MORRIS DANCE

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. Tools such as sticks, swords, handkerchiefs and bells can also be deployed by the dancers. In a small number of dances for one or two people, this step is performed near and in a pair of pipe tobacco is placed in the clay of each other on the floor.

The claim that the British record, dating back to 1448, mention morris dance is open to dispute. There is no mention of "morris" dancing earlier than the end of the 15th century, although early records such as Bishops' "Visitation Articles" mention sword dancing, dancing guising and other activities as well as mumming plays. Furthermore, the earliest records always 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. Only later that it began to be mentioned as something in the parishes. No of course there is no evidence that it is pre-Christian ritual, as is often claimed.

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

Before the English Civil War, the peasants work took part in morris dancing, especially at Whitsun. In 1600 the actor William Shakespeare Kempe morris dancing from London to Norwich, an event recorded in his Nine Daies Wonder (1600). Oliver Cromwell's Puritan government, however, pressed Pentecost Ales and other such events. When the crown was restored by Charles II, the spring festival has been fixed. In particular, Ales came to be celebrated Pentecost on Pentecost celebration, as the date coincided with the anniversary of Charles II.



Morris dancers and a hobby horse: detail of Thames at Richmond, the Old Royal Palace, c.1620

Morris dancing continued in popularity until the industrial revolution and social change that accompanies it. Four teams claim descent continued the tradition in their village or town: Abingdon (their morris team still run by the Family Hemmings), Bampton, Headington Quarry, and Chipping Campden Other villages have revived their own traditions. , And hundreds of other teams around the world have adopted (and adapted) these traditions, or have created their own style from the basic building blocks of morris stepping and figures

Several English folklorists responsible for recording and revive the tradition in the early 20th century, often from a handful of naked members of the village survived the mid-19th century. Among these, the most prominent is the Cecil Sharp, Maud Karpeles, and Mary Neal.

Boxing Day 1899 is widely regarded as the starting point for the revival morris. Cecil Sharp's visit at a friend's house in Headington, near Oxford, when the Headington Quarry Morris arrived to do. Sharp was intrigued by music and song collecting some of the musicians side, William Kimber, not until about a decade later, however, he began collecting dance, encourage and initially assisted by Mary Neal, founder of the Esperance Club (a dressmaking cooperative and club for young women who works in London), and Herbert MacIlwaine, music director of the Esperance Club. Neal was looking for a dance for children to perform, and the first revival performance by a young woman in London.
In the first decades of the 20th century, some of the men's side was formed, and in 1934 Morris Ring was founded by six revival sides. In 1960 and especially 1960's, there was an explosion of new dance team, the side of some of them women or mixed. At that time, there is often a heated debate on the propriety and even legitimacy of women's morris dancing, although there is evidence as far as the 16th century that there are female morris dancers. Now there's a side of men, women and mixed to be found.

Partly because of women's and mixed sides are not eligible for full membership of the Morris Ring, two other national (and international) body is formed, Morris Federation and Open Morris. All three bodies provide communication, advice, insurance, instructionals (teaching sessions) and social and dancing opportunities to its members. The three bodies work together in some ways, while maintaining their distinct identities.

Today, there are six dominant style of morris dancing, and dance a different or traditions within each style named after their place of origin:

Cotswold morris: dances from the region, especially in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, an irony that is established, since the Cotswolds overlap this region only partially. Normally danced with handkerchiefs or sticks to accompany the hand movements.
North West morris: more military in style and frequent processions.
Border Morris from the English-Welsh border: a simple, loose, more powerful style, usually danced with a black face (or sometimes colored otherwise, considering the negative connotations for some Blackface).
Longsword of Yorkshire and south Durham.
Rapper or Short sword dancing from Northumberland and Co Durham.
Molly Dancing from the British Midlands and East Anglia.