Morris Dancing

Enter your search terms Submit search form

Web www.whichday.com

Morris Dancing is a traditional English folk dancing form dating back to the Middle Ages which was performed only by men (except for Clog Morris or North West sides), although since the 1960s some women's (and even mixed) morris dancing troupes have been formed. Dancers wear traditional costumes often including small bells round the ankles. The dances are rigidly choreographed and most have not changed in living memory. During the dancing, implements such as sticks, staffs, swords, tobacco pipes and handkerchiefs may be used in various ways.

Music for the dance was traditionally supplied by a pipe and tabor or a fiddle, but in modern times these have been superseded by the melodeon, accordion or concertina, sometimes augmented by a drum or drums and/or tambourines.

Historical records show the existence of morris dancing in England in the mid-15th century, although similar dances are thought to have existed earlier in southern Europe. The origin of the dancing is uncertain, as is the origin of the name. Those who believe that it is a corruption of "Moorish Dance" generally subscribe to the theory that it originated in Spain.

Although usually seen as a uniquely English activity, morris dancing has its exponents around the world. There are groups in the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as many in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, especially amongst British expatriates. Surprisingly, there are also morris dancing groups in Hong Kong, as well as over 150 morris dancing groups and societies in the United States.

As described in "Nine Days Wonder", the Shakespearian actor William Kempe famously danced in morris style from London to Norwich in 1600, but within 50 years morris dancing and similar enjoyments had been outlawed. The Puritan Government of Oliver Cromwell suppressed all traditional celebrations (including such things as the Whitsun Ales – the private parties which many landowners, churches and even villages held at Pentecost). Until this time, morris dancing had been a popular form of entertainment and was used as a means of raising money for various purposes.

With the restoration of the monarchy, Charles II encouraged popular traditional activities, and the Springtime festivals and morris dancing were restored. Morris dancing continued to flourish until the industrial revolution, when it all but disappeared because of mass migration to the cities.

Modern morris traditions are said to date from Boxing Day 1899. Cecil Sharp (famed for almost single-handedly saving much of British folklore and early music) was visiting a friend’s house near Oxford when the Headington Quarry Morris side arrived to perform. Sharp obtained copies of some of the music, but it was not until some 10 years later that he, along with others, started to collect details of the dances.

In his task, Sharp was encouraged and assisted by Mary Neal, founder of the Esperance Club (for young working women) in London, and Herbert MacIlwaine, the Club’s Musical Director. Neal was looking for dances for her girls to perform and Morris dancing caught her imagination. And so the revival of the tradition was brought about in a very non-traditional manner, by a group of young ladies.

The revival was slow, and it was not until 1934 that The Morris Ring was founded, consisting of six all male sides. The Morris Ring still excludes women’s and mixed sides as full members, and this has resulted in two other organisations emerging – Open Morris and the Morris Federation.

All three bodies provide support in many ways to their members, and there is a limited amount of co-operation and collaboration, whilst remaining distinctly separate.

Today, there are three principal styles of Morris dancing: Cotswold, North West and Border. Within each one there are variations based upon regional differences and traditions. Only four places (Abingdon, Bampton, Chipping Campden and Headington Quarry) claim a continuous tradition back to pre-industrial revolution times.

North West or Clog Morris has always featured male, mixed and female sides – probably going back some 300 years. Paintings from the early 19th century show females dancing alongside males at the Eccles Wakes. Dancers usually wore clogs, and it was not unusual for some sides to "black-up" their faces.

In the North West the tradition became associated with the mills, each mill having at least one side, and this popularised morris dancing amongst younger women. Many of the non-conformist churches also had morris sides. In East Lancashire, the Derbyshire dales and the Peak District no carnival (including Well Dressings) was complete without a morris side, or several of them, entertaining the masses.

"Border Morris" refers to the style of dancing in the counties along the English-Welsh divide: Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire. Here "black face" was common in the 18th and 19th centuries, and continued into the early 1900s. Some sides wore bells, and others did not; some wore no costumes, just day-to-day clothes decorated with ribbons. Border Morris waned in popularity in the early part of the 20th century, but has seen a modern revival with variations on the traditional dances becoming more common.

"Cotswold Morris" was a misnomer, as the dances collected came from a much wider area. However, such are the records of the 19th century traditions, that many of the dances now called Cotswold Morris are reconstructed and probably bear little resemblance to the originals.

Although many morris sides look as though they are just a group of people out to enjoy themselves, they are usually highly organised. Sides (or Teams) vary in size, with usually six (as in Cotswold Morris) or eight (North West Morris) dancers performing a "set" at any particular time. One or two dancers performing a routine is usually called a "jig".

Most morris sides have officers elected by the membership. These include:

• The "Squire", usually the leader at public events who decides the programme, calls the dances and leads the dancers.
• The "Foreman", who teaches and trains the dancers and is responsible for the style and standard of performance of the Side.
• The "Bagman", who is the treasurer of the side – looking after their funds and, in many cases, organising the collection of funds from spectators at performances. Some extremely busy Sides now have a Bagman, Treasurer and a Bookings Secretary – roles which the traditional Bagman would have done alone.
• The "Ragman", who looks after the side's kit, their costumes and props. This might also involve making, mending, fitting, making bell-pads, ribbons, sashes and other accessories.
• Many Sides have a "Fool" extravagantly dressed whose job is to add to the entertainment by means of mime and/or speech.
• There may also be a "Beast" or "Hobby" dressed up as a real or imaginary animal, whose role is often to keep children interested.