How quickly this thread can change from a genuine problem to Ring-bashing.

While there is a misogynist element in the Ring, there are many teams who welcome female musicians and hangers-on and many members of Ring clubs also perform with mixed/Fed outfits. That's me on two counts.

I've been dancing 30+ years and unfortunately I do find that I am still one of the youngest members at many events, apart from my lad, who now dances (higher and better than I do).

The source material is so well documented these days and there is plenty of visual evidence in the Ring archive and on YouTube so it will not die out, although I can see the morris becoming much more exclusive as older men give up.

Looking at the standard of some teams at recent events, I do feel that that might not be a bad idea!