TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Good evening, young Simon.  You won't remember me, but I was the 19th century Prime Minister whose toes you trod on during your Cecil Sharp Unplugged tour.  No please, don't apologise, a few broken toes are nothing to an urban warrior like me.  But you danced for us, dear boy, and it was delightful. :D

So tell us more about this English Ethnic Dancing business.  How did you learn it?  How do I go about learning it?  What's happening on the dance scene and where can I get some?

your humble, hobbling servant
Sir Robert Peel

 

I learnt my dancing with the Moulton Morris Men in the seventies. I started when i was nine. I can't imagine not doing it. If you want to learn you need to contact your nearest side and buy them lots of beer until they let you join.
The dance scene is growing rapidly at the moment.....morris dancing has almost become cool again.
I firmly believe that everybody should have to be in a morris side for a year when they turn eighteen.....bit like national service.

You have obviously never been to North Wales then

Thats why morris dancing is english!

I hope your 'traditional ' approach to morris allows both sexes to enjoy a gentle caper!

Our team is a men only team but we don't have any problems with women's teams......personally i don't like mixed teams but that is only because of the difference in body shapes.

Ah, but every morris side contains a wide variety of body shapes!  :D

One of my brothers used to be in a rapper team. He was 6ft 6in, the rest of the team were under 6ft... He was the sore thumb of the side  ;D I'm amazed he didn't lose his head with the swords.

Cheers

Nick

I don't like mixed Cotswold, particularly if either sex are on the more 'mature' side; but some dances do seem to be quite suited to a gentler style of dancing ( I wanted to put graceful, but many men's sides are more graceful than we are!) and the 'earthier' side of the dances works better for same sex sides I think.

There is a new rapper side in Stony Stratford especially fo people over 6 feet tall. If you want more details let me know

An innocent asks: What's a rapper side?

Ah, now brother would be interested, except he's just moved to Copenhagen. I might be interested too if I didn't have 2 left feet  :-[

Cheers

Nick

A rapper side is a team of sword dancers who use bendy steel swords called rappers.
Nothing to do with Eminem

It looks very dramatic when done well, but there don't seem to be a lot of variety in the dances...

This is a rapper side...

(http://www.thedemonbarbers.com/Portals/0/BlackSwan/bs5.jpg)

...bendy swords instead of sticks and hankies. Lots of twisting and spinning around and over each other.

For extra points, do it with fire, like this...

(http://www.thedemonbarbers.com/Portals/0/BlackSwan/bs8.jpg)

Cheers

Nick

 :o     Oh all right, it can be different!! I take it back Nick!!

Thats not just 'a' rapper side Nick. If I am not mistaken that is Black Swan Rapper, the BEST, IMHO. ;D

Sandra

That's right. Black Swan Rapper.

You can see them around in their own right or as part of the Demon Barber Roadshow.

I'm still waiting to see them do the spinny thing and the flaming swords thing at the same time though...  ;D

Cheers

Nick

One of our local sides, the wonderful Black Pig, have urm black faces.... now what's that all about??

(http://members.aol.com/YMorley/greenman.jpg)

Puggzz

Isn't that something to do with the puritans banning it, and them having to wear a disguise.

Paul

Can the much persecuted 17th century puritans be blamed for everything!

I thought the black face came from the inclusion of the morrocan Prince or 'blackamoor' into the morris or mummer.  Alternatively it was an 18th century disguise and so a product of the Anglican ascendancy and not the 'puritan' era.

The moorish thing is not true.
The reason that Border Morris dancers coloured their faces was purely for disguise. They were all probably in full employment and to go out collecting money through dance was considered moonlighting. So to avoid recognition from their bosses they blacked - up with soot.
Thats the most obvious reason i have ever heard.

The side my husband dances with have the option to black-up in green in case they think it is offensive to the watching public or is not PC.  Green faces look mighty weird!   ;D