Help me undestand Morris Dancing

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: Rana
Date: 01 Oct 99 - 02:04 PM

Still off the actual thread, I suppose, but having evolved (devolved?) to Morris and the the good Doctor, does anyone ever remember seeing the episode of Dr. Who involving Morris dancing - The Devils - I believe. He was captured by a group of Morris dancers under the power of the evil "Fool" (who was under the power of the Master.

Rana

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: T in Oklahoma (a.k.a. Okiemockbird)
Date: 01 Oct 99 - 02:28 PM

I believe that was "The Daemons." The Master had become the vicar (Mr. Magister) of an English village("The soul is an out-of-date concept...looking at it existentially...") He terrorized the villagers and ordered them to celebrate May Day as usual. The Morris Dancers then went dancing into the town square and captured the Doctor. It was a stick morris they were dancing, if my memory is accurate. It's been a while, though, so I may not remember that detail quite right.

Okiemockbird (a.k.a. T in Oklahoma)

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: Rana
Date: 01 Oct 99 - 03:02 PM

Yep,

It was the Daemons - 'twas a Cotswold stick dance. Rana

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: The Cisco Kid.
Date: 02 Oct 99 - 01:52 PM

Whats rthe difference between Morris Dancing and a mcDonalds Burger? You dont have to be shit-faced to enjoy a McDonalds Burger! Cisco.

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: Penny S.
Date: 03 Oct 99 - 02:07 PM

But Morris dancers don't leave a heap of rubbish outside my house.

Penny

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 10 Sep 01 - 12:47 PM

I am refreshing this thread because the other one has a bad title, shall we discuss morris in this one?

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Sep 01 - 04:25 PM

John, links to the other Mosrris threads would be great, for others to refer back to.

~S~

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 10 Sep 01 - 05:27 PM

I am not much good at making links, the last few times I have tried I have messed it up!

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: GUEST,Les/ Manchester uk
Date: 11 Sep 01 - 04:17 PM

So, sorted then, just dancing about and having a drink and laugh. No real origin or purpose beyond. Fair enough carry on. But nor po-faced lectures about fertility and such like

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 12 Sep 01 - 12:37 PM

That's about it Les/ Manchester uk but it is based on a very great long and noble Tradition of, just dancing about and having a drink and laugh. You should try it, it's not half bad/don't knock it until you have tried it, as applicable. JohnB (also, from Manchester uk, many years ago)

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: GUEST,the rock
Date: 12 Sep 01 - 06:17 PM

i have made my point about morris dancers previously.. watching paint dry comes to mind!!!

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: Dave Wynn
Date: 12 Sep 01 - 06:46 PM

I have danced Morris since 1978. I still dance in June every year for a particular team who has a day of dance for itself and not really for an audience.

Too long an explanation why.

I like it and wish I was young enough to do it all again.

So I suppose I am saying "if you don't and never have danced it then hold your peace"

I promise never to post anything about Banjo's or Blues coz I don't know anything about them worth saying.

Nuff said?

Spot the Dog

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: IanC
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 07:09 AM

When this thread first turned up, I looked for Bill Tidy's "The Cloggies" on the web in vain. Now it's turned up, so I'll add my idea of an explanation of Morris Dancing here.

Cheers!
Ian

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: John J
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 08:22 AM

As an ex-dancer I don't understand it at all, but it's a load of fun!

John

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: GUEST,with long hair smoking funny tobbacco
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 09:04 AM

Wow!

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: GUEST,Midchuck downstairs
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 02:27 PM

What's to understand?

People put on silly costumes and bells and jump up and down waving sticks.

Naturally, the onlookers point at them, and laugh and call them nasty names, and pelt them with rotten vegetables and dead cats.

They get mad, chase the onlookers, waving the sticks, until the police grab them and lock them up as dangerous lunatics.

Then everything's peaceful until they're let out and it starts all over again.

P.

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: Yorkshire Tony
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 07:46 PM

If you are academically inclined I suggest 'The History of Morris Dancing, 1438-1750' by John Forrest. I don't necessarily agree with his interpretation of the evidence but he has compiled a lot of interesting material.

