insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 05 - July 2015 | Page 13

ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT

THE AGE-OLD ART OF MORRIS DANCING
'With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, she shall have music wherever she goes…'

This ancient nursery rhyme isn’t about Morris dancing; it’s about either Queen Elizabeth I or Lady Godiva
(interpretations vary), but the idea of someone gracefully dancing along – cock horse or not – leaving
a smile and the tinkling of bells behind them is something that certainly can be linked to Morris men
and women. It’s a sound and an image that can be found in any village fête or large summer event up
and down the country – a quintessentially British thing that reminds us of summer sun, rosy cheeks,
and long days out enjoying what our part of the world has to offer. BY LISAMARIE LAMB

The wonderfully eccentric, authentic, steadfast
and immutable Morris dancers are a symbol of
summer and England. Modern day Morris dancers
tend to work between May and September, with
May Day being their first event of the year; but
where does the Morris tradition come from? Why
is it linked to summer, and what does it all mean?
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when Morris dancing
originated – some theories suggest that it is linked
to Druidic springtime rites, and hails from Sweden
(so is perhaps not as traditionally English as we
first thought). Another idea is that English
crusaders brought the dance back from the
Moorish conquests, hence the name ‘Morris’.
Alternatively, perhaps it comes from the Italian
court dance known as the Moresca, which can
be dated back to the 12th century. Each idea is
plausible, and each has been researched, with
no consensus reached.
The first written record of Morris dancing in this
country comes from 1458. It is in a will, and talks
about a silver sup engraved with the image of a
Morris dance – cups such as this have been
found, including some owned by the royal family,
so it seems as though Morris dancing was popular
and widespread enough even then to have created
the need for souvenirs of it!

Both Henry VIII and Elizabeth I were fans of Morris
dancing (so perhaps the idea that Elizabeth I was
dressed in her finery and Morris bells in the nursery
rhyme isn’t so farfetched after all), and Fletcher,
one of Elizabeth’s favourite playwrights, wrote an
entire play – The Two Noble Kinsmen – for her
around the theme of the Morris dance. Therefore,
Morris dancing was beloved of royalty, nobility,
and the common folk alike, but it was banned
during the Puritan rule after the Civil War. However,
when Charles II returned from exile, he was
greeted by Morris dancers on the way to London.
It must have been quite the welcome home, and
was certainly a symbol of hope and freedom.
From then on, Morris dancing was performed in
many celebrations, but the May Day performance
only seems to date back to 1923, when the
Oxford Morris Men took it upon themselves to
dance in the sp ring at dawn in Magdalen College.
This wonderful idea, a way to celebrate the
newness of the season in such a traditional and
lively way, seems as though it should date back
much further than a mere 92 years, but perhaps
that is because it feels like it should have been
happening for centuries.
The Morris dancers' distinctive costumes include
bells on their elbows, knees, and shoes; the
wooden sticks used in the dance; the white

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handkerchiefs; and their instruments – the atlas
bell shakers, accordions, concertinas, wooden
spoons, and bodhrans. All of these elements are
a familiar and welcome sight at many summer
events, and will be for centuries to come.
With Morris dancing now stronger than ever,
there are many new groups (known as sides)
opening up, allowing experts and newcomers to
join together to enjoy this spirited dance. If you
are interested in trying Morris dancing for yourself,
why not check out www.ukfolkmusic.co.uk/a-toz-of-morris-sides-morris-dancers to find your
nearest side.