Events

This workshop introduces young dancers (age 7+) to a variety of ceilidh and morris dances, all adapted to suit our current zoom environment.  No previous dance experience is necessary, so whether you are a veteran dancer or giving it a go for the first time we hope you will join us!  All dances will be suitable for solo dancers, and can be adapted to suit whatever space you have available, so all you need to bring is your energy and your dancing feet. Click on the link below to book a place and you will be sent a Zoom link to access the event.

An Overview of the Morris Revival from Pageant to Public House and back again.

Born out of a widespread fervour for ‘Merrie England’, the morris dance revival was part of a campaign to locate and restore an English tradition of music and dance.

This talk will provide a brief overview of the revival movement from the ‘Shakespearean Bidford Morris’ of the 1880s through to the Festival of Britain in 1951.  Along the way, we will encounter antiquarians and composers, social workers and radical vicars, artisan weavers and rural revivalists. Click on the link below to book a place and you will be sent a Zoom link to access the event.

Linda Glanville and Pauline Woods-Wilson will teach a newly devised Border-style dance for solo dancers in a square space.  This can also be danced by 2 dancers in the same square space, or multiple solo dancers in separate spaces.  It is a single step dance with 5 figures and 6 choruses.  The workshop is aimed at those who already have Border or Cotswold dancing experience.
The dance will be taught first with a standard chorus, then variations for a 'progressive' chorus will be provided for more experienced dancers.  Music will be provided by Jay Glanville. Two will need 2 sticks or alternative implements. Click on the link below to book a place and you will be sent a Zoom link to access the event.

An illustrated talk on some of the more unusual English customs with songs and pictures presented by Gill and Barry Goodman. “Good Morning, Lords and Ladies” will lead you through the year to discover the magic, mystery and madness of English traditional customs in story, song and visual images – a truly “multi-media” presentation! Presentation for approx 1 hour, then 30 mins for Q&A. Click on the link below to book a place and you will be sent a Zoom link to access the event.

The history of morris dancing in Adderbury, the 1975 revival and what happened next, and the last 20 years. On 26th April 1975,  95 years since their previous demise, Adderbury Morris seemed to spring fully formed into the world again. Of course this is only part of the revival story and hides what went on during the years before that momentous day. In this talk you will discover some history of morris dancing in Adderbury and what sparked the revival in 1975. You will also find out how the dancing developed over the years and what the Adderbury Morris Men do now. Click on the link below to book a place and you will be sent a Zoom link to access the event.

Rhys Boorman is running a 'return to dancing fitness' programme starting with a 'live' session on Sunday 21st March, and another 'live' session 6 weeks later on Sunday 2nd May. In between the two 'live' sessions, Rhys and the Morris Federation will be sending you workout sessions to focus on improving your fitness in preparation for (finally!) returning to dance practice and/or dancing out.. Click on the link below to book a place and you will be sent a Zoom link to access the event.

Records of sword dancing can be found dating as far back as the fourteenth century, and enough books and articles have been written about it to form a small library.  Much of what has been written focuses upon the action, the events.  This talk takes a look at the people who danced, focusing on Britain and northern Europe from the fourteenth to the nineteenth century, and in particular at certain rare cases where we can investigate individual named dancers and find out a surprising amount about them. Click on the link below to book a place and you will be sent a Zoom link to access the event.

Johnny Haslett takes us on a tour of his book Morris Dancers and Rose Queens (volume 1) - an anthology of reported Carnivals and Galas in West Lancashire between 1888 and 1900, together with the accompanying morris dancing activity. Johnny Haslett has published 3 volumes of Morris  Dancers and Rose Queens; Volume 4 will be out soon. Click on the link below to book a place and you will be sent a Zoom link to access the event.