Molly dancing is a style that comes from Cambridgeshire. The above 3 people, augmented by others of a like mind, practised what Tony remembered of Morris dancing from his time with the Hartley & Blackheath M.M. Writer. Longsword dancing is from Yorkshire and South Durham. When I went back to work after that weekend, I remember talking enthusiastically about this dance to my colleagues and saying how much I had enjoyed watching it. One of the reasons why this dance is connected to the word Moorish, maybe because of the fact that most dancers originally used to paint their faces in black (today only some still do and the tradition of blackening their faces may originate as a form of disguise for dancers or it could have been a reference to miners in later times). It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers, usually wearing bell pads on their shins. Accounts of morris dancing can be found throughout England, making it a nationwide phenomenon. By looking at the pictures I have and comparing them with information, photos and videos I found online (please see the resources section further down the page for more details on the sources that I accessed), it seems that the group was performing the style from the English-Welsh border. Morris dance is often performed by groups of six or eight people, but occasionally, depending on the style, there are solos or duets. The few solo Morris dances are called Morris jigs; an example is the Shepherds’ Hey. The name Morris is also associated with the horn dance held each year at Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire, Eng. The music that the dance comes with is very lively and instruments often used are accordions, drums and fiddles. Buckland, Theresa Jill. Others think that crusaders brought it to England after the Moorish conquests. (Page of tag Morris Dancing) How nice to read an enthusiastic and well-written piece about morris dancing! Morris dances. I'm A Professional Morris Dancer: A 100 Page Lined Notebook Journal Gift For An English Morris Dance Lover Or Teacher, Mummers, Maypoles and Milkmaids: A Journey Through the English Ritual Year, Butoh Dance Training: Secrets of Japanese Dance through the Alishina Method, Voices in Bali: Energies and Perceptions in Vocal Music and Dance Theater (Music Culture), Balinese Dance, Drama & Music: A Guide to the Performing Arts of Bali, Copyright © 2021 WorldDanceheritage.org |, Morris Dance – Traditional English Folk Dance and Heritage. There is a lot of hogwash being circulated on the subject of the "origins" of morris dancing — especially by morris dancers (such as me). It would be interesting though to find out why some people, in countries such as Italy and England, are embarrassed to reconnect with old local traditions. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership. Border Morris is a collection of individual local dances from villages along the English side of the Wales–England border in the counties of Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire. There are several thoughts to the origins of Morris Dancing. Last year I went to see the World Conker Championships (held annually each October) in a quaint countryside location, near Market Harborough (England, UK) and was introduced to the very British tradition of Morris Dancing. Karpeles, Maud. Sponsler, Claire. It is danced with wooden or metal swords. The 1600s were turbulent times for England and for the Morris. It is danced during Plough Monday (the first Monday of the English agricultural year, which is the first Monday after 6. Rapper, from Northumberland and County Durham, is danced with short swords. I am writing a history of the Morris dance side I belong to. In January 1933, the county granted Morris' Red Rooster what it called a dance hall license. The origins of Morris dancers blacking their faces and the reasons for doing so are disputed. “The literary history of the English Morris Dance.” Folklore 94.2 (1983): 219-228. Not long after, men groups also started and, since then, morris dancing experts have been disputing over whether morris dance should only be performed by men or by both genders. Notable examples are the Perchten dancer-masqueraders of Austria, the ritual dances such as the moriscas (or moriscos), santiagos, and matachinas of the Mediterranean and Latin America, and the călușari of Romania. Whatever its origins, morris dance became very popular with the working classes and in rural areas from the 17th century (while it was previously mainly documented in court settings). Others think that crusaders brought it to England after the Moorish conquests. Some like to believe that it has evolved from Druidic springtime rites. One … This gave rise to "Moorish Men" or "Moorish dauncers" and hence to Morris. Alternatively, some have suggested that Morris Dancing has its origins in 16th century European courts. John Forrest has carefully analysed the wealth of evidence to show that morris dancing does not in fact have pagan or ancient origins. The rain, which I have become accustomed to since moving to England, held off and this certainly helped given that the brave organizers had planned most activities out in the open air. Cotswold Morris, mostly from Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire. It is now accepted that Border Morris, which comes from the English counties along the border between England and Wales, is in fact the oldest form. “The Abram Morris Dance.” Journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society (1932): 55-59. Border Morris, from the English-Welsh border, is a style that is vigorous and looser comparing to others. Ancient Origins articles related to Morris Dancing in the sections of history, archaeology, human origins, unexplained, artifacts, ancient places and myths and legends. Your email address will not be published. “The Origins of the Morris Dance.” Journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society (1934): 122-129. