Morris Dancing outsillied...

Subject: RE: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: Bert
Date: 12 May 12 - 04:16 PM

Well Eliza, yes it is funny, but in a pathetic sort of way. They would have been much better off doing a real Balkan Dance.

I don't see how it relates to any known dance form. I guess someones relative is an amateur choreographer.

I know that the Olympics is renowned for drug taking scandals and it makes one wonder what they had been smoking. Must have been some really bad shit.

Subject: RE: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: beachcomber
Date: 12 May 12 - 12:12 PM

Jeez I'll never again be embarrassed by yet another "Riverdance" reincarnation.
My money is on the small guy in the suit and collar and tie for the middle distance races. I thought he was holding back when the torch was being carried off ? I reckon he could be a dark horse in the 1500 meters , any takers ?

Subject: RE: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 12 May 12 - 10:14 AM

I've travelled all over Greece and seen more authentic, traditional Greek dancing than many folk. I've also been enraptured a thousand times by all kinds of Morris dancing. And in no way does this peculiar and ridiculous spectacle resemble either of those art forms.
And I'm sorry, but it IS funny, side-splittingly so. I haven't laughed so much since that Kirsty Allsop programme where she interviewed an old chap who kept bees. In reply to her question, "And where did you find the swarm?" he said, "In a lady's bush." I laughed about that for nearly a whole week.

Subject: RE: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 12 May 12 - 07:05 AM

"You canot produce art for money" If only someone had mentioned this to Boris Johnson. If proof were needed it was shown on TV yesterday when a multi-hundred ton steel Helter Skelter was officially opened at the Olympic site. For many,many years that part of London has been used for dumping all the worst dirtiest, smelly industries and then it almost became an immense scrap yard. Now we have a massive eyesore memorial of scrap steel to help us remember and it only cost a few million. How is it that there are so many gullible people who are talked into believing that this supposed art is worthwhile and not just a huge blot on the landscape.

Re the so called dance it was not funny. The original posting was correct just downright silly.
The whole olympic sham is not about sport or art, it's about making lots of money for a few and allowing a lot of self important free-loaders to travel around the world organising which multi-national companies can cream off the profits.

Hoot

Subject: RE: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: DMcG
Date: 12 May 12 - 05:41 AM

Speaking as someone who enjoys watching a whole range of dance styles, including morris, rapper, classical ballet (eg Royal Ballet), more theatrical (eg Northern Ballet), most Matthew Bourne productions through to very modern abstract stuff ... I agree it seemed more like a Monthy Python skit. I think it was Tolstoy who claimed that you cannot produce art for money (a deliberate overstatement for effect, I imagine), because an artist is trying to express something whatever it takes, whereas someone working to a deadline for a fixed amount of money is inherently compromised. I have of course greatly over-simplified the argument. Anyway, it felt to me that someone had said 'there needs to be a dance as part of the event' and so it was done, without any real concern about whether it had any coherent concept or objective behind it.

Subject: RE: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 12 May 12 - 01:28 AM

Agree re Greek traditional dancing. Have you seen Dora Stratou? I think this present thing aimed at something of the same effect without quite hitting it. But still can't see it deserved quite such obloquy as it has got here.

~M~

Subject: RE: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: GUEST,ATbean
Date: 12 May 12 - 01:20 AM

"But no funnier than many sorts of traditional dance [and other ~~ I think the tango much funnier if you look at it thus] if taken the wrong way."

I don't think it was based on traditional dance. Greek dancing is fantastic. If they had based it on something traditional, it might have looked less forced.

Any form of dance can look ridiculous if it's done without enthusiasm... it's all subjective of course, but this "dance" did not seem to have anything going for it.

Subject: RE: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 12 May 12 - 12:50 AM

Can't see what so hilarious about it [we don't agree here, Eliza, as on Mansfield Park, do we?] ~~ tho did feel the men's dresses a bit ill-judged ~~ they weren't even versions of the military evzones' 'fustanella' kilt; and perhaps a certain over-portentous pomposity in the conception & performance, too much striving for an ultra-dignified effect. But no funnier than many sorts of traditional dance [and other ~~ I think the tango much funnier if you look at it thus] if taken the wrong way.

Feel this an unworthy attitude on this forum. AND the title of this thread seems to me to take, or at least give comfort to, a tendentiously unacceptable view of the Morris; to side with the many out there who just can't get the Morris, and somehow appear unaccountably complacent about their stupidity.

~Michael~

Subject: RE: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: Rapparee
Date: 11 May 12 - 07:43 PM

It was all Greek to me...except I heard the word "Liverpool" and I don't think that was in the Attic vocabulary.

Subject: RE: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 11 May 12 - 06:37 PM

Ye'd have thought they'd've got some nicer looking girls!

What a very strange comment. The girls looked fine.

The blokes in their minidresses, mind... To me they looked thoroughly embarassed by proceedings, not too surprisingly. They didn't seem at all able to get in the spirit of things, whatever spirit that was. A touch of swagger would have helped.

I look forward to seeing some Morris side pick up the moves and show how it should be done.

Subject: RE: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 11 May 12 - 03:39 PM

I haven't laughed so much for ages. My husband just came through into the study to see why I was screaming! How could they do it with straight faces? Absolutely hilarious.

Subject: RE: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: GUEST,LesB
Date: 11 May 12 - 02:01 PM

God you're a miserable bunch of whingers
Cheers
Les

Subject: RE: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 11 May 12 - 01:30 PM

Stark raving bonkers!

Subject: RE: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: Mr Happy
Date: 11 May 12 - 12:34 PM

Ye'd have thought they'd've got some nicer looking girls!

Subject: RE: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: banjoman
Date: 11 May 12 - 05:38 AM

It looked like a long sword side who had forgotten their swords. Also - the flame went out and had to be relit. An omen??

Subject: RE: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: GUEST,BobL
Date: 10 May 12 - 07:40 PM

I dunno - I was quite impressed. Probably even more so had there been English subtitles.

Subject: RE: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: bobad
Date: 10 May 12 - 06:49 PM

That's looks pretty silly alright - I watched a minute of it - looks like a Monty Python skit.

Subject: RE: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: GUEST,Ebor_Fiddler
Date: 10 May 12 - 06:46 PM

Yes - the Olympic Flame is about the only remaining practice from the Nazi party.

Subject: RE: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 10 May 12 - 06:20 PM

Just like the whole Olympic hoohaa it is all f*****g silly. So much bullshit and it's cost us a fortune.

Hoot

Subject: Morris Dancing outsillied...
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 10 May 12 - 05:24 PM

People sometimes accuse Moris Dancing as being silly, though I see that as a quaity to glory in - but have a look at this cip of the Olympic Torch lighting ceremony that tookplace in Greece today today that really leaves Morris tsanding in the silliness stakes - have a look here