Morris Dancing FAQs [History]

...And The Ladies Go Dancing: The website presents two chapters from an as yet unfinished book documenting the rise of women's morris sides in the United Kingdom during the the 1970s. The full title is ' "...And The Ladies Go Dancing" The start of a history of modern women's Morris Dancing'.; • Homepage: <http://www.ukppg.org.uk/womens-history-parker.html>; • Maintainer: Val Parker <val.parker@biscit.biz>; • Categories: History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2004-10-15

A History of Morris Dancing in and around Lymm and Statham: Overviews the locale's history in terms of its traditions of Morris Dancing, Rushbearing, Whit Monday, May customs, and Carnival Morris. Page associated with the Thewall Morris Men's website.; • Homepage: <http://www.thelwallmorris.org.uk/lymm_book/contents.htm>; • Thewall Morris Men: <http://www.thelwallmorris.org.uk/>; • Maintainer: Andrew White [Contact Form]; • Categories: Carnival Morris : History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2004-11-23

An Introductory Bibliography on Morris Dancing: This annotated bibliography compiled by Mike Heaney is based on the holdings of the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library of the EFDSS and is a revision of the late Russell Wortley's Bibliography of the Morris Dance, published in 1975 as Library Leaflet no.16. One of its stated purposes is to "provide those who already know something of morris dancing with more detailed information about the dances they know and their background, and to widen their knowledge about all the various types of morris."; • Bibliography (html): <http://www.efdss.org/morrisbib.htm>; • Bibliography (pdf): <http://www.efdss.org/morris3.pdf>; • Maintainer: Mike Heaney <michael.heaney@bodley.ox.ac.uk>; • Categories: Bibliographies : History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2006-03-15

Andy Anderson's Border Morris Notes: Andy Anderson has generously posted the notes from a series of border morris and stave dancing workshops that he has conducted. With Red Stags, he is best known for composing new border dances, but he is also a border morris historian with 25 years of experience.; • Red Stags Dances: <http://www.pd49.dial.pipex.com/morris/choreog/toplevel.shtml>; • Brochure: <http://www.pd49.dial.pipex.com/morris/bordern/bordern.htm>; • Workshop Notes: <http://www.pd49.dial.pipex.com/morris/workshop.html>; • Maintainer: Andy Anderson <pd49@dial.pipex.com>; • Categories: Dance Notes : History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2003-03-09

Annals of Early Morris: by John Forrest & Michael Heaney
CECTAL in association with the Morris Ring, 1991
ISSN 0309-9229, Bibliographical and Special Series, No.6; An index of all known references to morris starting with the Wetenhale reference of 1458 and ending at 1750 when references to morris tend to conform to the modern sense of the dance. The work consists of a section of tabular data categorizing the nature of the published references, a bibliography of the sources, a place name index, and cross-references by source types.; • Available: <http://www.themorrisring.org/Shop.htm>; • Categories: Books : History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2006-03-23

Bedlam Morris: by Michael Heaney
Chandler Publications, 1985
ISBN 0 947801 03 0; This booklet was an expanded version of a lecture given at the Vaughn Williams Library on 25 January, 1985. In it, the author presents the first modern study on the origin and structure of Bedlam morris (now better known as border morris).; • Categories: Books : History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2004-12-07

Betley Window: The original "Betley Window" which is in the British Galleries of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England, is famous for containing a very early representation of morris dancers. These web pages discuss everything you ever wanted to know about the Betley Window and its copies - and probably more!; • Homepage: <http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.e.price/betley.htm>; • Maintainer: John Price <john.price@zetnet.co.uk>; • Categories: History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2003-11-06

Chipping Campden Morris Dancers - An Outline History: This is a reproduction of an article written by Keith Chandler that appeared in the Morris Dancer in 1997. It documents the decline and revival of one of the traditional morris teams in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.; Keith Chandler, 'Chipping Campden Morris Dancers - an outline history', The Morris Dancer 3, number 4 (February 1997), 111-116.; • Team History: <http://www.rootsweb.com/~engcots/MorrisMen.html>; • Maintainer: Keith Chandler <keithc650@aol.com>; • Categories: History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2004-06-15

