the Independent on morris dancing

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: GUEST,Joe
Date: 30 May 08 - 11:38 AM

What about a friend of mine who left a ring side for a non ring side? Is he safe? I think he's on a trip to mordor to cast his ring into the fires of mount doom ....

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 30 May 08 - 12:36 PM

Excln Joe

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 30 May 08 - 12:53 PM

"I think he's on a trip to mordor to cast his ring into the fires of mount doom .... "

There definitely should have been morris dancing in The Shire. What was it again? One ring to rule them all...?

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 30 May 08 - 01:05 PM

I've always thought their might be more Lord of the Rings stuff around Folk Clubs since the massive recent success of the films.

Les
Founder Bag End Folk Club 1972

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: Folkiedave
Date: 30 May 08 - 01:11 PM

Sheffield City Morris - never a ring side. All them blokes together with the women making tea at ring meetings? Unhealthy I call it.

Besides - the womens sides we danced with were a lot better. And better looking. I could go on...............

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 30 May 08 - 01:18 PM

*has contoversial opinions on this matter which are probably best kept to herself*

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 30 May 08 - 01:20 PM

*or even controversial

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: glueman
Date: 30 May 08 - 01:35 PM

"the Baal Fire ceremony at Allendale"

Or Scroggling the Holly at Haworth, featuring all manner of green men and women, horses, carriages, Father Christmas, Morris and antique ceremonies to let in the season.
Actually invented about a decade ago by traders to boost the Christmas takings.

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 30 May 08 - 01:47 PM

If this attitude of de-bunking goes on that business of a virgin birth of god's only son will be in trouble by Monday.

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 30 May 08 - 02:00 PM

My favourite is Baboon Night, which takes place at the Houblon Arms in Oasby, Lincs. It commemorates an 18th century event in which the heir to the local manor, a small baby, was kidnapped by a pet monkey and dropped off the roof of the house. Every year, the monkey is ritually punished. There's a twilight procession (involving a man dressed as the monkey), and the effigy of a monkey is thrown over the roof of the pub, at which point the crowd is allowed inside.

Apparently this tradition is about 15 years old.

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: glueman
Date: 30 May 08 - 02:10 PM

The chance to make punishing your monkey jokes is almost irresistable. Does it really matter if these do's are from the menu of contemporary oldness if people enjoy them? Perhaps it's the green man being reborn and using the credit card as his grail. Or something.

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: Def Shepard
Date: 30 May 08 - 02:11 PM

Ruth, I just found a BBC piece on Baboon Night, and this..The Oasby Morris Baboon Dancers, wonderful! I now have this vision of hanky waving baboons :-D

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 30 May 08 - 02:25 PM

It's only down the road from me - I'm going this year. i'll report back.

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: glueman
Date: 30 May 08 - 02:26 PM

Where's Dr Who when you need him?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:SQ_BurryMan.jpg

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 30 May 08 - 02:30 PM

Ruth,

is this kept a secret? It seems just priceless. I think I need to make one up tonight!

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: The Sandman
Date: 30 May 08 - 02:36 PM

Where is Chongo Chimp?

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: Def Shepard
Date: 30 May 08 - 02:43 PM

The Oasby Morris Baboon Dancers bagman

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 30 May 08 - 03:06 PM

I just wanted to encourage Ruth to feel free with the controversial opinions. What's the worst that can happen?

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 30 May 08 - 03:09 PM

The Revenge of the Ring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's all Phil

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 30 May 08 - 05:19 PM

Les, I'd never heard of it before I moved here, and it's not even that well known here. But I'm not sure they actively discourage knowledge of the event. I SO need to see it for myself.


Phil - I work in folk. I wouldn't want to offend anyone with my own, highly personal, opinions. I've done that in the past, naively thinking I could separate the professional and the personal, and it's seriously come back to bite me on the bum.

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 30 May 08 - 05:25 PM

Ruth,

me an Phil will guard your bum as and when

Les

Subject: RE: the Independent on morris dancing
From: Dead Horse
Date: 30 May 08 - 08:02 PM

Back, way back in history (English history-is there any other?) a group of Cotswold dancers formed a break away side that kept many of the ring laws and ideas, but because of the scarcity of bells and the expense of baldricks, ribbon etc. modified their kit.
They still wore mainly white, and tennis shoes of course.
They had long passed their best dancing years and so they also modified the dance until it was mostly just running about, with long spells of mere standing around looking good for lengthy periods.
That too was an all male preserve, with women there for the sole purpose of making the tea.
Hankies were discarded. Sweaters introduced. Some sticks were retained for traditional reasons, but spent most of the time stuck in the ground and used as a target for other sides to throw things at.
A stick defender was introduced, who would attempt to wave off aimed missiles by the use of a larger stick.
This tradition is still with us today, and is called "cricket".
Obviously of pagan origin, and maybe associated with rain making ceremonies.
Also connected to Jack-in-the-Green, as the dance area is often referred to as "The Green".
When dancers become too old for this form of pagan worship, they are encouraged to take up "bowls" which too includes a "green" and interestingly, a "Jack".