Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year full of dancing and music, from your volunteers here at the Morris Fed. Here’s your latest update – including book ideas for last minute presents!

Coming up next year – an important workshop on Safeguarding for teams with under 18’s or vulnerable adults; two Days of Dance – Newark in April, and Cardiff in September, plus events from other orgs including John Kirkpatrick’s workshop on playing for morris dancing. So much to choose from.

Books to buy for Christmas!

For a fab present for the morris/sword/clog dancer/musician in your life, or even yourself, here’s our new web page of recent morris, sword and clog books and where to buy them or visit our Lending Library where you may find one on loan! 

Online Talks and Workshops

We have the following online events coming up in the new year: 

Book a place on: Workshop – “Safeguarding, an Introduction.” hosted by Andrea Richards, Sunday 7th January, 17:00-18:30.  An important event for teams who have under 18’s or vulnerable adults, or are thinking of setting up a youth team.  A whistlestop tour of all things safeguarding for both children and vulnerable adults in a morris setting. 

Quiz – ‘No Such Thing as Folk’ – a panel show hosted by Stephen Rowley, Sunday 3rd March afternoon (save the date)

Talk – Maypoles by Judith Proctor, Sunday 24th March afternoon (save the date)

See all MF Events: www.morrisfed.org.uk/events

Missed our online talks and workshops?

In case you missed it (ICYMI) – Recordings of these talks/workshops are now available to watch, together with other resources for the subject

Watch the recording of talk: Cecil Sharp and the Quest for Folk Song and Dance: a new biography – Talk by David Sutcliffe, Nov 2023

Watch a training video on: Using Digital for Recruitment and Marketing: No IT Expertise Needed! – Workshop by Brian Kelly, Dec 2023

Our online talks/workshops since 2020 are on our web site – with an easy-to-use, search facility (thanks to our volunteer Brian Kelly).  Get there quickly in a browser by searching for #morrisfedvideo

In the media

Have a look at:

• Tradfolk – Vote for your favourite folk dance performance of 2023 – lots of morris and sword content to watch, even if you miss the closing date of 17th December.
• Tradfolk – Wassail Directory 2023-24 – where to wassail this winter.

Events from other orgs

January 2024

• Morris Ring Jigs Instructional – Sat 20th Jan 2024 near Nottingham

February 2024

• Lancashire Wallopers Weekend of Clog – Sat 10th – Sun 11th Feb 2024 in Lancashire
• ‘Playing for Morris Dancing’ Workshop by John Kirkpatrick – Sun 25th Feb 2024 in Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire

April 2024 & 2025

• DERT 2024 – Fri 12th – Sun 14th Apr 2024 in Whitby. Register by end of January 2024. 
• DERT 2025 – Fri 4th – Sun 6th Apr 2025 in Peterborough.  Save the date.

Anytime

• EFDSS What’s On: https://www.efdss.org/whats-on and Vaughan Williams Memorial Library Lectures Jan-Apr 2024 including “Sticks, Bells and Baldrics: Ball de Bastons – Catalan tradition evolving with the times”
• Folk Camps – book a weekend or week long fun
• Folk Forecast – a what’s on summary of folky events
• Folkscape Live – concert video recordings (some free, some paid-for)
• Halsway Manor – What’s On
• Tradfolk – news and articles about folky things

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