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). It is probable the term morris developed from the French word morisque (meaning a dance, the dance), which became morisch in Flemish, and then the English moryssh, moris and finally morris. According to the American Morris News (2005), "It is most commonly thought that the origin and function of blackface in Morris dancing lies in primitive disguise rather than an imitation of black men. The dance is named after Mrs Clarke from Ranby near Retford who in an essay she wrote about her childhood for a competition described morris dancers from her village dancing at Christmas time in the eighteen nineties. It was imported from village festivities into popular entertainment after the invention of the court masque by Henry VIII. Enormous amounts of speculation based on little or no data, faulty assumptions, wishful thinking, and… Lucy Neal investigates . Flanders in the fifteenth century was an innovative cultural centre, and strongly influenced European culture in general. Corrections? Style similar to the one I saw performed at the World Conker Championships: Below I have listed some resources that you may find useful if you want to find out more about this dance genre. A feeling that the dances have magic power or bring luck persists wherever they are traditionally performed. This was rare in most of the other forms of ritual custom. Traditional scholarship on this custom has been based on the assumption that morris dancing is one of the pagan calendar rituals, a preconception held by many folklorists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The History of Morris Dancing, 1438-1750 (eBook) : Forrest, John : Univ of Toronto PrCareful, detailed, and encyclopedic, The History of Morris Dancing, 1458-1750 is an essential reference work for specialists in English drama and social historians of the period.Morris dancing, one of the more peculiar of the English folk customs, has been greatly misunderstood. There are many theories and few hard facts that tell us of the history of Morris Dancing. Morris dancing was first recorded in a document from the 15th century, but its origins seem to be shrouded in mystery. Shoes also vary, with some groups wearing clogs others boots. For some, there may be a connection with dances of Moorish origin in the 15th century. Compare sword dance. The Harrison House, which is located at 1001 F. Street, is shown Wednesday, March 12, 2014, in Las Vegas. There is little historical information about the origins of Morris Dancing. The modern revival of morris dancing started with the work of folklorists such as Cecil Sharp, Maud Karpeles and Mary Neal, who organized the first revival performance in London with a group of young women. This continued to be practised for many ages, till it became corrupted by figures and gesticulations foreign to its original purpose. A discussion of the origin and history of morris dancing; Morris map; The Ladies Go Dancing at Whitsun. Morris dancing music Historically, the instruments used to accompany the Morris Dancing originated in the South Midlands in the form of the pipe and tabor and the whistle and the dub. “Writing the Unwritten: Morris Dance and the Study of Medieval Theatre.” Theatre Survey 38.01 (1997): 73-95. So, when I spoke to my colleagues, I was saddened to find out that most of them were dismissive of morris dance and almost embarrassed by it (men in particular). 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. Heaney, Michael. My music. Sharp, Cecil J. There's actually, as I understand it, a lot of connection between the history of cricket and Morris Dancing: village's teams would play cricket and dance Morris, Morris Kits were often cricket uniforms with ribbons and bells, and before cricket, most Morris dancers wore black pants. Careful, detailed, and encyclopedic, The History of Morris Dancing, 1458-1750 is an essential reference work for specialists in English drama and social historians of the period. Required fields are marked *. They are not Morris dancers but their origins are just as unclear and some suggest they may have had a similar function in the unrecorded past. The name is first recorded in English in the mid-15th century as Morisk dance, moreys daunce, morisse daunce, i.e. The Morris dance (probably Moorish in origin; from Spanish morisco), famed in England but also performed in medieval continental Europe, was strongly mimetic and had dramatic elements in its use of the fool or clown character. The revival of Morris Dancing is usually attributed to the English folk song collector Cecil Sharp who, incidentally, lived in Adelaide, South Australia, for part of his youth. 'as with many folk customs, the origins are hidden in the mists of time and coloured by later perceptions, which may or may not have been correct', Alun Howkins. Careful, detailed, and encyclopedic, The History of Morris Dancing, 1458-1750 is an essential reference work for specialists in English drama and social historians of the period. I have always been mystified by the numerous explanations of the origin of the word "Morris". I myself grew up watching Morris Dancers at many local events, especially at Christmas. the counties of Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire), sword dancing from Yorkshire or the North East, as well as winter time traditions such as Molly dancing from the Fens and Mumming plays. The word Morris apparently derived from “morisco,” meaning “Moorish.” Cecil Sharp, whose collecting of Morris dances preserved many from extinction, suggested that it might have arisen from the dancers’ blacking their faces as part of the necessary ritual disguise. Dated around 1620, a hundred years after Martin Luther nailed his protest to a church door in Wittenburg. After Prohibition was repealed that year, the county agreed to grant it a license to serve only beer. Finn is the side’s secretary and unofficial photographer. It is unclear as to when Morris Dancing began to be performed, though there is evidence that this dance has existed for several centuries, the earliest reference being from the year 1448. According to some, morris dance is connected to dance traditions from druidic times, for others it comes from court dances which were first performed in Italy and were then embraced in English courts. “The earliest reference to the morris dance?.” Folk Music Journal (2004): 513-515. Omissions? It is possible that the word Morris is derived from the word ‘Moorish' or ‘morisco' (a derogatory term meaning ‘little Moors'). Usually the Morris is a longways dance performed by six men with accompanying traditional characters (as in the Cotswold Morris), or by ten (Lancashire Morris). Learn how your comment data is processed. The Harrison House is a historic landmark that served as a … Being originally from Italy, this festival was a real cultural experience for me and even if you are British, it is still a sight and festival that has to be seen and experienced. The name Morris dance is sometimes loosely applied to sword dances in which a group of men weave their swords into intricate patterns. An ancient tradition is ending next year in the town of Shrewsbury, in Shropshire, England, after political pressure forced local folk festival organizers to stop booking an act that a social justice group considers racist. The English folk tradition of Morris dancing dates back centuries. Seen as a descendant of pagan folk ritual, the tradition of morris dancing has been based on calendar customs and distorted by preconceptions imposed on it by the folklorists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. There are deep wells of folk music in UK and it’s lovely that you as a guest liked and respected it. The first thing to remember about this subject is, simply: Don't believe anything. (Maybe because they’ve had to defend those traditions against generations of English put-downs — though still doesn’t explain English bashfulness.) Music. Buckland, Theresa Jill. “Some notes on the history of the Betley window.” Journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society (1953): 59-67. Five hundred years ago it was a dance for one or two; today it is for four or more. However, recent research has revealed the true origins of the Morris dance. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I was impressed especially because in Italy most people have been distancing themselves from their own traditional dances, almost being ashamed of them. The sense of community is great and also it is interesting to know the history of such dances. Clothes vary according to the styles and so do colours of the costumes. Dawney, Michael. Morris dancing was first recorded in a document from the 15 th century, but its origins seem to be shrouded in mystery. It is also the simplest and most violent, involving loud yells and beating the hell out of each other with stout sticks. 5 Dancers Time Management Tips – Do You Also Struggle to Find Time To Dance? Finn is … The earliest known and surviving English written mention of Morris dance is dated to 1448, and records the payment of seven shillings to Morris dancers by the Gol… It is also likened to a form of Italian court dance called the Moresca, which dates from the 12th century. I have never tried Morris dancing but I have tried local forms of step dancing in England, such as Dartmoor step dancing. “Dance and Cultural Memory: Interpreting Fin de Siècle Performances of’Olde England‘.” Dance Research 31.1 (2013): 29-66. The Origins of Morris Dancing. There is a rhythmic stamping of the feet and dancers can use props such as wooden sticks, swords, handkerchiefs and bells attached to their shins that mark the rhythm. The term entered English via Flemish mooriske danse. The earliest written records are mainly through church accounts for entertainment provided by the parish after Mass on feasts and holy days. Twitter Facebook Google+. The Exeter Morris Men performing a Morris dance, Wells, England. Certainly in the very late middle ages, Morris dancers were sometimes referred to as morisco dancers, but it is pretty certain that, whatever the origin … Although many sides, including the Ledbury-based Silurian Morris, Mentions of Morris go back to the middle ages and it was already an old and established dance form in 1600 when William Kempe performed his nine day wonder, dancing from London to Norwich. The Origins of Morris Dancing. The group calls itself Fairness, Respect, Equality Shropshire (FRESh), and their complaint against the annual Shrewsbury Folk Festival is that the age-old … The modern spelling Morris-dance first appears in the 17th century. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Morris dance, also spelled Moresgue, Morrice, Morisque, or Morrisk, ritual folk dance performed in rural England by groups of specially chosen and trained men; less specifically, a variety of related customs, such as mumming, as well as some popular entertainments derived from them. It was (and is) most frequently practiced through the midlands and in the counties along the Welsh border, but it has connections to folk dances throughout Western Europe. Morris dancing, one of the more peculiar of the English folk customs, has been greatly misunderstood. Rattlejag use sticks with bells and long ribbons attached. over the ensuing months. 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