who dances the morris??

[NedR]

i was just reading http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48962 and saw that Mikefule dances morris:cool: , i just wondered if anyone else does? and who do you dance with Mikefule??

Cheers Ned

[James_Potter]

not me!

[martin.phillips]

Yes - Stroud Morris Dancers. Except that due to declining to just four men, we've decided to jack it in. There are a whole bunch of ladies in our side though, but they don't dance with us.

Wassail!

[BillyTheMountain]

Yes - Stroud Morris Dancers. Except that due to declining to just four men, we've decided to jack it in. There are a whole bunch of ladies in our side though, but they don't dance with us.

Wassail!

Mikefule dances Morris, and loved BillyTheMountain's signature when it was quoting Mikefule.

[GILD]

An interesting first post...?

Mike (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showpost.php?p=446131&postcount=52) dances with the Dolphin Morris (http://www.dolphin-morris.co.uk/).

[NedR]

An interesting first post...?

Mike (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showpost.php?p=446131&postcount=52) dances with the Dolphin Morris (http://www.dolphin-morris.co.uk/).
no not really first post i was THeNed then it stopped letting me on as that. i dance with lassington oak near gloucester and another one of our members used to be in the gloucester unicycle hockey which is partly why i asked. team i didn't realise stroud only had four men left why don't you just dance with the ladies? become a mixed side?

[Jethro]

For people my age, Morris is a cat.

[NedR]

For people my age, Morris is a cat.
a cat????
for my age (16) tis cool

[GILD]

another one of our members used to be in the gloucester unicycle hockey
Have you played with them yourself?

[olwyn]

no not really first post i was THeNed then it stopped letting me on as that. i dance with lassington oak near gloucester and another one of our members used to be in the gloucester unicycle hockey which is partly why i asked. team i didn't realise stroud only had four men left why don't you just dance with the ladies? become a mixed side?


I love men who can skip!
Question... Isn't it wrong for women to dance as in 'the morris dance'. I though it was unlucky... something to do with the harvest... like not slaving in the fields getting the harvest in (whilst the blokes are downing brew and dancing ;) )

[Mikefule]

I love men who can skip!
Question... Isn't it wrong for women to dance as in 'the morris dance'. I though it was unlucky... something to do with the harvest... like not slaving in the fields getting the harvest in (whilst the blokes are downing brew and dancing ;) )

No.

This is an old argument that is still raised from time to time by the older and more misogynistic male dancers, and by journalists looking for a lazy way to poke fun at the Morris. It is the equivalent of saying that all unicyclists are clowns.

The Morris was traditionally danced by male teams in the 1800s and before. But then, almost everything interesting or fun was done by the men in those days because society allowed men to go out and do, and forced women to stay at home, cook and breed.

So the fact that the Morris was "all male" was really nothing to do with the Morris, but to do with the male-dominated state of society at that time.

As for the connection with ancient pagan fertility rituals, the sowing and the harvest and so on, that is pretty much nonsense that was grafted onto it by the middle class late Victorians and their immediate successors because of their own preconceptions and sentimentality.

The Morris nearly died out by the end of the 19th Century. It was "rescued" following an incident in 1899, when Cecil Sharp saw the Headington Quarry team.


They were all men - well, they were heavy manual workers from a quarry.
They weren't doing a fertility ritual to make the crops grow - they were quarry workers.
They weren't doing a May day or spring ritual - it was Boxing Day (26th December).
They weren't doing it because of some deeply held pagan beliefs - they were busking for money and booze at a time of year when work was scarce.


The Morris is now primarily a hobby, although there are still a few genuine traditional teams around, including Headington Quarry, Bampton (3 teams!), and Hayfield (Derbyshire). The Morris was danced by women in the early 1900s, and kept alive throughout the first world war by female or mixed teams.

In the later big revival (1960s/70s) it was still primarily male. Now I guesstimate that it is not far off a 50/50 split male/female.

[NedR]

Have you played with them yourself?
No i havn't because i'm mostly into trials and don't have an appropriate uni and have never played hockey in my life.

[GILD]

No i havn't because i'm mostly into trials and don't have an appropriate uni and have never played hockey in my life.
A trials uni is plenty appropriate and playing hockey(sic) will help you improve your micro-control of the machine no end.
You should give it a go. It is good fun and a great workout.

[NedR]

yeah ok i'll try to find out about it.

[GILD]

I get kinda evangelical about UniHoki so when I get too irritatingly pushy, just smile and nod and tell me to sod off.

