Folk at the Olympics

Subject: RE: Folk at the Olympics
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 07:53 PM

MudGuard: yes, the bid is by London, but on behalf of GB. So why is the whole of the start of this thread discussing "English dancing"?
On the assumption there's no "London dancing" (ignoring the aforementioned 'Lambeth Walk') then discussion should be about British dances, and any plans for English Morris teams should be matched by presentations from the other countries that make up these islands.

Nigel

Subject: RE: Folk at the Olympics
From: breezy
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 07:22 PM

This is London's gig

The Lambeth Walk should do the trick,

and Streets of London by Ralph MacTell

10 minutes top wack , that should ignite the spark for the world to be clamouring for tickets.

Oh and a few sparklers, remember, there's always a bill for the locals to pay in the years to follow.

Subject: RE: Folk at the Olympics
From: sian, west wales
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 05:50 PM

MudGuard, you are correct - bids are submitted by cities, in this case, London. They are (always?) made on the assertion that they are good for the country / nation at large and statistics are quoted to justify this. However, it is questionable how much is actually gained by anyone apart from a few politicians and celebrities (apart from the athletes of course who undoubtedly earn their places). As I have said, we already know that funding for the Arts will suffer desperately over the next few years so that the Olympics will be properly funded.

siân

Subject: RE: Folk at the Olympics
From: Azizi
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 03:33 PM

Manitas,

Thanks for the information.

I agree that these dances should be part of the Olympic ceremonies.

Subject: RE: Folk at the Olympics
From: MudGuard
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 03:17 PM

Nigel, neither England nor Great Britain nor the United Kingdom will host the Olympic games in 2012.

It is London that will host the games - Olympic games are given to a town (or is it city/village? - I am not sure about these terms, when to use which ... - as English is not my first language) , not to a country/state (same here with my knowledge as with town/city/...).

Subject: RE: Folk at the Olympics
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 02:55 PM

Of course, with the exception of Siân and Vectis, the comments seem to suggest that England will be hosting the Olympics.
This is just a reminder that England doesn't put in a team. The team is put in by Great Britain. Available venues include some outside of England, but I realise trying to make this clear is probably a waste of effort.

CHEERS
Nigel

Subject: RE: Folk at the Olympics
From: sian, west wales
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 12:36 PM

Anyone in England interested in helping put forward should get in touch with Steve Heap at Folk Arts Network, myself in Wales (via trac: www.trac-cymru.org) or the Scottish and Irish equivalents. Contact Steve if in doubt.

Steve is bringing us together under the proposed title ‘Folk Traditions for London Olympics 2012’ and we will be meeting in January to compare notes. trac has already been in touch with the Olympic Co-ordinator for Wales and we've also set the ball rolling with the Wales Tourist Board. I know that Steve has already met with the Cultural co-ordinator for the overall British presence.

Remember, the input should start with the closing ceremonies in Beijing in 2008, so it's closer than we tend to think. Also, Steve tells us that the London orchestras have already produced an all-bells-and-whistles DVD promoting themselves to the Olympic committee so the competition is hot.

Of course, the real problem is that the Olympics will suck the arts world dry of funding.

siân

Subject: RE: Folk at the Olympics
From: vectis
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 11:31 AM

Seven champs
Morris Offspring
NIFTY (nyfte) something like that: based in Bristol I think
Liberty morris

Yes we should be celebrating our tradition at the opening ceremony. I bet every other culture in our multi-cultural, multi ethnic society gets invited to participate. We'll get a mini Notting Hill Carnival parade, bagpipes, graceful hindu dancing and smashing Irish music and dance. In face I think they will do everything except English traditional dancing.
No clogging or Morris just foreign crap, celebrities famous for being famous or geriatric pap stars... as usual

I agree that we who have preserved the tradition and kept it going should lobby until we can get the prejudiced idiots to ignore media bias against us and display what ENGLAND is about.

Oooohhh I feel better for getting that off my chest.

Subject: RE: Folk at the Olympics
From: Tradsinger
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 11:09 AM

Right on, Bainbo. This could be a chance to revitalise Morris. What we want is YOUNG VIGOROUS morris/rapper dancers- like we used to be in the 70s (the 1970s, that is). Now, who do we need to lobby to make it happen?