Early morris in North America: According to the author, this history is based primarily on a number of messages posted by various individuals to the Morris Dancing Discussion List, supplemented by material from early issues of the American Morris Newsletter. It tracks the beginnings of interest in morris dancing in the United States in the 1950s and 60s, and the rise of the first performing teams in the late 1960s.; • Homepage: <http://www.richholmes.net/morris/usa_history.html>; • Maintainer: Richard Holmes [Contact Form]; • Categories: History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2003-02-16

English Folk Dance Project: The English Folk Dance Music Project makes, collects and preserves recordings of the dance tunes and songs that are commonly heard in connection with the traditional English dance. The eventual aim is to create a collection of recorded tunes which will serve both as a reference for the future, and as a source of entertainment. The first volume of this series, "The Folk Dance Music of the Cotswolds" is underway and will include five musical CDs and a CD ROM of audio visual material. A quiescent discussion group exists.; • Homepage: <http://www.englishfolkdance.org/>; • CD Set: <http://www.acornrecords.co.uk/cotset.shtml>; • Yahoo Group List: <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/englishfolkdanceproject/>; • Categories: Discussion Groups : History : Sales/Shops

FAQ Entry Updated: 2002-12-08

Francis Shergold: Veteran Morris dancer, singer, musician: by Keith Chandler
Musical Traditions, Article MT013. (October 24, 2002); Francis Shergold resigned as Squire of the Bampton Morris in November 1995, after an astonishing 60 years as dancer with the side - 45 of those as Squire. He was awarded the Gold Medal of the EFDSS in 1996, as had the former Squire, 'Jinky' Wells, some 38 years before.; • Article: <http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/shergold.htm>; • Maintainer: Rod Stradling <rod@mustrad.org.uk>; • Categories: History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2005-01-13

History of Morris Dancing, 1438-1750: by John Forrest
James Clarke and Co., Ltd, 1999
ISBN 0-227679-43-1 (UK hardcover)
ISBN 0-227679-44-X (UK papercover)
(Studies in Early English Drama; 5)
University of Toronto Press, 1999
ISBN 0-8020-0921-2 (North America)

The author suggests that morris dancing does not have pagan or ancient origins. The book examines the passage of dance ideas between groups of people who have conventionally been considered folklorically distinct and ties morris traditions into the wider area of communal customs and public celebrations.; • Publisher: <http://www.lutterworth.com/jamesclarke/jc/titles/morris.htm>; • Available: <http://www.TheMorrisRing.org/Sales.htm>; • Out of print: <http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0802009212>; • Categories: Books : History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2004-10-14

History of the Pinewoods Morris Men: Describes the formation of Pinewoods Morris Men, first as a loose assemblage of dancers who met annually at the Country Dance Society's Pinewoods Camp, then, encouraged by Nibs Matthews, director of the EFDSS and former squire of the Morris Ring, as a notional "national team" whose membership seeded the creation of regional American teams in the 1960s and 70s following the English model, and finally as a team in its own right.; • History: <http://www.pinewoodsmorris.org/history.html>; • Maintainer: Martin (Shag) Graetz <webmaster@pinewoodsmorris.org>; • Categories: History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2006-03-24

How to dance the revived ancient dances: By Ardern Holt.
London, H. Cox, 1907.; This book is reproduced as part of the Library of Congress's "American Memory Project" collection of dance instruction manuals. It is interesting because it has a section on "Morris Dancing". The notes on the LOC website have this to say about the book: "Holt begins his discussion with a history of "chorography" and the work of famed eighteenth-century dancing masters and choreographers... Holt's interpretations bear no resemblance to the originals; however, they do clearly illuminate the romanticized aura that began to surround such dances as the minuet during the nineteenth century."; • Homepage: <http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/musdibib:@field(NUMBER+@band(musdi+200))>; • Dance Notes: <http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/musdi:@field(DOCID+@lit(M20038))#2000121>; • Categories: Dance Notes : History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2004-11-22

Jack-in-the-Green: A May Day Custom, 2nd edition: by Roy Judge
Folklore Society, 2000
ISBN 0-903515-20-2

