It is an integral part of the English tradition and has, at times, without rhyme or reason, appeared in the tradition of other cultures from Spain to Barbados. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). By the early 16th century morris dancing had become a fixture of Church festivals. The dancers performed directly in front of the house where Cecil Sharp was spending the holiday. This dance procession includes six animal-men bearing deer antlers, three white and three black sets; a man-woman, or Maid Marian, and a fool, both carrying phallic symbols; a hobby horse; and a youth with a crossbow who shoots at the leading “stags” whenever possible. The Art of Morris: Photography. The wide distribution of such dances suggests an ancient Indo-European origin. It was widely believed that other regional varieties of the dance had been forgotten and lost. Buckland points out that the coconutting tradition originated when Moors from north Africa settled in England, inspiring a stage melodrama in 1824 called ‘Agamemnon, the Faithful Negro’ and the bluebeard pantomime in Bradford which included ‘a number of juvenile black slaves, who perform the Cocoa Nut Dance.’ From the early cave paintings to the art of Ancient Greece, Egypt, China and Rome, we know that our ancestors danced. Compare sword dance. Morris dancing, one of the more peculiar of the English folk customs, has been greatly misunderstood. English Morris dancing has a great and mixed history when compared to other dances. E. C. Cawte's (1963) work on morris dancing in Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire quotes A History of Shrewsbury regarding the Visitation at St. Mary's Parish Church, Shrewsbury, in 1584, when it was asked, "Whether there have bene any lords of mysrule, or somer lords and ladies, or any disguised persons, as morice dancers, maskers or mumm'ers, or such lyke, within the parishe, ether in the … 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. No one knows for certain the origins of Morris Dancing. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers, usually wearing bell pads on their shins. 1/ Known History Mentions of Morris go back to the middle ages and it was already an old and established dance form in 1600 when William Kempe performed his nine day wonder, dancing from London to Norwich. There are 35 troupes of morris dancers attending, for example, and five of these perform in blackface. Similar customs are widespread throughout Europe and extend to the Middle East, India, and parts of Central and South America. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. In the 1840s, the fiddle was introduced, becoming the main instrument. In the seventeenth century there had been suggestions of a connection with Moorish dancing and it was adopted as a convenient theory. Certainly in the very late middle ages, Morris dancers were sometimes referred to as morisco dancers, but it is pretty certain that, whatever the origin of the word, there is no evidence that the dance came from the Moors or entered the country with the armies of John o' Gaunt or anything of that sort. The dance requires at least two people, but any number can join in. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership. Morris dancing is an English tradition which is more than 600 years old. That same year, a troupe of Morris dancers were paid seven shillings by the Goldsmiths Guild for a St. Dunstan Day performance. A common feature of many of them is that of a group of dancing men attendant on a pagan god who celebrates his revival after death. A comparable surviving animal custom is the May Day procession of a man-horse, notably at Padstow, Cornwall. Morris is one of the earliest surviving weddings of movement to music. New forms of entertainment, rapid social change and its association with an older unfashionable culture were all contributing factors. So first, the present and latter part of the 20th century. Dancers typically wear white or brightly colored clothing that flows when they twist or turn, and often set their outfits off with a bright red or green sash. https://morrisdancing.fandom.com/wiki/Morris_teams_in_United_States Sharp had noted that other European countries seemed to have a richer folk tradition than England. However under Cromwell it fell out of favour and was actively discouraged by many Puritans. The dance is named after Mrs Clarke from Ranby near Retford who in an essay she wrote about her childhood for a competition described morris dancers from her village dancing … Implements such as sticks, swords and handkerchiefs may also be wielded by the dancers. There are several different styles which have developed in different parts of England. 1/ Known History Mentions of Morris go back to the middle ages and it was already an old and established dance form in 1600 when William Kempe performed his nine day wonder, dancing from London to Norwich. It comes to light only when educated polite society recorded the peripheral aspects, such as the cost of prizes for competitions, or about the antics of drunken dancers! Morris is one of the earliest surviving weddings of movement to music. Morris dancing, one of the more peculiar of the English folk customs, has been greatly misunderstood. The earliest written records are mainly through church accounts for entertainment provided by the parish after Mass on feasts and holy days. