The Morris Federation

The UK's largest association of morris and traditional dance teams

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12 December 2020

Cotswold for Beginners Workshops online

The Morris Federation launched a series of online workshops, talks and demos over Winter 2020-2021.  Here is a review of our first Cotswold Morris workshop held over 3 weeks in November/December 2020, for around 60 participants to learn ‘Jockey to the Fair’ in the style of Ilmington.

“I’d never thought about dancing Cotswold before 2020. I didn’t grow up with Morris, and when I discovered North West in my 30s, I thought I’d found my niche. Cotswold, with its capers and galleys, has always felt like something I wouldn’t be able to manage. But then the pandemic hit, and with it the realisation that the North West tradition has precisely one solo dance. So I decided to give jigs a try…

“The early months of the pandemic saw me out on the decking, phone in hand, as I slowly learned the Nutting Girl from my Chiltern Hundreds team-mate Owain Boorman’s instruction video. When the Morris Federation announced a series of three Sunday morning workshops with the Knights of King Ina, of course I jumped at it.

Sarah Sennett“Week one was fairly gentle, with a group of over 70 participants, mainly dancers in other traditions – although several people commented that they had lost fitness due to lack of dancing opportunities. Andrew and Lin took us through the basic steps that are the backbone of the dance, as well as emphasising the importance of warming up and stretching out at the end of a session.

“The second week took us through the rest of the chorus and the first slows (feet crossed – apart – together if you’re not familiar with the dance). I always thought I had strong legs, but half a dozen repetitions of slows and capers left me lying on the floor with shaking legs and a new-found respect for Cotswold dancers everywhere. More practice is needed I feel…

“Andrew had warned us in advance that the third and final session would involve some high kicking and to be well warmed up before we started. After recapping what we’d already learned, we went through the second slows; a sequence of claps above the head, under your leg (hence those warm ups!) and behind your back. And there you have it – in three sessions, we’d learned the whole thing and had the chance to dance it through a few times.

Andrew Knight“Andrew also impressed some style points upon us, including posture, owning the space and the importance of buying your musician a beer! I think all of us owe several pints to Tony, who sat in his car outside Andrew’s house so that they could hear each other and still not “meet” as per requirements. What a hero!

“So will you see me adding a Cotswold jig to my Morris performances when we’re allowed out in public again? Doubtful. But will I be seeking out workshops in my newly-learned style, both online and at future festivals? Can’t wait.

by Sarah Sennett, member of Chiltern Hundreds North West Morris in Watford, Hertfordshire

The workshop was kindly run by dancers Andrew Knight and Lin Steel with musician Tony Warren, all from the Knights of King Ina jig team in Somerset.

Donations from workshop participants raised money for Yeovil Freewheelers Blood Bikes: https://www.yfwbloodbikes.org/

Filed Under: Current Members, News Tagged With: Cotswold, dancing, morris

5 November 2020

Morris in the Museum in Bedford

It is not often Morris dancing can be said to have made history but Redbornstoke Morris (1976-2018) and Bedfordshire Lace Morris (1981-2016) are the focus of a new display at The Higgins Museum in Bedford.

The display uses the the story of these two sides to explore the nature of “Tradition” and how traditions can change over time.  Titled Innovation & Tradition: 40 years of Morris, the display is on until October 2021 so there will still be time to see it after the current lockdown. The display was curated by Chas Leslie, a volunteer at The Higgins who also danced with Redbornstoke Morris for 20yrs.

Both based in Ampthill, Bedfordshire, Redbornstoke Morris created their own style of dances, and Bedfordshire Lace was the first women’s morris team in Bedfordshire. The display contains items various items donated or loaned by members of the two teams including the rag coat Jenny Howard wore as the Bedfordshire Lace Fool and the smock Jerry Griffiths wore as Fool in the early years of Redbornstoke Morris.