The book contains a mass of print-data combined with over forty plates depicting the Jack-in-the-Green and other May Day figures. This recent revision includes new evidence and an entirely new section on recent interpretations of the Jack-in-the-Green, both in the context of increasing interest in festivals that include the figure and in its relationship to the related phenomenon of the Green Man. The book is organized in three parts: the first is an historical survey of evidence for the figure in the eighteenth century, including information about other related May Day traditions. The second section is an analysis of the material from 1830--1900. Judge offers descriptions of the tradition and evidence to document its widespread occurrence. The third section is an examination of the decline of the figure and its subsequent revival in recent decades. The remainder of the book is dedicated to a gazetteer of dated references to the Jack-in-the-Green, organized by location.; • Available: <http://www.cdss.org/sales/english_dance.html>; • Available: <http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0903515202/>; • Categories: Books : Characters : History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2004-12-07

John Kirkpatrick's Morris Dancing: A series of articles that appeared in English Dance & Song and the American Morris Newsletter on border morris in general and his interpretation, through performance with his team, Shropshire Bedlams, in particular. No dance notation but well written and providing good background information even if you disagree with his conclusions.; • Homepage: <http://www.johnkirkpatrick.co.uk/morris.htm>; • Maintainer: John Kirkpatrick [Contact Form]; • Categories: Dance Notes : History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2002-12-08

Kemps nine daies vvonder: A web e-text edition of William Kemp's famous pamphlet recounting a nine day dancing exhibition he undertook in 1600. "Performed in a Morrice from London to Norwich. Wherein euery dayes iourney is pleasantly set downe, to satisfie his friends the truth, against all lying Ballad-makers; what he did, how hee was welcome, and by whome entertained." Part of "Renascence Editions : An Online Repository of Works Printed in English Between the Years 1477 and 1799".; • Homepage: <http://www.uoregon.edu/~rbear/kemp.html>; • 400th Anniversary: <http://www.ukppg.co.uk/9daiesmorris2000.html>; • Categories: History : Literary References

FAQ Entry Updated: 2004-06-10

Master Mummers

The creator of this useful site notes that the "Master Mummers is not in competition with the TDRG's www.folkplay.info website. Rather, Master Mummers complements it with new interactive resources. In fact you could call it the 'colour supplement' to the Folk Play Research website." The Master Mummers website currently holds:

A worldwide Directory of Folk Play Groups - details of over 250 groups, compiled from publicly available information. Mummers, guisers, and other folk play groups are encouraged to add or correct their entry in the listing
A Folk Play Scripts Explorer - that lets you search the scripts database by keyword, examine variants of the lines found, plot distribution maps for them, and so forth.
The beginnings of a 'Frequently Asked Questions' section - currently mainly performance advice.
A general mapping utility - letting you plot your own simple British & Irish distribution maps, using lists of OS & OSI Grid References.

The Directory of Folk Play Groups has been enhanced with a maps mashup where provided latitude and longitude coordinates displays the location in an embedded Google Map. For the UK, Grid References link to Ordnance Survey maps. At its simplest, you can display a map and/or satellite image of a group's home town. Alternatively, you can view a distribution map for a set of search results, and click on the markers for more information.

• Home: <http://www.mastermummers.org/>

• Directory of Folk Play Groups [Map Mashup]: <http://www.mastermummers.org/groupslist.php?format=googlemap&otCode=G>

• Maintainer: Peter Millington <peter.millington1@virgin.net>

• Categories: Directories : Events : History : Mumming/Ritual Drama

FAQ Entry Updated: 2007-07-21

Morris and Matachin: A Study in Comparative Choreography: by John Forrest
English Folk Dance and Song Society ; Centre for English Cultural Tradition and Language, University of Sheffield, 1984
(CECTAL publications, no. 4)
ISSN 0263-4805; A thesis on the origins of Cotswold morris and its similarities to the European matachin, including chapters on the history of morris dancing and previous scholarship.; • Available: <http://www.cdss.org/sales/english_dance.html>; • Categories: Books : History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2004-12-07

