What is Morris Dancing?

Morris dancing and other British ritual traditions in a nutshell...

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• morris
• dance
• rapper
• sword
• border
• hobby
• fool
• dancers
• greenman

[dancinglibn]

Wow, it's no wonder I love Morris - my favorite international dance tradition was Romanian. Looking at some of the videos of Calusari, I see several parallels with morris, but also recognize the footwork from (for example) floracica oltaneasca. The very different use of footwork, and no information on a connection between Romania and England - that is how would it have traveled from one to the other? - I'd say it is more likely that this whole thing is deeply embedded in the human psyche! ;-)

[dancinglibn]

Thanks for the comment, it is a good point. Actually, I do know the difference. Morris dancing is primarily English, but there is some morris, particularly border, that slops over into Wales. Besides, anything that is English is also British, along with the Scottish, Welsh, and some or all Irish traditions, depending. A tradition from Minnesota would still be "American", even if it is only from part of the Americas...

---Julie

[olimandolin]

Erm, I'll have you know, that English Morris dancers DON'T go from pub to pub until we get 'sloshed'. Most sides dance out once a week, and do two pubs per night, sometimes followed my a music session. Also, some of the money goes to beer, but mostly it eitehr goes to costs (like hall hire for practise) or to charity.

[dancinglibn]

I'm just contributing to the rumor that you should never believe what a morris dancer tells you... ;-)

---Julie

[BigGingerBunny]

Hi Julie. Whilst Cotswold Morris Men are generally real ale drinkers, Border Morris dancers are very often fuelled by cake, especially if there are girls in the side

[profigliano789]

I cherish the brief clip of Terry (RIP) dancing with Lucy Bear and the other characters..

[alecbrady]

@unomnacajit11 Actually, both in terms of geographical proximity and content, it's much more likely to be related to the Pauliteiros of north-east Portugal. Note, "related", not "derived from" or "the same as" (for who can say?) Looking at Calusul, it looks like another member of a broad European family of folk dances, and has some formal resemblance to both rapper and clog dances from north-east England, as well as French bourées.

[alecbrady]

@budgiebudgielover Please recognise that KaOssis is either (a) a troll, in which case you're just feeding him or (b) mentally ill (my guess is paranoid schizophrenia, DSM-IV 295.30), in which case arguing with him is futile. In any case, just "flag for spam" and move on.

[unomnacajit11]

This is an ancient pre-christian Romanian dance brought to Britain by Dacians incorporated in Roman legions. Search for "Calusari Dance" to see the original version :)))

[ummerrahh]

That's a hugely long explanation for a bunch of loonies running around.

[CAMacKenzie]

A friend of ours has an old family film from the 30's of Morris dance. It was a real May Day festival, with a may pole, maiden's dancing, and 'jousts' with knights and dragons and kolbolds (good and evil) and a dance with corn and wolves ( food and winter famine). I guess everyone has some kind of 'spring break' folk festival from times before social security, grocery stores- medical insurance! Read or see Goethe's Faust. Now, from the posts, can you tell who has been listening to the poodle?