The Morris Federation

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

Learn a morris jig

Owain Boorman Fieldtown Nutting Girl photo
Owain Boorman teaching

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.

Coronavirus Covid-19 and The Morris

No doubt you have all heard that folk and morris-related events in March, April, May and June have been cancelled, with more sure to follow; many teams have cancelled their practices until further notice, to keep us all safe.

Although Morris/Molly/Sword/Mumming/Clog Step/Appalachian dancing is “essential” to us personally, we know that we need to look after each other and make sensible decisions.

In this time of people being physically distant, some are returning, or coming afresh, to social media to stay in touch, and there has been a lot of good humour in the chatter on social media.

image of New Esperance Morris practice by video conference
New Esperance Morris practice by video conference

Several teams are experimenting with using video conferencing technology to meet ‘virtually’ with team members at their usual practice day/time, either for a chat and a wave, or to actually practice jigs and clog stepping.  They are an innovative bunch of people and love their hobby so much that they don’t want to be without it in their lives, even for a short time.

When the threat of this virus has passed, and we are once more allowed to perform on the streets, there will be so much excitement there will be no stopping us!  We are all looking forward to that day.

Enjoy New Esperance Morris’ experiences with video conferencing on the New Esperance Morris Facebook site

Malkin Morris awarded grant for portable Maypole

photo of Malkin Morris - youngest and oldest members
Malkin Morris – youngest and oldest members

Malkin Morris, based in Roughlee near Pendle, Lancashire, have been awarded a grant by The Morris Federation for the purchase of a portable Maypole to be used to teach maypole dancing in schools.

Malkin Morris specialises in researching, performing and promoting the dances and tunes of Burnley, Pendle, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley in Lancashire. They offer workshops to schools and community organisations on north west processional morris clog dance, step dance, and local tunes.

In particular, Burnley has its own maypole songs.

For more information on the team see: Malkin Morris

Grant for East Sussex Schools Dance Festival

East Sussex Schools Dance Festival (ESSDF) has been awarded a grant from The Morris Federation towards provision of tutors to teach morris dancing in May 2020.

The tutors will teach morris dancing at a number of primary schools in East Sussex, with a combined day of activities for participating children at Plumpton Race Course.

The Festival day on 20th May 2020 will involve morris-related activity in the morning, and performances by the participating children in the afternoon.  The festival aims to get young children actively engaged with the Morris and traditions, including Morris, Molly, Maypole and social dancing, and raise awareness amongst children and their parents of the active dance community and local sides.

The team of tutors will be dancers and musicians of Brighton Morris Men, The Knots of May, Chanctonbury Ring Morris Men, Long Man Morris Men, and Traditional Arts Development.

Financial support has been provided by: The Morris Federation, The Morris Ring, EFDSS, Ashdown Morris, Brighton Morris, Chanctonbury Ring Morris, Cuckoos Nest Morris, Temporary Measured, The Orchard Project, Longman Morris, Mish Mash Morris, Ditchling Morris, plus individual sponsors.

For more information on the East Sussex Schools Dance Festival see: ESSDF

Cecil Sharp’s People – web site launched

Cecil Sharp circa 1900

David Sutcliffe, a freelance researcher in Taunton, has developed a one-stop website for all the singers, musicians and dancers who met Cecil Sharp, as he travelled around England collecting folk music and dance between 1903-23. You can read about the lives of over 650 individuals in hundreds of locations.

See the Cecil Sharp’s People web site at: cecilsharpspeople.org.uk

A Maltwood grant from the Somerset Archaeological & Natural History Society has supported this project.  The support of the English Folk Dance & Song Society is much appreciated – in allowing reproduction of Sharp’s photo collection and in making available its library resources and staff time.

 

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