Morris Bibliography: Currently, this bibliography of morris-related journal articles is compiled from the MLA Bibliography, Humanities Abstracts, and ERIC databases. Citations go back to the 1930s, but by and large, most of the works are from 1981 and later. Updated irregularly.; • Bibliography: <http://tomkeays.com/morris/bibliography/>; • Maintainer: Tom Keays [Contact Form]; • Categories: Bibliographies : History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2005-02-11

Morris Dancing & Folk Customs : A series of talks by Roy Dommett: This website gives transcripts of two talks given by Roy Dommett at Sidmouth, Devon and Selling, Kent in 1979. They were originally recorded by John Lewis, then foreman of Great Western Morris, transcribed by Dick Yarwood and further edited by Rhiannon & Peter Collinson of Oyster Morris and published in printed form in 1982. Because of the recording equipment and setup, there are a few gaps. As the website says: "These transcripts should be viewed as historical documents. They are a snapshot of Roy's views and opinions in 1979 and are not necessarily his views and opinions at the present moment. There is much to enjoy and learn from in these transcripts, and plenty to agree (or disagree) with."; • Homepage: <http://www.ashe.greatxscape.net/Pages/dommett.html>; • Maintainer: Richard Ashe <richard@ashe.greatxscape.net>; • Categories: History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2002-12-08

Morris Dancing in the English South Midlands, 1660-1900: A Chronological Gazetteer: by Keith Chandler
Enfield Lock, Hisarlik Press, 1993
ISBN 1-874312-07-9; A county-by-county listing of the 147 confirmed performance locations of morris dancing in the region during the period. Each entry includes, where available: chronology of performance, with details of context and activity; list of participants with biographical details; details of accompanying musicians; list of known extant primary sources; further commentary on interpretation of data, where necessary.; Also available on the CD-ROM of Chandler's research distributed by the Morris Ring.; • Available: <http://www.themorrisring.org/Shop.htm>; • Available: <http://www.cdss.org/sales/english_dance.html>; • Categories: Books : History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2006-03-23

Morris Dancing on the Lancashire Plain: The Horwich Inquiry: by Pruw Boswell
Claughton Press for The Morris Ring, 1984; History and descriptions of the morris teams who danced in the Horwich area from 1890-1939. Includes appendices on costume, the dances, and tunes used.; • Available: <http://www.cdss.org/sales/english_dance.html>; • Categories: Books : History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2004-12-07

Morris, Sword, and Clog Dancing: English and American Performances 1976 - present: Beginning in 1976, when the Headington Quarry Morris Dancers performed on the Mall in Washington, DC for the US Bicentennial celebration, Dr. Tony Barrand and his students have documented English and North American groups performing the Morris, Sword, and Clog dances in public venues on film and video. The front page notes that the archive provides a "unique chronological record of change and non-change of dance movement and accompaniment-style through aging and generational replacement of dancers." The film quality, especially from the early years, is not always the best but it provides an essential record of the early history of morris in the US.; • Homepage: <http://www.bu.edu/dbin/dance>; • Announcement: <http://www.americanmorrisnews.org/current_issue/tonybarrandv25n1digitalvideoresearcharchive.html>; • Maintainer: Tony Barrand <barrand@adelphia.net>; • Categories: Archives/Libraries : History : Videos

FAQ Entry Updated: 2005-04-05

Observations on early images of 'morris dancers': by Mike Heaney
Musical Traditions, Article MT183. (March 15, 2004); Some of the earliest references to morris dances and dancers occur in inventories of goods. Two different wills proved in 1458 refer to ornamental vessels with depictions of morris dancers on them, and a tapestry listed as being in Caistor Castle in 1448 also had morris dancers on it. None of these goods survives, so we can only speculate on their appearance. Three sets of images which do survive appear to be related and perhaps can give some insight into the ways in which images of 'morris' were transmitted in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. All of them are well known, but the exact nature and the closeness of their relationship is not always recognised. Moreover, comparisons tend to be made at the level of the entire image, not at the level of the individual images within them. The three images are: the copperplate engraving by Israhel van Meckenem from about 1490; the Betley window; and the carved morris dance panel from Lancaster castle, probably early to mid sixteenth century.; • Full-text: <http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/e_morris.htm>; • Maintainer: Rod Stradling <rod@mustrad.org.uk>; • Categories: History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2005-03-15

