Morris Dancing at Floriade - 1

The Molonglo Mayhem Border Morris Dancers perform "Cheshire Rounds" at the Floriade Flower Festival.

A morris dance is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers. Implements such as sticks, swords, and handkerchiefs may also be wielded by the dancers. In a small number of dances for one or two men, steps are performed near and across a pair of clay tobacco pipes laid across each other on the floor.

There are claims that English records of the morris dance dating back to 1448 exist, but these are open to dispute. There is no mention of "morris" dancing earlier than the late 15th century, although early records such as Bishops' "Visitation Articles" mention sword dancing, guising and other dancing activities as well as mumming plays. Furthermore, the earliest records invariably mention "Morys" in a court setting, and both men and women are mentioned as dancing, and a little later in the Lord Mayors' Processions in London. It is only later that it begins to be mentioned as something performed in the parishes. There is certainly no evidence that it is a pre-Christian ritual, as is often claimed.

In the modern day, it is commonly thought of as a uniquely English activity, although there are around 150 morris sides (or teams) in the United States. British expatriates form a larger part of the morris tradition in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Hong Kong. There are isolated groups in other countries, for example those in Utrecht, Netherlands, the Arctic Morris Group of Helsinki and Stockholm, as well as in Cyprus and Alsace, France.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Cheshire
• Rounds
• Music
• Dance
• Molonglo
• Mayhem
• Border
• Morris
• Dancers

[clearviews52]

This dance is called Cheshire Rounds and the side is Molonglo Mayhem Border Morris. It was the first dance I was able to dance out with them in 1998. Thanks so much for recording this. We always had so much fun.

[OzPix]

@clearviews52 Good to hear from one of the group. If was fun to watch and record but we didn't know who the group was or the name of the dance, so thanks for the info, will add it to the description panel. Thanks again for your comment, so pleased you enjoyed the movie.

[hugore5]

funny

[OzPix]

Glad you thought so, thanks for watching.

[leokimvideo]

My God, this brought back a very early childhood memory, sent shivers down my spine!

[OzPix]

The morris dancing kid! lol

[OzPix]

Didn't think it would be of interest, so I didn't do a mail out, just to subs.

[leokimvideo]

I did not see this as a mail out...did you pass it around?

[OzPix]

Agree, but that's just how the world is, thanks for watching

[OzPix]

Thank you.