What is Morris Dancing for?

Subject: RE: What is Morris Dancing for?
From: Folkiedave
Date: 09 Oct 07 - 05:31 AM

much for the "escaped from the courts of the rich" idea. Not as sexy though is it?

Les, I think it is quite a sexy idea - a bunch of morris men trapped in the courts of the rich and then with one single caper they were free.

Much sexier than a bunch of old pagan priests and priestesses with their human sacrifices.

Dave

Subject: RE: What is Morris Dancing for?
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 09 Oct 07 - 08:44 AM

Dave, I see what you mean ............... I believe other websites can meet such needs!

Subject: RE: What is Morris Dancing for?
From: Jacob B
Date: 09 Oct 07 - 10:31 AM

I recall reading an article in which a dancer from one of the traditional Morris sides was quoted as saying, "Don't believe all this rubbish about ancient mystical traditions. We just do it for a bit of luck!"

Subject: RE: What is Morris Dancing for?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 09 Oct 07 - 11:09 AM

that business of the doctor - that's old isn't it - like from The Mummers Play?

Subject: RE: What is Morris Dancing for?
From: TheSnail
Date: 09 Oct 07 - 12:56 PM

weelittledrummer

that business of the doctor

Can't recall any doctors in Morris (bank managers, computer programmers, solicitors, even a policeman but I can't remember a doctor). The Doctor in Mummers' Plays is said to come from the Commedia dell'arte.

Subject: RE: What is Morris Dancing for?
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Oct 07 - 01:10 PM

We used to have three in our side, but only one was a medic.

Subject: RE: What is Morris Dancing for?
From: TheSnail
Date: 09 Oct 07 - 01:45 PM

Ah yes, I was thinking quacks. I'd forgotten academics; dozens of those.

Subject: RE: What is Morris Dancing for?
From: MikeofNorthumbria
Date: 10 Oct 07 - 01:05 AM

There seems to have been a spelling error in the original post. Surely it should have read "What is Morris dancing Four?" - though it could equally well have been "What is Morris dancing Five?"

The answer to both questions is: "It's what happens outside the pub if the Bagman fails to persuade at least six of the idle b*****s to turn out, and the rest have to improvise."

Fortunately, this hasn't happened very often with our lot - though sometimes I've been left standing outside the pub for what felt like a very long time, waiting for the cavalry to arrive.

Mike Sutton (Ex)Bagman, Hexham Morrismen

Subject: RE: What is Morris Dancing for?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 10 Oct 07 - 04:55 AM

I seem to remember seeing a morris side that had a doctor character(black face, stethoscope and bag) who proclaims 'this man is dead!' and calls on a pretty girl from the crowd to revive him with a kiss. And i feel sure I've seen variations on the theme.

I've never actually been involved, so maybe I've got it wrong.

Subject: RE: What is Morris Dancing for?
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 10 Oct 07 - 05:00 AM

That'l be Morris-Mumming crossover, not to be confused with Rap - Celtic crossover all though it's easy to see why people get the two genre confused.

Hip Les in Chorlton

Subject: RE: What is Morris Dancing for?
From: Folkiedave
Date: 10 Oct 07 - 05:21 AM

I seem to remember seeing a morris side that had a doctor character(black face, stethoscope and bag) who proclaims 'this man is dead!' and calls on a pretty girl from the crowd to revive him with a kiss. And i feel sure I've seen variations on the theme.

The usual variation is that as the young lady bends and kisses him - the rest of the team fall down dead.

Subject: RE: What is Morris Dancing for?
From: Bainbo
Date: 10 Oct 07 - 10:14 AM

...and then as she goes along the line, each one who "recovers" leaps up, runs to the other end of the line and lies down again. This continues until she notices, or everyone gets fed up.

Subject: RE: What is Morris Dancing for?
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 10 Oct 07 - 11:44 AM

Legend has that this very scene can be found in a stained glass window in ....................

Subject: RE: What is Morris Dancing for?
From: TheSnail
Date: 10 Oct 07 - 11:58 AM

Mozart used it in Cosi fan Tutti.

Subject: RE: What is Morris Dancing for?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 10 Oct 07 - 02:30 PM

Just back from holidays in Croatia, where I noticed several mentions of "Morisco dancing" - involving swords. No mention of musical shinguards, mind you.

One particularly tiny and beautiful island (Susak, in the Kvarner Gulf) also has a strange tradition of dancing involving pink tights and what I would describe as bouffant miniskirts! There is now, apparently, a larger community of Susak natives in Hoboken, in the US, than on the island. I'm not entirely surprised!

Regards