Old Glory Molly Gang at Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival

January 13 2007. From the Straw bear website : Old Glory have been performing Molly in the Waveney Valley tradition since 1994. Their dances are, with one exception, their own; they have been devised following such generally agreed tenets of Molly dancing as exist, Old Glory are anxious to support reviving traditions to which their dancing is relevant, and as such welcome the opportunity provided by the Straw Bear Festival to perform and to meet other dancers. The male dancers and female musicians may be easily recognised by their black overcoats and a solemn demeanour, which perhaps belies the thoroughly good time they all have.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Whittlesea
• Straw
• Bear
• Morris
• Dancing
• Festival
• Old
• Glory
• Molly
• Gang

[Doubledig]

A good bunch but the drummer is a bit out!

[henleythebear]

Molly dancing is connected with plough boys going from house to house in the village, on Plough Monday, to raise money. A bit like trick or treat! In this case the trick was the threat of having your lawn run accross with a plough furrow if you didn't cough up a few pennies. Since the houses they visited would often include those of their employers, the plough boys would 'disguise' themselves by blacking their faces, so they would not be recognised on that dark night!

[DarkAngel182]

Why are their faces black? Are they meant to be minstrels?

[robinandwren]

saw them at the Bear '08 they are something to see, you feel transported back in time.

[Dierne]

Great stuff. Thanks for sharing this and your other Straw Bear vids!

[camrakamera]

This lot are brilliant