[MattyJ]

My best friend from school/college was a Morris Dancer. He danced because his Dad danced. His Dad is also Squire of the Morris Ring...which I believe is a very important thing.

He managed to get me to dance a couple of times. My friends have never let me forget it! They laughed so much :(

[Mikefule]

My best friend from school/college was a Morris Dancer. He danced because his Dad danced. His Dad is also Squire of the Morris Ring...which I believe is a very important thing.

He managed to get me to dance a couple of times. My friends have never let me forget it! They laughed so much :(

You mean Paul? I've lost track of who the Lord of the Ring is at the moment. Think it's still Bob Cross. If so, tell your mates you danced with his sister too. That'll shut 'em up.;)

[martin.phillips]

no not really first post i was THeNed then it stopped letting me on as that. i dance with lassington oak near gloucester and another one of our members used to be in the gloucester unicycle hockey which is partly why i asked. team i didn't realise stroud only had four men left why don't you just dance with the ladies? become a mixed side?

I don't think the ladies want to dance with us! Our two sides have evolved very different styles, although both originally based on Ducklington. Did I see Lassington at Upton FF last weekend? (or was it Bristol on BH Monday - I seem to have seen dancers everywhere!)

I'm hoping that we'll reform eventually, in the meantime I'm taking at least a year's break from it as I was getting rather stale and bored - had only been hanging on as we were so short of men. Might see you over the summer, I still keep an eye open for local sides dancing out.

Wassail!

[MattyJ]

You mean Paul? I've lost track of who the Lord of the Ring is at the moment. Think it's still Bob Cross. If so, tell your mates you danced with his sister too. That'll shut 'em up.;)

Yes, that's the guy. Wow, the world just got smaller. Yes, I believe it still is Bob. Our families go way back.

What's that about his sister? What's so special about her? ;) ;)

Yeah, I've occasionally gone along to a dance (who can say no to a day at the pub?!) and I usually get asked by Paul to join in.

[Mikefule]

What's that about his sister? What's so special about her? ;) ;)


Only met her once, but from what I remember she was like a photo finish in a Zeppelin race.

[MattyJ]

She's a lovely girl! many times we've mocked Paul and laughed at him together. How could you say something like that?! :eek:

I'm not saying you're wrong though :p

Shall we get back onto topic? I take it you've danced with them a bit then? How long have you known Bob/Paul?

[BornUgly]

I may just be ignorant, but what is the morris dance?

[MattyJ]

This is a British thing. Which dates back...oh, at least 600 years according to one website. http://www.themorrisring.org/More/index.html

[Mikefule]

Shall we get back onto topic? I take it you've danced with them a bit then? How long have you known Bob/Paul?

Bob is a member of Greensleeves Morris Men. My own team (Dolphin) has a lot to do with them - we meet up at least once a year. I also see Bob around the scene from time to time because he's the Lord of the Ring and turns up everywhere. Paul is sometimes with him. Bob knows me reasonably well. Paul knows me to say hello to, but possibly may not even be able to put a name to my face.

[NedR]

I don't think the ladies want to dance with us! Our two sides have evolved very different styles, although both originally based on Ducklington. Did I see Lassington at Upton FF last weekend? (or was it Bristol on BH Monday - I seem to have seen dancers everywhere!)

I'm hoping that we'll reform eventually, in the meantime I'm taking at least a year's break from it as I was getting rather stale and bored - had only been hanging on as we were so short of men. Might see you over the summer, I still keep an eye open for local sides dancing out.

Wassail!

yup we were at upton, and up the hill before that, were you dancing there or just being folkie? anyone going to any folk fest this summer? seeing as so many dance?

[MattyJ]

Bob is a member of Greensleeves Morris Men. My own team (Dolphin) has a lot to do with them - we meet up at least once a year. I also see Bob around the scene from time to time because he's the Lord of the Ring and turns up everywhere. Paul is sometimes with him. Bob knows me reasonably well. Paul knows me to say hello to, but possibly may not even be able to put a name to my face.

I thought Bob was Chalice? I may be wrong. I told Paul that I've spoken to you now, and after showing him the picture of you on the Dolphin website, he remembers you (and a few others). He told me you are the fool :p

[martin.phillips]

yup we were at upton, and up the hill before that, were you dancing there or just being folkie? anyone going to any folk fest this summer? seeing as so many dance?

Not dancing, just being a bit folkie and entertaining some French visitors to our quaint English customs.

