Where did Morris dancers originate from?
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 morris dancers paint their faces?
Blackface and disguise, often in a pagan themed context have their own history which intersects with morris tradition. There is evidence from the 1450s onward of the blackening of faces with charcoal as a means to evade identification, and in association with pagan themes.
What is the point of Morris dancers?
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.
Who began morris dancing?
Erasmus Grasser, a German sculptor, created 16 realistic animated wooden figures in the late 15th century called the Morris dancers. Two ships named Morris Dance have served in the Royal Navy in the 20th Century.
Why are morris dancers called morris?
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.
Why do morris dancers wave hankies?
Their companions, dressed in white, with bells around their knees and black hats adorned with flowers atop their heads, begin to dance. They wave white handkerchiefs as they skip and hop in time with the music, the jangling of the bells adding to the celebratory mood. This is traditional Morris Dancing.
What is maypole day?
Every year on May 1, dancers weave ribbons around a maypole. Every year, you can celebrate the first day of May by watching dancers weave ribbons around a maypole. This tradition dates back centuries and is as woven in origin theories as the ribbons themselves.
Is morris dancing Scottish?
Morris Dancing is traditionally seen as the preserve of Englishmen, but the Banchory group believe its roots are in Scotland with records showing groups in towns and cities like Aberdeen, Elgin and Edinburgh in the mid-16th century.
What is ribbon dancing?
Chinese ribbon dancing is a traditional art form that originates in ancient China. Using sharp, rhythmic movements and long colorful ribbons, dancers are usually female and perform to traditional Chinese music.
What kind of dance is a morris dance?
A Short History of Morris Dancing. Morris dance is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers, usually wearing bell pads on their shins. Implements such as sticks, swords and handkerchiefs may also be wielded by the dancers.
When did the first Morris dancer start blacking up?
The earliest reference to morris dancing in England dates from 1448, but blacking up doesn’t become common until the mid-19th century. The earliest reference to blacking up in border morris is in 1855 and an onlooker’s comment makes it clear that it results from the influence of blackface minstrelsy.
Who are some famous people from Morris dancing?
Several English folklorists were responsible for recording and reviving the tradition in the early 20th century, often from a bare handful of surviving members of mid-19th-century village sides. Among these, the most notable are Cecil Sharp, Maud Karpeles, and Mary Neal.
Where did Cecil Sharp see the morris dance?
Cecil Sharp was visiting at a friend’s house in Headington, near Oxford, when the Headington Quarry Morris side arrived to perform. Sharp was intrigued by the music and collected several tunes from the side’s musician, William Kimber, including Country Gardens.