Hope you are weathering the recent storms. This is a mixture of general updates and what’s on.
Sad News
For those who haven’t already read it on Facebook, we are sad to pass on news of the deaths of:
Mike Boston, the fool of Great Western Morris
Simon Gillow, the fool of Hexham Morris, and member of Hadrian Clog and Crook Morris
Much love to their families and many many friends.
Events – online and in-person
Join us at a free online event, live over Zoom, optional donations.
February 2022
Workshop – “Teaching Tips for Foremen” – Emma Wooders (LIVE on Zoom) – Sun 27th Feb 17:00-18:30. Emma shares some teaching tips for foremen (old, new and aspiring) garnered from her other life as a teacher, as well as her foreman’s experience. There will be practical suggestions as well as some of the big ideas behind them.
March 2022
Workshop – Cotswold Morris Jigs – KOKI (Hybrid: In person and LIVE on Zoom) – Sun 20th March 10:30-16:00. Knights of King Ina will run through of a number of Cotswold Jigs in preparation for the dance season. Being run as an in-person workshop in Somerset (£10), and simultaneously online over Zoom (free). It’s also a chance to experience a ‘hybrid’ event.
April 2022
Saturday 9th April 2022 10:00-16:00 in Liverpool – JMO National Day of Dance (click to see names of teams booked). Hosted by the Morris Ring in the North West. Bookings open until mid March, or when full: Morris Fed teams please contact us using our contact form and selecting the drop down for ‘Events’. Morris Ring and Open Morris teams please contact your organisation.
September 2022
Saturday 24th Sept 2022 in Darlington – MF Day of Dance and AGM hosted by Black Diamond Mixed Cotswold Morris. Save the date for now.
2023
- Saturday 23rd Sept 2023 in Shropshire – MF Day of Dance and AGM hosted by Shropshire Bedlams and Martha Rhoden’s Tuppenny Dish.
The latest and correct list is at: www.morrisfed.org.uk/events/. The online events will stop at the end of March and restart in November. How to access an online event: Register for an event, and we’ll email you a Zoom link. We are also recording most of our events, for our MF YouTube channel.
See: MF Events
Events from other organisations
February 2022
IVFDF (Inter Varsity Folk Dance Festival) – Fri 25th – Sun 27th Feb in Sheffield, hosted by Sheffield University Morris. You don’t have to be a student to go. IVFDF needs volunteer stewards please! Just 4-8 hours stewarding in return for a half price or free ticket, see: https://sheffield-ivfdf.org.uk/volunteering.html- EFDSS Youth-friendly Folk: Folk Education Development Day – Sat 26th Feb 11:00-17:30 (Hybrid: In London £20 or online £5) How do we involve a more diverse range of young people in folk – in and out of school – in terms of ethnic diversity, gender equality, disability, and challenging circumstances?
March 2022
April 2022
- EFDSS Library Lectures (£5 each): including one on morris dancing: ‘All together in the dance’ – Matt Simons – Wed 20th Apr 19:30-21:00 – Alec Hunter (1899-1958), artist, textile designer and Morris dancer. Raised on Arts and Crafts precepts, he perceived Morris dancing as a highly developed form of English ‘social art’, an apt panacea for an age of disenchantment and division.
Anytime
- EFDSS What’s On: https://www.efdss.org/whats-on
- The Folk Forecast – weekly what’s on summary
In the media
- The Food Programme (BBC Radio 4) “Wassail! Wassail! A celebration of cider, orchards and song”. In Somerset, featuring Dr Turberville’s Morris and Taunton Deane Morris Men. Aired on 31st Jan, still available to listen to: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0013yzx (28 mins).
- “For Folk’s Sake: Morris Dancing and Me” (BBC4 Sun 20th Feb 23:00). Richard Macer joins Manchester Morris. Repeat; first shown in 2019. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0003vhz (1 hour)
Covid-19 guidance updates
Our Covid-19 guidance for England was last updated on 6th February, after the government removed the restrictions put in place under “Plan B”.
The Template Risk Assessment for Practices and Performances have also been updated.
If anyone has any questions or needs advice for other areas, please contact Sally Wearing at sallywearing@outlook.com.
See: MF Events
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