One hundred fifty years of fiddle players and Morris dancing at Bampton, Oxfordshire: by Keith Chandler
Musical Traditions, No. 10, Spring 1992 (Article MT057); A history of the the modern Bampton morris through its musicians, documenting both the music and dance.; We cannot therefore be certain when the fiddle was first used to accompany the dancing, although the presence of a fiddler at Whit performances in the late 1850s and early 1860s was clearly regarded by some as an unwelcome novelty. A newspaper account of 1858 noted that "The dancing was very creditably performed, but we cannot approve of the substitution of a squeaking fiddle for the appropriate, and to our mind, orthodox tabor and pipe". The same correspondent reported in 1860 that "The old tabor and pipe and the Rebeck seem to be at a discount with the morris dancers, and an old cracked violin is the substitute employed instead". Again, in 1863, "The Morris dancers ... still obstinately persist in employing a squeaking 'fiddle', instead of the more legitimate tabor and pipe, notwithstanding what has been said respecting it, and which considerably marred the effect of the whole".; • Full-text: <http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/bampton.htm>; • Maintainer: Rod Stradling <rod@mustrad.org.uk>; • Categories: History : Instruments

FAQ Entry Updated: 2004-06-13

Origin of the Morris (Spurious): Red Herring Morris maintains this page of randomly displayed theories on the origin of morris. It grew out of a long time joke thread on the MDDL where different humorous explanations on morris origins were put forth. New theories pop up still and are collected here.; • Origins: <http://www.mit.edu/~jcb/Red_Herring/origins/>; • Maintainer: Jeff Bigler [Contact Form]; • Categories: History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2002-12-07

Rapper Online: The rapper sword dance is traditional to Northumberland and County Durham in England and is thought to have been performed by miners in the pit villages of Tyneside. It is peformed at speed by a team of five people continuously linked by flexible swords called rappers, which are weaved in and out of figures for display. The website includes dance notations (and links to more), a bibliography, notes on origin and history of the dance, and links to teams on the web.; • Homepage: <http://www.rapper.org.uk/>; • Dance Notation: <http://www.rapper.org.uk/notations/>; • Bibliography: <http://www.rapper.org.uk/bibliography.html>; • Maintainer: John Asher <john.asher@btinternet.com>; • Categories: Bibliographies : Dance Notes : History : Sword Dancing

FAQ Entry Updated: 2003-05-29

Ribbons, Bells and Squeaking Fiddles: Social History of Morris Dancing in the English South Midlands: by Keith Chandler
Enfield Lock, Hisarlik Press, 1993
ISBN 1-874312-06-0; A thorough reassessment examining the historical development and performance aspects of the morris dance in seven counties of the English South Midlands from 1660 to 1900. The author analyses the multiple contexts and meaning of performance to the participants and the community, transmission, generational continuity, patronage, the role of the fool, and aspects of music and musicians.; Book is out of print, but a CD-ROM of Chandler's reseach includes this book.; • Available (CD-ROM): <http://www.cdss.org/sales/english_dance.html>; • Categories: Books : History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2004-12-07

Room, Room, Ladies and Gentlemen: An Introduction to the English Mummers' Play: by Eddie Cass and Steve Roud
English Folk Dance and Song Society, in association with The Folklore Society, 2002
(English Folk Arts Series)
ISBN 0-85418-185

The book is intended as an introduction for those knowing little or nothing of the Mummers' Play and, as such, doesn't go into scholarly detail. The text makes it clear that the book is aimed partly at schools and groups of young people interested in starting the performance of a play for the first time. The book has five sections. Section 1 deals with History, Origins, Heyday and Decline, and Mummers Today. Section 2 covers the detail of the play and its performers: names of characters; types of performance; types of play; costumes; venues, attitudes and motives. Section 3 deals with everything you need to know about starting your own Mumming Play tradition. Section 4 covers finding material. The final section presents the texts of nine plays from a representative selection of types and areas.; • Available: <http://www.cdss.org/sales/english_dance.html>; • Available: <http://www.efdss.org/>; • Review: <http://www.mustrad.org.uk/reviews/mummers.htm>; • Categories: Books : History : Mumming/Ritual Drama