See the exhibition: Innovation & Tradition: 40 Years of Morris at the Higgins Museum, Bedford:  https://www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk/Exhibitions/40_Years_of_Morris/

Redbornstoke & Bedfordshire Lace Exhibition Higgins Museum 2020

Filed Under: Current Members, News Tagged With: ampthill, archive, bedford, bedfordshire lace, Cotswold, dancing, harris museum, history, morris, redbornstoke

2 May 2020

Zooming up the Sun

May Day is a popular day for Morris dancing, as a start to the morris ‘season’ of performing, rather than practising.  Some teams get up and ‘dance up the sun’ at dawn (about 05:31).  Then go off to a pub for a hearty breakfast.

But this year it is different.  With social distancing, morris teams are turning to Zoom, or other conferencing software, so they can meet up virtually and enjoy the first morris event of the year.

Here are 2 sets of Hammersmith Morris dancing ‘Bampton Sidestep’ on May Day, very distanced from each other, and dancing nowhere near their local pub.  They also had to make their own breakfasts.

And further north, Pecsaetan Morris from Sheffield dancing ‘Haste to the Wedding’ at dawn on May Day.

Nationally – and internationally – there has also been a series of Lone Morris Festivals started by Kath Brickell of Anonymous Morris from Poole, Dorset.  See the results of the May Day Lone Morris Festival by searching for the hash tag #MayDayLMF.  See posts tagged #MayDayLMF on ‘How many Morris Dancers are on Facebook?’.  See previous ones at: #LoneMorrisFestival on Sat 21st March 2020 and #LoneMorrisFestival on Sat 25th March 2020.

More info on Hammersmith Morris Men and Pecsaetan Morris

Filed Under: Current Members, News Tagged With: #lonemorrisfestival, #MayDayLMF, Cotswold, dancing, hammersmith, jig, morris, morris dancing, zoom

28 March 2020

Learn a morris jig

While morris dancers are self-isolating during the Covid-19 outbreak, The Morris Federation has asked several jig dancers up and down the country to video themselves teaching a morris jig so that other dancers can learn a solo jig dance at their own pace.

The first one is Fieldtown – Nutting Girl – danced and taught by Owain Boorman of Clausentum Morris from Southampton, with musician Rimini Dick-Carr.

Now is your chance to learn a new morris jig.

See The Morris Federation’s Youtube channel for this video and more as they become available.

Filed Under: Current Members, News Tagged With: Cotswold, dancing, instructional, jig, morris, morris dancing, video

9 November 2019

New teams in Ripon and Newcastle

Read in the FedExtra magazine about two new teams:

Ripon Spur Rapper

Ripon Spur Rapper, a new mixed Rapper dance team in North Yorkshire, had their first dance out in April 2019.  They thank Frank Lee for making their swords, and Vince Rutland for his tuition.

Black Gate Morris

Black Gate Morris, a new mixed Cotswold dancing team in Newcastle, is named for a gate of the castle from which the city takes its name, and had their first dance out in summer 2019.  They thank Hexham Morris for their assistance and support.

Read about both teams in the FedExtra magazine, Summer 2019, page 8, and pages 12-13

For more information on the teams, see: Ripon Spur Rapper and Black Gate Morris

 

 

Filed Under: Current Members, News Tagged With: black gate, Cotswold, morris, newcastle, rapper, Ripon

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26 February 2021

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26 February 2021

More online Talks & Workshops to April

23 February 2021

Upcoming Events

  1. Talk – Morris Music – a history – Taborers Society (LIVE on Zoom)

    Saturday 6 March @ 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
  2. Workshops – Clog Stepping for Intermediate – Melanie Barber (LIVE on Zoom)

    Sunday 7 March @ 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
  3. Talk – Sussex Bonfires – Keith & Heather Leech (LIVE on Zoom)

    Sunday 7 March @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
  4. Talk – Clogs in Britain & Beyond – Michael Jackson (LIVE on Zoom)

    Saturday 13 March @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
  5. Workshop – Fiddle Playing for Morris – Sarah Matthews (LIVE on Zoom)

    Sunday 14 March @ 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

View All Events

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