Lion Dance-Morris Dance Solidarity

Subject: Lion Dance-Morris Dance Solidarity
From: Folkiedave
Date: 10 May 06 - 04:06 AM

Sheffield City Council have said the link between Morris Dancing and the Lion Dance has to be tested in court.

thread.cfm?threadid=86679&messages=232&page=1&desc=yes#1736204

Now my experience of Morris Dancing is that it is inclusive and internationalist and most Morris dancers I know would simply regard the Chinese Lion Dance as another form of traditional dancing. Thus it ought to be covered by the Morris dancing exemption in the Licensing Act 2003.

In fact the common sense attitude would be to agree that they are similar and let the fact that they are not similar be tested in court.

I would be grateful if any morris dancers reading this would post their opinion.

Subject: RE: Lion Dance-Morris Dance Solidarity
From: pavane
Date: 10 May 06 - 04:37 AM

Don't know about the Lion dance, but perhads a Dragon dance should be checked with the Welsh Morris sides!

Just highlights the stupidity of it all. Like discussing how many Morris men can dance on the head of a pin?

Subject: RE: Lion Dance-Morris Dance Solidarity
From: Dead Horse
Date: 10 May 06 - 04:58 AM

This looks interesting.
Maybe there is a link between Lion Dancers being associated with martial arts and the link between Morris and the ultimate, but not quite martial, art of Real Ale consumption?
The only Dragons I have seen (apart from after consuming too much Real Ale) have been members of female Morris sides!




(hits floor running, like the coward he is.......)

Subject: RE: Lion Dance-Morris Dance Solidarity
From: GUEST, Topsie
Date: 10 May 06 - 05:01 AM

Since many morris sides include an animal, I would think the lion was equivalent to that, but with the whole side inside it.

Subject: RE: Lion Dance-Morris Dance Solidarity
From: The Barden of England
Date: 10 May 06 - 06:51 AM

What a sensible use of the Council Tax payer's money - NOT. Would they stop a military band playing when the Queen visits I wonder? If Tessa comes and sings will they stop that - I suspect not as they'll take the Westminster option and not do a darned thing. One rule for and the full force of tghe law for us.
John Barden

Subject: RE: Lion Dance-Morris Dance Solidarity
From: GUEST
Date: 10 May 06 - 07:38 AM

So, what about when the crowd does a Mexican Wave ?

Subject: RE: Lion Dance-Morris Dance Solidarity
From: Ruler
Date: 10 May 06 - 08:49 AM

It really depends on your interpretation of similar style dancing.

The Council seems to be trying to blackmail the football club into obtaining a variation to their premises licences. About time the Football clubs paid a bit more - they aren't really short of a bob or two though are they?

The loser is, of course, the dragon dance, and if the Football club don't believe they should stick to their guns, resist the change, and wait for the council to get the Courts to decide the difference.

My reckoning is that the dragon dance, being a traditional form of entertainment, should fall within the similar style dancing exemption ~ i.e. traditional dance, with long recorded history, performed traditionally at certain times of the year but this being extended in recent years in order to provide entertainment at non-traditional times of the year in non-traditional settings etc. and the Council know that. I don't think they have the necessary mettle to test out their thesis, but you never know do you?

Steve.

Subject: RE: Lion Dance-Morris Dance Solidarity
From: GUEST
Date: 10 May 06 - 10:10 AM

"The only Dragons I have seen (apart from after consuming too much Real Ale) have been members of female Morris sides!"

You couldn't invent stuff like this!

And as everybody knows its 9 Morrismen to the Euro pin head

Subject: RE: Lion Dance-Morris Dance Solidarity
From: Mo the caller
Date: 10 May 06 - 01:21 PM

If they stop them dancing they should take themselves to court for discrimination.

Subject: RE: Lion Dance-Morris Dance Solidarity
From: Folkiedave
Date: 10 May 06 - 05:51 PM

What a sensible use of the Council Tax payer's money - NOT.

In fairness this is not costing any money over and above the cost of the licensing department. Which is probably paid for by licence fees.

The Council seems to be trying to blackmail the football club into obtaining a variation to their premises licences. About time the Football clubs paid a bit more - they aren't really short of a bob or two though are they?

There is no doubt that they want to get the clubs to pay for a licence. In fact for the odd occasion that they might need it a Temporary Event Notice applied for ten working days in advance would undoubtedly suffice. Music is regarded as incidental to the main business of the afternoon (free fast flowing football from the newly promoted Sheffield United) but unfortunately thanks to the vagaries of the way the law was drafted this does not apply to dancing.

If they stop them dancing they should take themselves to court for discrimination.

Not the way it works I am afraid. And anyway I have tried that!!

Subject: RE: Lion Dance-Morris Dance Solidarity
From: treewind
Date: 10 May 06 - 06:02 PM

"Ruler":
My reckoning is that the dragon dance, being a traditional form of entertainment, should fall within the similar style dancing exemption ~ i.e. traditional dance, with long recorded history, performed traditionally at certain times of the year but this being extended in recent years in order to provide entertainment at non-traditional times of the year in non-traditional settings etc.

What he said!
I couldn't have put it better myself...

Anahata

Subject: RE: Lion Dance-Morris Dance Solidarity
From: The Shambles
Date: 11 May 06 - 04:45 AM

But why should dancing so defined, be exempt from measures to protect the public?

The way the law stands - any number of Morris sides can trample all over the customers - bang together heavy sticks and do this inside the smallest pub, without requiring any licensing permission. Is this safe?

Why make the argument for lion dances to be included in this exemption and not for line dancing - for example?

The move to exempt Morris was a cynical buy-off. One that left pretty much every other activity still threatened by this poor legislation and its patchy and unfair local enforcement.