Olympics Deliberately Refusing Morris...

Subject: RE: Olympics Deliberately Refusing Morris...
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 28 Jan 12 - 07:03 PM

Shoot, I saw this title and thought it had been proposed as a competitive event. Now there's a medal the Brits would have a shot at, although I suspect the Chinese would take it in the next Olympics.

Subject: RE: Olympics Deliberately Refusing Morris...
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 28 Jan 12 - 06:07 PM

I seem to remember hearing that, when the winter Olympics were held in Norway, traditional dance was included in the opening ceremony, and that it was done properly, not choreographed to death.

Richard

Subject: RE: Olympics Deliberately Refusing Morris...
From: Noreen
Date: 28 Jan 12 - 05:46 PM

London 2012: Olympic ceremony details unveiled by Danny Boyle (BBC News item)

Subject: RE: Olympics Deliberately Refusing Morris...
From: Noreen
Date: 28 Jan 12 - 05:42 PM

Ha ha ha! jumped up Hollywood prima-donna Danny Boyle? Ha ha ha!

He's from Radcliffe and supports Bury FC... the night after getting the Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire he was back down his local Parish club for drinks with his family and friends.

It might be an idea to find out something about your subject before setting all guns blazing. Oh, and find out what 'hoi polloi' means.

Have a nice evening :)

Subject: RE: Olympics Deliberately Refusing Morris...
From: GUEST,Selby
Date: 28 Jan 12 - 05:10 PM

Whilst on the one hand i agree totally they should promote British culture. On the other hand I am delighted they are not including it as I believe they would have made a balls up. It would have been nice to be recognised but we are doing ok on our own with all traditional dance with plenty of young people enjoying themselves, if in doubt go to DERT in london

Subject: RE: Olympics Deliberately Refusing Morris...
From: GUEST,Lizzie Cornish
Date: 28 Jan 12 - 04:26 PM

What? You mean they've not booked The Shropshire Bedlams? You mean we won't be seeing them dancing The Maiden's Prayer, with their long, long sticks???

For Shame!!

For Why?

For Feck's Sake!

£81 MILLION? Wow, WHAT A BARGAIN, eh?
I'd have done it for £40 million, if only they'd bothered to ask me....

Subject: RE: Olympics Deliberately Refusing Morris...
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 28 Jan 12 - 04:24 PM

I xon't think you don't help your case with such statements as that The Tempest [& by implication Shakespeare himself] have nothing to do with 'the Olympics ... or our national & international culture'. Whatever can you mean by that? The Morris is a beautiful tradition ~~ but compared with the world's greatest ever playwright...? & what has it, either, for that matter, to do with the Olympics?

I fear, CJB, that you are in a state of some cultural confusion.

~Michael~

Subject: RE: Olympics Deliberately Refusing Morris...
From: Effsee
Date: 28 Jan 12 - 04:10 PM

Mmmm..."The almost total lack of appreciation of Brit culture - traditional and modern - amongst the hoi-poloi of Hollywood prima-donnas is legendary."...

Danny Boyle is a Mancunian I beleive!

Subject: RE: Olympics Deliberately Refusing Morris...
From: Ian Burdon
Date: 28 Jan 12 - 03:37 PM

This isn't something which I find myself getting exercised about. I appreciate the point being made but it also strikes me that much of the attraction of dancing traditional dance in the UK is an outsider, non-comformist attitude. Morris, like Rapper, Longsword, Molly, Clogging and all the rest exists on their own terms.

Not getting appropriated, packaged and spat out by the Olympics machine strikes me as being a very good thing and a blessing in disguise.

The appropriate response would be for the massed ranks of the traditional dancers in these Islands to float down the Thames on narrowboats during the opening ceremonies, mooning Lord Coe and his merry band, before going to the pub for a pint and a dance.

Subject: RE: Olympics Deliberately Refusing Morris...
From: catspaw49
Date: 28 Jan 12 - 03:00 PM

Care for some Cheese?


Spaw

Subject: Olympics Deliberately Refusing Morris...
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 28 Jan 12 - 02:35 PM

I have heard that the Olympics Committee / Ruling Body have stonewalled all and any suggestions that any form of British traditional dance be performed at the Olympics opening &/or closing ceremonies.

This is quite unacceptable and frankly insulting to all trying to promote our traditional culture during the Olympics. I wondered why there was this totally negative attitude. Now I think that I know why.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-olympics/article-24031655-dannys-boys-and-girls-will-take-centre-stage-as-the-games-open.do

The Evening Standard reports that one Hollywood Oscar winner Danny Boyle (who?) is charged with choreographing the Shows - using up to 15,000 kids from school. OK - I don't mind kids / youngsters being involved - but the theme is to be something like 'how wonderful Britain is as evidenced in Shakespear's play "The Tempest".'

Hmm - excuse me? But what absolute poppycock (stronger term implied). What has Shakepeare got to do with the Olympics? What has "The Tempest" got to do with our national and international culture?

And more to the point what on earth has a Hollywood Oscar winner got to do with OUR Olympics.

The almost total lack of appreciation of Brit culture - traditional and modern - amongst the hoi-poloi of Hollywood prima-donnas is legendary. You only have to watch the numerous films with B-list actors (and less) cascading out of Hollywood purporting to represent Brit history and culture to know that Hollywood and all associated with it haven't a clue about anything really British.

So British morris dancing and indeed ALL traditional dancing, music and song have been deliberately and actively dismissed as inconsequential by the Olympic Committee and some jumped up Hollywood prima-donna in favour of a bunch of kids prancing around in specially choreographed routines which, most likely, will not relate to anything at all let alone traditional or modern British culture.

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http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-olympics/article-24018080-games-ceremonies-cost-an-extra-pound-40m.do

Taxpayers have been hit with a £40 million bill for the London 2012 opening and closing ceremonies after the cost doubled, it was announced today.

Ministers revealed the pricetag for the four shows for the Olympics and Paralympics had spiralled to £81million.

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