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/art/Morris-dance, Morris dance - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). . The group calls itself Fairness, Respect, Equality Shropshire (FRESh), and their complaint against the annual Shrewsbury Folk Festival is that the age-old practice of Morris dancing … Morris dancing was first recorded in a document from the 15 th century, but its origins seem to be shrouded in mystery. As well as the Cotswold dances other regional versions of the the morris also survived long enough to be collected. Most of the Cotswold Morris tradition comes from this region and many of the Cotswold Morris sides gave dances to Cecil Sharp and other collectors which formed the basis for the dance revival in the early twentieth century. Copyright © Rattlejag Morris, 2016-2020. The tunes are drawn from many sources. While the Cotswold and sword dances are usually accompanied by one musician, the border and North West teams will often have a band. The name Morris is also associated with the horn dance held each year at Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire, Eng. What is Morris Dancing? During the nineteenth century Morris Dancing declined rapidly. Morris danceis a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. There are several different styles which have developed in different parts of England. Very little is known about the dances per se, though there seem to have been two types: a solo dance, and a dance in a circle around a "maiden" (who could have been a man in women's clothing) for whose favours the dancers compete. New evidence has recently been unearthed of ‘lost morris' in other areas of the country and that is what Rattlejag are all about! Morris Dance in North America: A Timeline; Projects. If you've ever watched a show of morris dancing, it will have contained all of these elements... Decline and Revival. It is possible that the word Morris is derived from the word ‘Moorish' or ‘morisco' (a derogatory term meaning ‘little Moors'). That same year, a troupe of Morris dancers were paid seven shillings by the Goldsmiths Guild for a St. Dunstan Day performance. This was a major cause of the revival of Morris Dancing. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Lucy Neal investigates According to some, morris dance is connected to dance traditions from druidic times, for others it comes from court dances which were first performed in Italy and were then embraced in English courts. It fitted in, for example, because some dancers blacked up their faces and attached bells to their legs, which was believed to be something to do with North Africa. It was imported from village festivities into popular entertainment after the invention of the court masque by Henry VIII. Headington Quarry Morris Dancers Our Heritage On Boxing Day 1899, the Headington Quarry Morris Dancers (HQMD) led by their musician William Kimber, were seen performing at Sandfield Cottage in Headington by the folk musicologist Cecil Sharp - who hitherto had been unaware of the survival of this native form of dancing. In the Cotswold tradition (originating in central England) the dancers dress in colourful costumes. We know that some four hundred years ago the common instruments were the pipe and tabor, but now these have been joined by the fiddle, concertina, melodeon and accordian. Morris dancing music Historically, the instruments used to accompany the Morris Dancing originated in the South Midlands in the form of the pipe and tabor and the whistle and the dub. Around then, a form of dance typically called by names like "moreys daunce" was common as court entertainment; this may have been the dance form going by names like "morisco" on the continent. It may well have its roots in rites celebrating fertility and the coming of spring. Notable examples are the Perchten dancer-masqueraders of Austria, the ritual dances such as the moriscas (or moriscos), santiagos, and matachinas of the Mediterranean and Latin America, and the călușari of Romania. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The earliest written records are mainly through church accounts for entertainment provided by the parish after Mass on feasts and holy days. Throughout history, the Morris seems to have been common. No one knows for certain the origins of Morris Dancing. In the Cotswold tradition (originating in central England) the dancers dress in colourful costumes. This discovery was summarised in "The Morris Dancer" 2002, 3(10), 314. In the North West this may even be the local brass band, but even if there is not a full complement of in­struments there will nearly always be a bass drum and a side drum. In one source the diligence of the writer in tracing the "earliest" known reference to Morris dancing is prodigious. Further menti… The earliest reference to morris dance concerns a discovery by Mike Heaney and John Forrest, An Antedating for the ‘Morris Dance’ Notes and Queries 2002 49: 190-193, {you will need to pay for this}. If we stick to the facts, it is perhaps easier to work backwards. The ales were suppressed by the Puritan authorities in the seventeenth century and, when some reappeared in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, they usually had associated dancing. All Rights Reserved. According to Professor Howkins, when people recorded these customs in the 1890s, they were obsessed with seeking out ancient beginnings. (grouped by state and city) 1 (no state in particular) 1.1 No location in particular 2 Alaska 2.1 Anchorage 3 