Morris dance

to forget

about Morris dancing.

So there's the Bedford Morris and then...

There's the Hemlock Morris.

We're putting it out there.

So

we don't want Minions, Morris Dancing, or Troop of Spider-Men.

We don't want that.

Certain it is that the bagpipe was extremely popular in pre-Reformation days.

Morris Dance The ancient Pyrrhic dance found its development in England in the Morris dance, which first appeared about the year 1400, and attained considerable popularity.

A piper was one of the invariable characters, and the dance was always performed to the accompaniment of the bagpipes, or the pipe and tabour.

May Games but it was at the may day revels that the bagpiper was heard at his best right through the fifteenth century there are indications of the extraordinary popularity of may games all over england the characters who performed in these revels were as a rule the lady of the may a fool a piper and three dancers In the case of the Robin Hood pageants, the Piper was also in evidence, in the company of the famous outlaws Friar Tuck, Little John, Maid Marian, the Hobby Horse, Dragon, etc.

1583.

Whether,

as a result of Stubbs' book, or from an incipient puritanical tendency we find morris dances on sunday forbidden in fifteen eighty five under the date of may thirteenth fifteen eighty five a circular was issued by the bishop of winchester forbidding church ales may games morris dances and other vain pastimes on the sabbath days throughout his diocese One of the oldest known tunes for the English Morris dance is Stane's Morris, preserved in William Ballet's Lute Book, dated 1593, and subsequently, 1651, printed in the first edition of Playford's Dancing Master.

Another popular Morris dance of the 16th century is the King's Morisco, contained in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book.

Recently, she moved to BBC Six Music, where she now presents Dreamtime in what she says is their weirdo corner.

earlier this year her first book was published finding albion which was long listed for the women's prize for non-fiction writer martin green described it as haunting and magnificent our discussion took in the complicated life of folk godfather cecil sharp hanging out with druids at stonehenge the roots of morris dancing and does grime qualify as folk music you're listening to late night tales on the record You've written a book.

I know, I know.

Give the viewer or the listener a little idea of what your book's about, because it's not what I expected.

So, you know, lots of people would sort of deem folk expressions to be things that have been passed down for several generations.

You know, perhaps the conventional view is things that have like happened in rural spaces.

You know, more classic kind of examples of British folk culture are things like Morris dancing, the Mary Lloyd tradition in Wales, which is the kind of wintertime ritual, you could say, where people go from door to door with a like a horse's skull, sort of an exchange for treats and cash to bring good luck for the year ahead.

It could be kind of old stories, you know, tales of Robin Hood and things like that that have come under folk, kind of folk tales.

Hamluck, read by Peter Tucker.

Morris Dancers.

Saga, an old fiddler.

Read by Brad Philippone.

SCENE I.

THE VILLAGE GREEN.

ENTER CUDDY BANKS WITH THE MORRIS DANCERS.

Nay, Cuddy, prithee, do not leave us now.

I, I, I always...

They have a lot of Morris dancing, uh, down in my area, and, um-

I didn't know

...

Do you think it, do you think it would suit me?

I think it probably would suit you.

I think you'd fit right into a Morris dancing group.

[laughs]

Hamluck, read by Peter Tucker.

Morris Dancers.

Saga, an old fiddler.

Read by Brad Philippor.

SCENE I.

THE VILLAGE GREEN.

Enter Cuddy Banks with the Morris Dancers.

Nay, Cuddy, prithee, do not leave us now.

And he was the first person in your family to get involved in the Morris stuff as well, wasn't he?

In the Morris dancing, yeah, because he...

Well, in those days, country dancers tended to do everything.

So any Morris men, only Morris men dancing, they would be from the country dance groups.

And he was one of them, so he got into the Morris dancing through the country dancing.

And he ended up, there was a local side called Wirral Morrismen, and he ended up as a musician for them.

I think he joined them with the intention of doing some dancing.

And so, yes, I was brought into it like that.

Hamluck, read by Peter Tucker.

Morris Dancers.

Saga, an old fiddler.

Read by Brad Philippone.

SCENE I.

THE VILLAGE GREEN.

ENTER CUDDY BANKS WITH THE MORRIS DANCERS.

Nay, Cuddy, prithee, do not leave us now.

Chorus and Rabble, read by Elizabeth Klett

Lords and Ladies of the Court, Clansmen, Squires, Knights, Soldiers, Morris Dancers, Wrestlers, Archers, et cetera, et cetera.

Stage directions read by Lydia.

End of introduction and dramatis personae.

The castle park, the bells ringing, Fitzjames and many nobles on horseback at the top of the stage.

In the spaces between the wings, horsemen are placed to keep the ground clear.

The sports commence with the Morris dancers.

The dance over, the wrestling begins.