Where does morris dancing originate from?

Our style of dancing originated in the cotton mill towns and pit villages of the North West of England, where clogs were the usual type of working footwear and where the Morris tradition was performed by men, women and children.

What is the significance of Morris dancing?

What is Morris dancing? Morris dancing is a celebration, a display of dance and music performed at seasonal festivals and holidays to banish the dark of winter, celebrate the warmth and fertility of summer, and bring in autumn’s golden harvest.

What is British Morris dancing?

Morris dancing is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers, usually wearing bell pads on their shins. Implements such as sticks, swords and handkerchiefs may also be wielded by the dancers.

Where is Morris dancing most popular?

Morris dancing can be found in many parts of England but it is in the Cotswold that it is particularly associated and where it can be seen at its most developed. This form of English folk dance can be traced back to the 13th century, but many think it goes back to an even earlier pre-Christian time.

Why do morris dancers wear white?

These included the suffrage marches of the Women’s Social and Political Union, and performances of morris dancing in Lanca- shire and Cheshire. 49 White was a common summer dress colour, which arguably made it easier to match than coloured or patterned garments.

Is morris dancing Scottish?

Morris Dancing is traditionally seen as the preserve of Englishmen, but the Banchory group believe its roots are in Scotland with records showing groups in towns and cities like Aberdeen, Elgin and Edinburgh in the mid-16th century.

Why do morris dancers wear bells?

It fitted in, for example, because some dancers blacked up their faces and attached bells to their legs, which was believed to be something to do with North Africa. By the early 16th century morris dancing had become a fixture of Church festivals.

Why do morris dancers wave hankies?

Their companions, dressed in white, with bells around their knees and black hats adorned with flowers atop their heads, begin to dance. They wave white handkerchiefs as they skip and hop in time with the music, the jangling of the bells adding to the celebratory mood. This is traditional Morris Dancing.

Is Morris dancing capitalized?

There are an estimated 150 Morris dancing groups in the United States. Morris is sometimes spelled with a lower case “m.” Although it is not a proper noun, the “M” is more frequently capitalized.

How does a maypole work?

Dancing around a maypole involves a group of people taking a coloured ribbon attached to it and weaving around each other, often to music. The dance creates a multi-coloured pattern which creeps steadily down the pole. The dancers then reverse their steps to undo the ribbons.

What is the north west morris dance?

The North West Morris, from Lancashire and north Cheshire, has its origins in the industrial towns of the region. In the 19th century the dances often accompanied the local rushcarts or Rose Queen carnivals, or were performed during Wakes Weeks, when the local mills closed for the week.

What is girls’ Morris dancing?

Girls’ morris dancing—sometimes called ‘carnival’ or ‘fluffy’ morris—is a highly competitive team formation dance, performed in the Northwest of England and parts of North Wales. Its main participants are primary- and secondary-school-aged girls and young women .

Where did North West Morris come from?

North West Morris – Lancashire and Cheshire The North West Morris, from Lancashire and north Cheshire, has its origins in the industrial towns of the region. In the 19th century the dances often accompanied the local rushcarts or Rose Queen carnivals, or were performed during Wakes Weeks, when the local mills closed for the week.

What is Cotswold morris dancing?

Cotswold Morris: dances from an area mostly in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire; an established misnomer, since the Cotswolds overlap this region only partially. Normally danced with handkerchiefs or sticks to accompany the hand movements. Dances are usually for 6 or 8 dancers, but solo and duo dances (known as single or double jigs) also occur.