia Coconut Dancers and the Abbots Bromley Horn
Dancers, who appear early in September accompanied by Robin Hood, Maid Marian,
a Jester and a Hobby Horse.