FAQ Entry Updated: 2004-12-07

Seven Champions Molly Dancers 1977-1987: A history of the formation and development of the Seven Champions Molly Dancers as an scion of Headcorn Morris. Citing influences ranging from Ashley Hutchings "Rattlebones and Ploughjack" recording, John Kirkpatrick's Shropshire Bedlams border revival team seminal appearance at Sidmouth, and West Kent mumming traditions, the team researched traditional Molly dances before developing its own set of dances.; George E. Frampton, "Repertoire?-or Repartee? The Seven Champions Molly Dancers 1977-1987," Lore & Language 6(2):65-81 (1987); • Article: <http://www.mikelanng.com/champs/frampton.html>; • Maintainer: Mike Lanng <mike@lanng.demon.co.uk>; • Categories: History : Molly

FAQ Entry Updated: 2004-12-07

Six Fools and a Dancer: the timeless way of the Morris: by Anthony Barrand
Plainfield, VT : Northern Harmony Pub. Co., 1991
ISBN 0-96275541-9

A look at the history and aesthetics of morris dancing. Not exactly an instruction book, it offers a unique approach to the teaching of the morris in the Americas.; • Available: <http://www.cdss.org/sales/english_dance.html>; • Available: <http://www.sover.net/~barrand/nhchb.html>; • Maintainer: Tony Barrand <barrand@adelphia.net>; • Categories: Books : History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2004-12-07

Stations of the Sun : A History of the Ritual Year in Britain: by Ronald Hutton
Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1997
ISBN 0-19-820570-8 (hardcover)
ISBN 0-19-288045-4 (paperback)

Traces the ritual year from year's beginning to end and covers many morris related customs along the way, including Plough Monday, mummers' plays, sword dances, hobby horses, the Horn Dance, May dances, rush bearing, etc. This is a scholarly book, but very readable and interesting. Has surprisingly little "woo-woo" factor.; • Out of Print: <http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0192880454>; • Out of Print: <http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ISBN=0192880454>; • Categories: Books : History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2004-12-07

Step Change: New views on traditional dance: edited by Georgina Boyes
Francis Boutle Publishers, 2001
ISBN 1-903427-09-6

The study of traditional dance has changed dramatically over the last ten years, bringing in previously unregarded types of dance and challenging the assumptions of the early Folk Dance Revival. Step Change introduces the enthusiast and the general reader alike to seven views of English traditonal dance, some controversial, that reflect this new approach: English sword dancing and the European context; Ladies' clog dance contests of the 1890s; ownership of the Britannia Coco-Nut dances of Bacup, Lancashire; the tradition of 'Molly' dances of East Anglian farm workers and its reinvention in the 1970s; the colourful life of nineteenth-century morris 'fool', William 'Old Mettle' Castle; the folk dance revival as seen through the Abbey School novels of Elsie J. Oxenham; and a fresh look at the achievements of folk dance collector, Maud Karpeles.; • Publisher: <http://www.francisboutle.demon.co.uk/>; • Available: <http://www.cdss.org/sales/english_dance.html>; • Available: <http://www.themorrisring.org/Shop.htm>; • Categories: Books : History : Molly

FAQ Entry Updated: 2006-03-23

Sword Dancing in Europe: A History: by Stephen D. Corrsin
Enfield Lock, Hisarlik Press, 1997
ISBN 1-874312-25-7

Widely distributed from the mid fifteenth century on, sword dancing has been popular at different times in towns and villages in many parts of Europe. This meticulous study surveys the history of European styles of linked sword dancing based on the evidence of primary sources in ten or more languages. This breadth of reference makes it essential reading for students of the history of European dance, popular performance and festival customs, as well as for those interested in sword dancing itself. With photographs.; • Available: <http://www.cdss.org/sales/english_dance.html>; • Available: <http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ISBN=1874312257>; • Categories: Books : Dance Notes : History : Sword Dancing

