earthquake morris dance

Subject: earthquake morris dance
From: brassy sharman
Date: 05 Sep 07 - 07:46 AM

We have just completed our archive history at Grimsby Morris the first refrence we found was of an earthquake putting off dancers from performing back in the 1700,s.   What events make you nervous about performing in public?

Subject: RE: earthquake morris dance
From: skipy
Date: 05 Sep 07 - 07:56 AM

Snipers!
Skipy

Subject: RE: earthquake morris dance
From: Dazbo
Date: 05 Sep 07 - 02:22 PM

An audience!

Subject: RE: earthquake morris dance
From: Folkiedave
Date: 05 Sep 07 - 02:36 PM

Sheffield City Morris once performed at 2.00 am in front of ten thousand people at a Spanish "Beer Festival" who had kindly warmed up by a series of oompah bands playing football chants. It was like being faced by 10,000 drunken Leeds United supporters.

Then we realised the sticks were in the minder's car.

That's nervous.......

Subject: RE: earthquake morris dance
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 05 Sep 07 - 06:16 PM

Having actually experienced an earthquake while we were performing we can say that's right up near the top of the list. It happened while we were singing "The Titanic" and came to the line, "...the good Lord's mighty hand..." We've also had three fire alarms including one actual fire causing an evacuation of the entire premises.

Um, let's see - several power failures and in one case when the power came back on the computers in the theater went crazy and started a video presentation while we were playing.

And, oh yes, someone's cell phone conversation being picked up and broadcast through our sound system treating the audience to a detailed description of surgery on a cat. And another time our sound system picked up a local country western station.

And then there was the time Bev knocked the mike stand clean off the stage in the middle of a song.

And let's not forget the time ashes were falling out of the sky during our outdoor concert from a nearby forest fire which burned the venue to the ground three days later.

Another thing near the top of the list is having someone actually come on the stage and stand between us to take pictures of the audience. Yes, that actually happened.

And once when we were playing outside, the sprinklers came on drenching the audience. Fortunately, we were out of range and kept right on playing.

Maybe at the top of the list is having Kris Kristoferson in the audience.

There's much more and, yes, we are writing a book about it!!!

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: earthquake morris dance
From: MystMoonstruck
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 01:12 AM

I can recall tornado sirens wailing in a town way too close to the site, the only time they began scurrying about, telling everyone to clear out, there being absolutely nowhere to take shelter in that very large, very flat region. Later, we learned that 17 funnels set down in that area! My friend and I weren't all that safe. Not far from the site, traffic had to pull onto the shoulders due to blinding rain and hail. My friend's little car was sitting next to a steep drop and was being blasted so hard that we could picture the car rolling down that bluff.

That same summer, another event shut down early when, in the midst of performances and battle reenactments, someone spotted a nasty-looking tail dropping down just beyond the battlefield.

Otherwise, either solo or with friends, I've--um--weathered thunderstorms, flooded grounds, kneedeep mud, snow flurries, rising rivers and more though common sense did tell us to bow out a tad earlier than planned several times, such as when the National Guard cleared the site when the nearby river crested. Yep. That's time to go--although some practically had to be picked up and carried offstage, or so their friends claimed.

Subject: RE: earthquake morris dance
From: JP2
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 04:32 AM

Dancing with a Border side in the Amphitheatre in Ephesus,Turkey in front of about 20,000 people as a "warm up" for a singer called Namek Cimsek,apparently very popular judging by the young female fans who were laying flowers at his feet as he sang.
We had just been told by a local folklorist that when plays were presented there by the Greeks the actors wore masks as a disguise and here we were 3000 years later doing the same thing,i.e.Trying not to be recognised!

JP2

Subject: RE: earthquake morris dance
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 09:09 AM

brilliant accounts cannot wait for the book to come out, Bev&Jerry.

Subject: RE: earthquake morris dance
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Sep 07 - 07:22 AM

Having all the dancers fall over could make for quite an interesting dance... Morris Ring-a-ring.