Morris article in Sunday Times 8 Aug 09

Subject: Morris article in Sunday Times 8 Aug 09
From: Howard Jones
Date: 09 Aug 09 - 06:39 AM

There's a good article in today's Sunday Times magazine about the Morris. It's by AA Gill, who I always find to be a perceptive and entertaining writer, about a visit to the Ring Meeting at Thaxted. Whilst it's not always entirely sympathetic and he seems at times to find it baffling, it's a fair and recognisable account, and by the end (when he writes about the evening performance of the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance) he seems to be getting it.

You can find it online at the
Sunday Times website

Subject: RE: Morris article in Sunday Times 8 Aug 09
From: Howard Jones
Date: 09 Aug 09 - 06:42 AM

That should of course read 9 Aug - I need a wristwatch with a bigger date window, or perhaps just younger eyes.

Subject: RE: Morris article in Sunday Times 8 Aug 09
From: Folkiedave
Date: 09 Aug 09 - 09:27 AM

An interesting piece. Contrary to what one of the the writers in the comment section says about morris dancing in France, it is always very well received there in my fairly wide experience.

The fact is that we rarely appreciate our native culture. Easy to take the mickey.

Subject: RE: Morris article in Sunday Times 8 Aug 09
From: Paul Davenport
Date: 09 Aug 09 - 10:59 AM

Cleverly written – he is clearly sympathetic while his increasing incredulity and ultimate emotional response give the piece structure and pace. Ultimately this sort of reportage does nothing but good I think.

Subject: RE: Morris article in Sunday Times 8 Aug 09
From: Wyrd Sister
Date: 09 Aug 09 - 12:04 PM

I found it hilarious! But grateful for a little positivism - it is his reactions and prose rather than his sentiments which tickled me.

Subject: RE: Morris article in Sunday Times 8 Aug 09
From: GUEST,HelenJ
Date: 09 Aug 09 - 05:28 PM

The reference to Morris 'troupe' as opposed to 'side' irritated me.
They are not little girls dancing 'frothy' Morris.

Subject: RE: Morris article in Sunday Times 8 Aug 09
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 10 Aug 09 - 05:17 AM

It does repeat a number of myths but then again so do The Ring

L in C

Subject: RE: Morris article in Sunday Times 8 Aug 09
From: SunrayFC
Date: 10 Aug 09 - 05:28 AM

You never know..

..but surely any article may be better than no article. But you never know.
It is surely a big article. I thought it was nice to see.

We are trying to put on a "Dancing in Concert" at the club...just hope it will attract people- it should! But you never know!





http://www.sunrayfolkclub.co.uk/SunrayDancingInConcert.htm

Subject: RE: Morris article in Sunday Times 8 Aug 09
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 10 Aug 09 - 05:38 AM

They are not little girls dancing 'frothy' Morris.

Too right. As already touched upon in various threads of late Fluffy Morris has the edge over Real Morris in that Fluffy Morris is a genuine tradition, as opposed to Real Morris, which is, pretty much, a revivalist fantasy.

Subject: RE: Morris article in Sunday Times 8 Aug 09
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 10 Aug 09 - 07:41 AM

It what respect are teams like Bampton, Chipping Campden et al revivalist?

Subject: RE: Morris article in Sunday Times 8 Aug 09
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 10 Aug 09 - 08:30 AM

Would they exist without the revival? By all accounts (see HERE) Bampton was pretty much dead before it was co-opted by Sharp; I believe the situation in Chipping Camden was even worse (see HERE). In what sense might such a circumstance be described as traditional? But please note that I allow for a modicum of continuity, thus do I say pretty much. And I'm certainly not knocking Morris, just feel it's good to keep the historical myths & fantasy fakelore in perspective.

Subject: RE: Morris article in Sunday Times 8 Aug 09
From: GUEST,Fluffy Morris
Date: 10 Aug 09 - 11:26 AM

From a NW perspective, fluffy morris is a very important link to older mens teams, in that fluffy took on their dancing often with an original dancer as foreman. It was even then though, a self-concious revival as much as the examples of trad cotswolds sides given.

However most modern fluffy teams do not have this type of link and the development of the movement took off on a very different path in the post war period. There was a great article on this in the EFDSS journal in the sixties that I can't locate the citation for at the moment!

In the end though, the desire for an 'authentic' morris side misses the point. It's a source of material that is there to be used and it continues to develop as a result.

Ed Worrall
Saddleworth Morris Men

Subject: RE: Morris article in Sunday Times 8 Aug 09
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 10 Aug 09 - 11:37 AM

I might add that before moving to the NW two years ago I'd never heard of Fluffy Morris. The first hint came from a headline in the local paper: Morris Dancers Trash Marine Hall Foyer! Whereupon my wife explained that it wasn't our type of Morris Dancers and did her best to detail the heritage and the glory of Fluffy Morris. Fascinating stuff, and not in the least bit folky and yet it occupies Warshavers First Level of Folklore in a way our (folky) type of Morris quite evidently doesn't!

Thanks for the above, Ed - further enlightenment in this respect most welcome.

Subject: RE: Morris article in Sunday Times 8 Aug 09
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 15 Aug 09 - 01:57 PM

S O'P,

I take it that you see Carnival Morris (Fluffy) as living tradition in that a line can be followed back from around now to the Northwest Morris Dancers of the 19 and early 20C who, I think, taught Carnival sides before WW1?

And that the evolution of Carnival Morris is simply what has happened and in no way refutes that it is in fact a Living Tradition?
L in C