Why do Morris dancers wear black makeup?
Our traditions do not operate in a vacuum. While no morris dancer wants to cause offence, we must recognise that full face black or other skin tone makeup is a practice that has the potential to cause deep hurt. Morris is a living tradition and it is right that it has always adapted and evolved to reflect society.
Why are Morris dancers so called?
The word Morris apparently derived from “morisco,” meaning “Moorish.” Cecil Sharp, whose collecting of Morris dances preserved many from extinction, suggested that it might have arisen from the dancers’ blacking their faces as part of the necessary ritual disguise.
Is morris dancing dying out?
Morris dancing could be extinct within two decades because the young are too embarrassed to take part. Members of the English folk dance troupes have dwindled dramatically while the age of dancers is increasing, according to the Morris Ring.
What does morris dancing represent?
Morris dancing is a celebration, a display of dance and music performed at seasonal festivals and holidays to banish the dark of winter, celebrate the warmth and fertility of summer, and bring in autumn’s golden harvest.
What is a Morris man?
(ˈmɒrɪs) n. (Dancing) any of various old English folk dances usually performed by men (morris men) to the accompaniment of violin, concertina, etc. The dancers are adorned with bells and often represent characters from folk tales. Often shortened to: morris.
How does a maypole work?
Dancing around a maypole involves a group of people taking a coloured ribbon attached to it and weaving around each other, often to music. The dance creates a multi-coloured pattern which creeps steadily down the pole. The dancers then reverse their steps to undo the ribbons.
Where does morris dancing originated from?
England
Our style of dancing originated in the cotton mill towns and pit villages of the North West of England, where clogs were the usual type of working footwear and where the Morris tradition was performed by men, women and children.
Why do we dance around the Maypole?
Maypole dancing is a tradition on May Day. It is believed to have started in Roman Britain around 2,000 years ago, when soldiers celebrated the arrival of spring by dancing around decorated trees thanking their goddess Flora. The dance creates a multi-coloured pattern which creeps steadily down the pole.
When did morris dancing originate?
1448
What we do know though is that Morris dancing has a long recorded history in this country, the earliest reference being from 1448. One origin of this form of dance probably originated in the European courts of the fifteenth century.
What was morris dancing originally used for?
North West Morris The original dances were inspired by workers in the cotton weaving industries in the North West of England. The patterns danced represented the designs and working of the looms and shuttles. Many were associated with rushbearing celebrations which led to the processional nature of the dance.
Is morris dancing a fertility dance?
The exact origin of morris dancing remains shrouded in mystery – the earliest records found date from the rule of Henry VI in the 15th century, however it is believed that the dance predates these written accounts. Some believe it to be a harvest dance, others claim it is a fertility rite.
What does the ribbons around the maypole stand for?
Originally, the maypole was a living tree. Over time it usually became a tree trunk of the correct height, age, and type (usually pine or birch). Some say that the tree represented masculine energy, and the ribbons and floral garlands that adorned it represented feminine energy.