Tell the bloke that runs the Lassington web site that his events programme is two years out of date!

Wassail!

[Mikefule]

I thought Bob was Chalice?


Chalice, Greensleeves, and probably half a dozen other teams.

Of cpourse I'm the fool. Why did you think "Mikefule"? You think I'm a dyslexic petrol pump attendant?:p

[BillyTheMountain]

This is a British thing. Which dates back...oh, at least 600 years according to one website. http://www.themorrisring.org/More/index.html

It's the Brits watered down version of the Irish Riverdance, same way Scotch is like watered down Irish whiskey.

These guys should take this thread to MorrisDancing.Community.

That's what you-know-who PMd me to say.

[olwyn]

No.

This is an old argument that is still raised from time to time by the older and more misogynistic male dancers, and by journalists looking for a lazy way to poke fun at the Morris. It is the equivalent of saying that all unicyclists are clowns.

The Morris was traditionally danced by male teams in the 1800s and before. But then, almost everything interesting or fun was done by the men in those days because society allowed men to go out and do, and forced women to stay at home, cook and breed.

So the fact that the Morris was "all male" was really nothing to do with the Morris, but to do with the male-dominated state of society at that time.

As for the connection with ancient pagan fertility rituals, the sowing and the harvest and so on, that is pretty much nonsense that was grafted onto it by the middle class late Victorians and their immediate successors because of their own preconceptions and sentimentality.

The Morris nearly died out by the end of the 19th Century. It was "rescued" following an incident in 1899, when Cecil Sharp saw the Headington Quarry team.


They were all men - well, they were heavy manual workers from a quarry.
They weren't doing a fertility ritual to make the crops grow - they were quarry workers.
They weren't doing a May day or spring ritual - it was Boxing Day (26th December).
They weren't doing it because of some deeply held pagan beliefs - they were busking for money and booze at a time of year when work was scarce.


The Morris is now primarily a hobby, although there are still a few genuine traditional teams around, including Headington Quarry, Bampton (3 teams!), and Hayfield (Derbyshire). The Morris was danced by women in the early 1900s, and kept alive throughout the first world war by female or mixed teams.

In the later big revival (1960s/70s) it was still primarily male. Now I guesstimate that it is not far off a 50/50 split male/female.

Thanks for the info much appreciated, I sorry if I touched a nerve, I got a mate Paul and his misses Justin who dance for a couple of clubs, don't know if you heard of the Pretty Grim Morris club, but my mate dances for them and he produces a monthly mag for the dancing fraternity. I'm hopefully going down to the festival in ipswich next month, there 28 groups dancing. :D sorry if i'm too sarcie for my own good, always take my post lightly! :D

[Mikefule]

Thanks for the info much appreciated, I sorry if I touched a nerve... sorry if i'm too sarcie for my own good, always take my post lightly! :D

You didn't touch a nerve at all.:) I was just being pompously didactic, as usual.

[MattyJ]

Of cpourse I'm the fool. Why did you think "Mikefule"? You think I'm a dyslexic petrol pump attendant?:p

Ahh, I wondered what the fule was. :p You ever unicycle during the dancing? Or do the bells get tangled in spokes/cranks? :confused:

[Mikefule]

You ever unicycle during the dancing? Or do the bells get tangled in spokes/cranks? :confused:

I sometimes use the 20 in the dancing. I once did the entire Gate to Southwell (20 mile procession) on it. Once in the procession at Thaxted (biggest show of the year, audience of thousands) I got my bootlace wrapped around the pedal and didn't realise until it was waaaay too late.

[olwyn]

Ouch! which hurt more the faceplant or the embarrassment.
I used to live near thaxted...arr..memories... do they still have the live maggot dispenser near the garage?

[Mikefule]

do they still have the live maggot dispenser near the garage?

That's no way to talk about the ice cream counter.:eek:

[olwyn]

That's no way to talk about the ice cream counter.:eek:
No really they did have a dispenser, put in your crown and low and behold maggots... for fishing... yep a strange place. Plus I believe the jail is still open for business (in Thaxted...) I must do a bit of research I will be back!:)

[NedR]

Not dancing, just being a bit folkie and entertaining some French visitors to our quaint English customs.

Tell the bloke that runs the Lassington web site that his events programme is two years out of date!

Wassail!

yeah thats Steve he hasn't done anything as far as i know to the site for two years.

[olwyn]

Rats, all I can find are pics of the Guild hall the other end of the village has obvioulsy been taken over by huge maggots!