Morris dance

Morris dance is an English folk dance tradition. Its earliest surviving mentions date from the fifteenth century (a payment in London in 1448), though earlier origins are debated. Dancers usually wear bell pads on the shins and carry sticks, swords, handkerchiefs or other props. The music was traditionally played on pipe and tabor or fiddle, and today most often on the melodeon.

Several regional styles exist, including Cotswold, North West, Border, Longsword, Rapper sword and Molly dancing. Interest revived after Cecil Sharp saw the Headington Quarry side on Boxing Day 1899 and collected their tunes. The Morris Ring was formed in 1934, the Morris Federation in 1974, followed by Open Morris, and over a thousand sides now dance in England and in countries such as the USA, Canada and Australia.

Sources

• About Morris (The Morris Ring)
• What is morris? (The Morris Federation)
• Morris dance (Wikipedia)

Organisations connected with this dance

• The Morris Ring
• The Morris Federation
• Open Morris
• English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS), Cecil Sharp House

Listed as references; being listed is not an endorsement by or of the organisation.

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