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 10 Apr 02 - 12:23 AM

I challenge Morris dancers to prove that what is called "Morris Dancing" today has any real heritage in the folk tradition. It had all but died out by the end of the 1900's (presumably because the folks back then decided they didn't want to look like a bunch of stupid rubes) and was resurrected in the 1930's by people who had no links (and C#'s descriptions). Hence the lack of real knowledge of the actual dances, traditions and symbolism behind Morris, aspecially among the "Sides" who are dancing?

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: Yorkshire Tony
Date: 10 Apr 02 - 01:07 AM

How do you determine if anything has 'real heritage in the folk tradition'? This is clearly going to be a very subjective judgement. The evidence presented by Forrest strongly suggests that the Morris has almost died out and been revived on several occasions in the past six hundred years and has changed its form significantly over that period. Seen in that context, the most recent revival is very much part of the folk tradition, albeit aided by much more powerful information recording and distribution technology than was available in earlier episodes.

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 10 Apr 02 - 02:46 AM

As far as I know there's been a more or less continuous tradition in Abingdon, Bampton, Chipping Camden, Headington Quarry ....

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 10 Apr 02 - 02:47 AM

And I think it was Headington who appeared in Dr Who (and Westminster in St Trinian's and the Great Train Robbery).

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: Snuffy
Date: 10 Apr 02 - 08:56 AM

The Bidford-on-Avon tradition died out after 1914, but in the early 50s the local schoolmaster got together a side of boys to revive the tradition, drawing on the memory of some old men from the pre-1914 side.

One of those boys was Tony Parsons, great grandson of the Bidford foreman in the 1880s and 90s. The boys side disbanded in the mid-60s, but Tony still dances, as does his son, Geoffrey, with Shakespeare Morris, who still keep alive the traditional Bidford dances.

That do you?

WassaiL! V

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 10 Apr 02 - 11:50 PM

G'day IanC,

The Bill Tidy cartoon that most sums up \The Cloggise would be the big, singlepanel, one I saw, years back, in Punch.

This in set a beer garden; all the Cloggies sitting round a huge oaken table ... packed with empty pint pots ... The leader leans back, wipes his mouth and says: "Well lads, what will we do with the rest of the Arts Council grant ...?"

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: JennieG
Date: 11 Apr 02 - 09:29 PM

I have heard it said (not by me, I hasten to add!) that God invented line dancing so that Morris dancers would have someone to laugh at.....
Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: pict
Date: 11 Apr 02 - 10:58 PM

When we saw them doing their fertility dance we knew it was time to charge over the border and fertilise their women for them.

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 12 Apr 02 - 03:24 PM

It is like a bad joke, if you need it explaining it ceases to be funny.....Giok

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: GUEST,GrayD
Date: 12 Apr 02 - 08:48 PM

For goodness' sake. You all know what line dancing is. Just make it competitive, add beer, an English accent and something to hit your opponent with - Morris dancing.

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: Gillie
Date: 12 Apr 02 - 11:09 PM

Morris dancing - I just to love it, great fun and as already been said a chance to drink, make merry and have fun.

Whilst at college I chose to do my presentation on the subject!! I entitled it "Tradition or History?" There are many arguments ranging from fertility (human and nature) the sun, begging, pagan rights, Mooorish dancing and the thery that (1) man, meets women (2) begats a son/daughter (3), this can then be doulbled (6) and so on - giving the number of dancers in any given dance.

My favourite, has got to be one definition of where Border came from. Originating in the English/welsh borders, people found that they where short of money. Because they did not want their neighbours to know that they were begging, they doned their most ragged clothes and blackened their faces with soot from the fire.

Fasinating subject, which I throughly enjoyed researching.

Gillie

Subject: RE: Help me undestand Morris Dancing
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 22 Feb 17 - 05:53 AM

BBC radio4 22 Feb 2017
Funnyish piece here by Shappi Khorsandi & Morris dancers & fertility dance.
about 35 minutes in / 9 minutes from the end.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08fdb2v