Arizona 3.1 Phoenix 3.2 Tempe 3.3 AZ Ren Faire 4 California 4.1 Berkeley 4.2 Long Beach 4.3 Oakland 4.4 Palo Alto 4.5 San Diego 4.6 San Francisco 4.7 San Francisco Bay Area 4.8 San Ramon 4.9 Santa Barbara 4.10 Santa Cruz 4.11 Santa Monica 4.12 Sebastopol 4.13 … There are many theories and few hard facts that tell us of the history of Morris Dancing. This dance was danced with ‘flags'. A Brief History of Morris Dancing The origins of the Morris are very hard to track down, as for the greater part of its existence, it has been performed by unlettered people. Morris Dancing was popular in Tudor times. FAQ; The History of Morris Dance in North America. One origin of this form of dance probably originated in the European courts of the fifteenth century. While the earliest (15th-century) references place the Morris dance in a courtly setting, it appears that the dance became part of performances for the lower classes by the later 16th century; in 1600, the Shakespearean actor William Kempe Morris danced from London to Norwich, an event chronicled in his Nine Daies Wonder (1600). The Art of Morris: Photography. Dancers would blacken their faces with soot so they would not be recognised by the local priest, and would resemble "Moors". Morris dancing is a flexible art form, and participants usually try to make their act as silly as possible (except for these guys).. In the 1880s, the melodeon and anglo-concertina became widely used. Dancers would blacken their faces with soot so they would not be recognised by the local priest, and would resemble "Moors". The earliest mention of Morris dance in England dates from 1448, when a tapestry depicting Morris dancers was recorded in an inventory of Caister Castle. Similarly, there is little evidence that Morris dancing has any connection with pagan festivals other than that many societies across the world celebrate calendar events with dance customs. Morris Dancing was now in the hands of common folk who couldn't afford the fancy costumes of a couple centuries earlier, and they were resorting to ordinary clothing decorated with ribbons and flowers. These ales were sold for many occasions, both seasonal and sacramental - there were christening ales, bride's ales, clerk, wake and Whitsun ales - and were an important means of fund-raising for churches. By the mid 18th century in the South Midlands region, morris dancing was a fixture of the Whitsun ales. Traditional scholarship on this custom has been based on the assumption that morris dancing is one of the pagan calendar rituals, a preconception held by many folklorists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The North West dances use many march tunes. This photograph is part of the collection entitled: Texas Cultures Online and was provided by the UT San Antonio Libraries Special Collections to The Portal to Texas History, a digital repository hosted by the UNT Libraries. All Morris sides have their own musicians. The dancers wore colourful, fairly elaborate costumes with pendant sleeves and attached bells. Add or correct information on existing morris teams; Likewise for defunct teams Today and for several decades, Morris Dancing is flourishing. From the early cave paintings to the art of Ancient Greece, Egypt, China and Rome, we know that our ancestors danced. Traditional scholarship on this custom has been based on the assumption that morris dancing is one of the pagan calendar rituals, a preconception held by many folklorists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In some cases, he may dominate the rite; in others—as in many English Morris dances—the young men in the corps d’élite may dominate, with the animal-man and other dramatic characters either relegated to the subsidiary role of comics or omitted. Informedia [1978-08-03..1978-08-06].. INTRODUCTION Morris dancing is an English tradition which is more than 600 years old. THE loss of patronage from the gentry, changing attitudes, migration, and the growth of other... 1899 and After. Some of the Cotswold tunes are very old - for example 'Trunkles' - while others come from the music hall era ('Getting Upstairs' and 'Old Black Joe'). An ancient tradition is ending next year in the town of Shrewsbury, in Shropshire, England, after political pressure forced local folk festival organizers to stop booking an act that a social justice group considers racist. The History of History John Forrest How to Read The History of Morris Dancing 7 Morris at Court Anne Daye Morris and Masque at the Jacobean Court 19 Jennifer Thorp Rank Outsider or Outsider of Rank: Mr Isaac’s Dance ‘The Morris’ 33 The Morris Dark Ages Jameson Wooders 'as with many folk customs, the origins are hidden in the mists of time and coloured by later perceptions, which may or may not have been correct', Alun Howkins. What we do know though is that Morris dancing has a long recorded history in this country, the earliest reference being from 1448. A feeling that the dances have magic power or bring luck persists wherever they are traditionally performed. These are typically morris dancers from the “border morris” tradition – a style which came from the counties lining the English-Welsh … Similar customs are widespread throughout Europe and extend to the While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. It is probably true to say that they were generally popular tunes of the day adapted to fit the dances. Rattlejag use sticks with bells and long ribbons attached. Morris