It’s a strange time right now, as things start to change back from online to in-person. For most of us it doesn’t all change back overnight, and there is a period of things changing at different times, and it can all feel a bit unsettling.
For yours truly, some lovely online things have now come to an end, and it feels like a big “pause” before the pre-pandemic in-person activities can restart. Let’s hope the weather is kind so we can dance and play outdoors, or go for nice walks, or just be outside to lift our spirits.
But if it’s raining, there are loads of upcoming and past online events to catch up on.
Upcoming events
Here is a selection of upcoming events. Keep an eye on their web sites for the latest details nearer the event.
- The Joint Chester & Chippenham Online Folk Festival, 28th-31st May – a packed online programme for the Bank Holiday weekend
- Sidmouth Folk Festival, 30th July – 6th August – a week-long programme of outdoor events
- Broadstairs Folk Week, 6th-13th August – a week-long programme of mainly outdoor events
- Whitby Folk Week, 21st-27th August – Whitby@Home, a week-long programme packed with online events
Clog & step dancing
Learn Sam Sherry’s Improvers Waltz
The Lancashire Wallopers are teaching Sam Sherry’s Improvers Waltz on Wednesday evenings 19:30-20:30 from 2nd June online over Zoom. Please email wallopers.weekend@aol.co.uk to request the link. More info on their public Facebook site: Lancashire Wallopers Weekend
Clog & Step Dancing Bursary opportunity
The Instep Research Team (IRT) is inviting expressions of interest by 30th June for bursary awards of £50 to £3,000 for projects related to the objectives of IRT: “To promote, maintain, improve, develop and advance public education by the encouragement of the arts of clog and step dancing through research and by the holding of workshops, conferences, events and demonstrations to encourage people to participate in the said arts”. See More info on Bursary.
Recordings of our past events (ICYMI)
In case you missed it, recordings of our online Talks and Workshops during lockdown are on the MF YouTube Channel
Please ‘subscribe’ to be notified of any new videos.
There are three new Playlists:
– JMO Day of Dance (playlist) – Workshops in 2021 (Bacca Pipes, North West, Clog Step and Cotswold) and a slide show of the first annual JMO DoD in 2005
– Return to Dancing Fitness 2021 (playlist) – 7 session exercise programme, with ‘easy’ and ‘hard’ level options
– Winter/Spring Workshops 2020-2021 (playlist) – all the Workshops, plus these Talks all about 1 to 1.5 hours (more to follow):
- Hastings Jack in the Green – Keith Leech & Fee Lock
- Demo of Clogmaking – Simon Brock
- Goathland Plough Stots – a Longsword Tradition
- How to Make a Beast – Geoff Roberts
- Shrewsbury Morris on Twitter – Graydon Radford and Ray Langton
- Sussex Bonfires – Heather & Keith Leech
- ‘Morris Music – a History’ – Stephen Rowley & Andy Richards, Taborers Society
Morris in the media
- BBC1 Bargain Hunt, 10th Jan (repeat): The history of the humble clog & how it played a part in Lancashire’s industrial heritage featuring Royal Preston Morris and Michael L Jackson (5 mins)
- BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, 30th April: Morris Dancing with Boss Morris (30:26 to 41:05)
- BBC Radio 4 Today, 1st May: Martin Green and Alex Merry (Boss Morris) (1:54:17 to 1:59:53)
Other past online events (ICYMI)
In case you missed it, here is a small selection of recorded online events which include morris dancing & related activities:
- Whittlesey Straw Bear, 17th-18th Jan – concerts, morris & sword dancing, German bears, behind the scenes how to build a bear, and more
- Folk Weekend Oxford, 23rd-25th April – concerts, morris dancing and mummers play
- Hastings Jack in the Green, 3rd May – short videos of the Jack and morris dancing
- Holmfirth Festival of Folk, 8th May – day of concerts and morris dancing
- Shepley Spring Festival 22nd May – day of concerts and mummers play
Folky stuff
A small selection of folky things for your eyes and ears:
- Folk Tunes and Englishness, Alice Little (3 Podcasts, each 30 mins)
- Folk on Foot on Film – interviews on video (also on Podcast)
- The Folk Forecast – weekly what’s on summary
Covid-19 Guidance Update (17th May)
A short summary of the latest guidance for England – see full details at: MF Covid-19 Guidance
Practices & Performances. Outdoors we can now practise or perform in groups of up to 30 people, and indoors in groups of up to six people or two households. Performances must be in line with the performing arts guidance and the events guidance for local authorities. Multiple groups must comply with the gathering limits, and the groups kept separate. Template Risk Assessments are provided for practices and performances.
Social distancing: although the new general rules allow us to make a personal choice on whether we continue to keep our distance from family and friends, this does not apply to morris dancing. The guidance on the performing arts is clear that non-professionals must still adhere to social distancing.
As you start to return to practices and performances, please consider the range of feelings within your team, and also consider the general public’s perception of the morris. Be aware of how your activities and actions come across on the media and social media, and please be kind to those who may appear to make mistakes.
Queries? If you have any questions, or need help with completing your Risk Assessments, please contact Sally Wearing at sallywearing@outlook.com
Diary dates
2021
- Saturday 25th September 2021 – our AGM will be held online over Zoom. We’ve made the sad decision to cancel the Day of Dance in September with hosts Customs and Exiles, and ceilidh band The Diatonics, and thank them for all their hard work.
2022
Next year we’ll look forward to seeing you in person:
- Saturday 9th April 2022 in Liverpool for the JMO National Day of Dance.
- Saturday 24th September 2022 in Darlington for the MF Day of Dance and AGM with hosts Black Diamond Mixed Cotswold Morris.