Gwilym

Subject: RE: Folk at the Olympics
From: Bainbo
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 11:00 AM

Pretzel-
Haven't you been reading this thread?

"A whole load of bearded men waving hankies" is the image that people already have of morris dancing. The point people have been making is that this would be a chance to dispel that myth, and, by doing it properly, show how exciting it can be.

Subject: RE: Folk at the Olympics
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 10:33 AM

Rapper is form of sword dancing using very short flexible blades. It's very fast and somewhat athletic.

See http://www.eastsaxonsword.org.uk/ for starters

Subject: RE: Folk at the Olympics
From: Azizi
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 10:28 AM

If there are any links to information about these groups- Black Swan
and Dog Rose? If so, would you post them please.

Thank you.

Also what does "Rapper" mean in the context of Morris Dancing?
If the Olympics publicized a rapping event, I'm afraid that most people would think of rap {hip-hop} music and something tells me you're not referring to that.

Subject: RE: Folk at the Olympics
From: GUEST,Pretzel
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 10:03 AM

Please note the rest of the world don't want to watch morris dancing at the Olympics.

A whole load of bearded men waving hankies will give a deadful impression of cool Britannia.

Some good traditional music is a different thing entirely though.

Instead of gnarled old male rock dinosaurs like Elton John, Sting and Paul McCartney, why not Eliza Carthy, Kate Rusby and Kathryn Tickell?

Subject: RE: Folk at the Olympics
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 08:24 AM

Can we have Gaorsach Rapper too? We need somthing for the guys to look at as well!

Subject: RE: Folk at the Olympics
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 07:29 AM

I like the little ginger one in Black Swan

Subject: RE: Folk at the Olympics
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 03:56 AM

This has been discussed before. It's no good putting on a single rapper team in the middle of a sports stadium. Rapper needs to be seen up close. A massed morris would do, a massed sword dance wouldn't. There's still be lots to considere as to what dances are performed (not to mention which style of morris!), how to train up the numbers needed to fill the stadium, how everyone is going to hear the music at the same time etc. The morris would work best outside the stadium along with the buskers and other stret entertainers.

Subject: RE: Folk at the Olympics
From: Tradsinger
Date: 10 Dec 05 - 09:38 AM

I think there is a good point to be made here. Most English (male) morris dancers,including myself, are grey-haired and not in the first flush of youth. We enjoy what we do but I can understand the lack of mass appeal. However, the thought of having young dancers of the standard of Black Swan and Dog Rose is exciting. It is not too early to start getting people trained up.

Some vigorous morris on the telly would help. There is now a craze in England for ballroom dancing, simply because it has been on the TV. Even Darren Gough is giving it a go! Just a few programmes putting morris in a good light rather than just as a jokey parody for adverts would be good, but will we see it? - probably not.

Time for the Morris organisations and the EFDSS to lobby the Olympic committee, I feel.

Morris on.

Gwilym

Subject: RE: Folk at the Olympics
From: Folkiedave
Date: 10 Dec 05 - 06:57 AM

Melanie Barber - clog dancer.....

Dave

Subject: RE: Folk at the Olympics
From: GUEST, Topsie
Date: 10 Dec 05 - 06:49 AM

And put Dog Rose on as well - that'll show 'em.

Subject: Folk at the Olympics
From: GUEST,The Horse's Mouth
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 08:25 PM

Many people have commented on the fact that when hosting the Olympics most countries will happily grace the opening ceremony with their own national music or dancing but the authorities here in England would have a problem with that. "Morris dancing?" they would sneer, "Heaven preserve us from such things"
    There is a solution to this if we could get them to witness it, how do I, or you get the message across? Who should we approach? Please help me here. The solution is simple: Put on Black Swan Rapper. They are young and energetic - so much so that their dancing is best described as a cross between traditional English dance and Russian Gymnastics. Those of you who have seen them in action will realise I do not exaggerate. If any aspect of our tradition could connect with the athleticism of the Olympics, this one can.
Ray Black