dance, ritual folk dance performed in rural England by groups of specially chosen and trained men; less specifically, a variety of related customs, such as mumming, as well as some popular entertainments derived from them. The earliest mention of Morris dance in England dates from 1448, when a tapestry depicting Morris dancers was recorded in an inventory of Caister Castle. The name Morris dance is sometimes loosely applied to sword dances in which a group of men weave their swords into intricate patterns. The central figure of the dances, usually an animal-man, varies considerably in importance. What is Morris Dancing? This gave rise to "Moorish Men" or "Moorish dauncers" and hence to Morris. For various reasons, church ales and Whitsun ales survived quite late in the south-west Midlands. The earliest known and surviving English written mention of Morris dance is dated to 1448, and records the payment of seven shillings to Morris dancers by the Goldsmiths’ Company in London. The dancers are attendants who sing the May Day song, beat drums, and in turn act the horse or dance in attendance. Later in the century the morris became attached to village fetes, and the May Day revels; Shakespeare says "as fit as a morris for May Day" and "a Whitsun morris dance. One origin of this form of dance probably originated in the European courts of the fifteenth century. In the north of England long sword dancing was collected from Yorkshire and Rapper sword from the North East. Among specific Morris dances are Bean Setting, Leap Frog, and Laudnum Bunches. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Rattlejag Morris, Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire. In mediaeval and Renaissance England, the churches brewed and sold ales, including wassail. The Finns are part of Foxs Morris, a mixed group (or side) of dancers founded in 1999 in the Worcestershire village of Cookley. Morris dance, also spelled Moresgue, Morrice, Morisque, or Morrisk, ritual folk dance performed in rural England by groups of specially chosen and trained men; less specifically, a variety of related customs, such as mumming, as well as some popular entertainments derived from them. Often the dancers wear white clothes and dance with bells fastened to the legs or body. Whether this ‘bedlam' morris had an alternative origin we cannot say. William Kemp danced a solo morris from London to Norwich in 1600. Neither is there proof of any connection between Moorish dancing and Morris dancing. Reviving the music and dance of the North Shires Plough Jags. Context. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The few solo Morris dances are called Morris jigs; an example is the Shepherds’ Hey. There, the central figure, “Oss Oss,” is a witch doctor disguised as a horse and wearing a medicine mask. Creation Information. The Exeter Morris Men performing a Morris dance, Wells, England. This gave rise to "Moorish Men" or "Moorish dauncers" and hence to Morris. Finn is the side’s secretary and unofficial photographer. INTRODUCTION Movement, Music, Colour!. The traditionally male pastime of morris dancing has a secret history involving a suffragette and the slum girls of Victorian London. The team performs a style of morris dancing known as “North West” morris, originating in Lancashire in the late 19th century where teams were formed to take a … Omissions? Corrections? A Brief History of Morris Dancing The origins of the Morris are very hard to track down, as for the greater part of its existence, it has been performed by unlettered people. These included ‘Border Morris' from the Welsh border counties of Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, North West from Lancashire and Cheshire, and Molly dancing from East Anglia. Updates? What we do know though is that Morris dancing has a long recorded history in this country, the earliest reference being from 1448. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. THE HISTORIES OF THE MORRIS IN BRITAIN Papers from a conference held at Cecil Sharp House, London, 25 - 26 March 2017, organized in partnership by Historical Dance Society with English Folk Dance and Song Society and The Morris Ring, The Morris Federation and Open Morris. FAQ; The History of Morris Dance in North America. The name Morris is also associated with groups of mummers who act, rather than dance, the death-and-survival rite at the turn of the year. The History of Morris Dancing. It is an integral part of the English tradition and has, at times, without rhyme or reason, appeared in the tradition of other cultures from Spain to Barbados. I did a cycling tour of Medieval England after attending the Summer Research Institute at Harris Manchester. There was a separate variety of morris, called bedlam morris, being done in a swath from the Welsh border counties through Warwickshire and Northamptonshire down to Buckinghamshire; the bedlam morris seems to have been mainly or exclusively done with sticks. The name is derived from the Morisco (môriskoz,) a dance peculiar to the Moors and shows that the dance did have a Moorish beginning. Morris Dance in North America: A Timeline; Projects. Edited by Michael Heaney It comes to light only when educated polite society recorded the peripheral aspects, such as the cost of prizes for competitions, or about the antics of drunken dancers! It may well have its roots in rites celebrating fertility and the coming of spring. 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