FAQ Entry Updated: 2004-12-07

The Morris Book (1907 edition): Cecil Sharp and Herbert MacIlwaine
In Two Parts. Part I.
London: Novello and Company, Ltd., 1907
[e-text: Project Gutenberg, 2004]; Many morris dancers are familiar with the 1912 edition, but most will never have seen the original 1907 edition, which was released on Project Gutenberg in 2004. There are some significant and very interesting differences, especially at the beginning of the text. Sharp and MacIlwaine describes these in the 1912 Introduction, for example the exclusion of some Bidford dances. A historically interesting difference is on the front page, where the dedication is: TO OUR FRIENDS AND PUPILS, The Members of the Esperance Girls' Club, CUMBERLAND MARKET, N.W. [Abstract exerpted from John Maher.]; • Full-text available: <http://www.gutenberg.net/etext/12926>; • Paginated full-text: <http://www.tomkeays.com/morris/text/12926-h/12926-h.htm>; • Maintainer: Tom Keays [Contact Form]; • Categories: Books : Dance Notes : History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2004-12-07

The Morris Book (1912 edition): Cecil Sharp and Herbert MacIlwaine
The Morris Ring, 1991
ISBN 0-95030203-5; A reprint originally published in five parts:
Part I, first published in 1907, second edition published in 1912,
Part II, first published in 1909, second edition published in 1919,
Part III, first published in 1911, second edition published in 1924,
Part IV, first published in 1911,
Part V, first published in 1913.; A definitive resource for many traditions as collected by Sharp including Headington, Ilmington, Adderbury, Bampton, Castleton garland dance, Longborough, Fieldtown, and more. With tunes and index.; • Available: <http://www.themorrisring.org/Shop.htm>; • Available: <http://www.cdss.org/sales/english_dance.html>; • Categories: Books : Dance Notes : History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2006-03-23

The Morris Traditions: A history of British morris dancing. The text for this brief description of the Morris comes largely from the Morris Ring booklet, 'The Morris Tradition', by Mike Garland, Past Squire of tHe Morris Ring, with amendments and additions by John Maher, Ring Overseas Bagman.; • History: <http://www.themorrisring.org/More.htm>; • Maintainer: John Maher <j.p.maher@gmail.com>; • Categories: History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2003-01-24

The Morris Traditions: The Morris Ring, 2004; This booklet, revised in 2004, is sold by the Morris Ring teams as a recruiting aid and overview for prospective and new dancers. There is also an online version. The sales page says: "These booklets are printed in colour on good quality paper in A5 size; the 25 pages are liberally illustrated with photographs and provide a broad description of the Morris: revival and history, different styles of Morris and Sword, Mumming, Morris music, Fools and Beasts, and a brief bibliography."; • Online version: <http://www.themorrisring.org/tb/>; • Sales page: <http://www.themorrisring.org/TradBook.html>; • Maintainer: John Maher <j.p.maher@gmail.com>; • Categories: Books : History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2005-03-17

Truculent Rustics: Molly Dancing in East Anglia before 1940: by Elaine Bradtke
The Folklore Society, 1999, 40 pages, illustrated
ISBN 0-903515-180

What is Molly dancing? Where did it come from? Who performed it and why? What did it look like? And where did the name come from? These are just some of the questions addressed in Truculent Rustics. Although it has undergone a revival in the past twenty years, the history of this little-known English display dance form is not well documented. This publication is intended to fill that gap. A history of this boisterous display dance originating in East Anglia at the Plough Monday celebrations. With illustrations and appendix.; • Information: <http://www.folklore-society.com/fls_books.htm>; • Categories: Books : History : Molly

FAQ Entry Updated: 2007-08-07

Wikipedia: Wikipedia represents itself as an online encyclopedia and, as such, is a magnet for staunch supporters and rabid detractors. It succeeds when there is a critical mass of active editors who work to double-check each others facts. The entry for morris dancing seems to be pretty accurate and an effort has been made to enhance the content with representative photos and relevant links.; • Wiki entry: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_dance>; • Categories: History

FAQ Entry Updated: 2005-02-01