Morris dancers mob Trafalgar Square
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geminisnake
a complex mass of conflicting ideas
Stuff the photos, I want video 
I think they're ace
I think they're ace
geminisnake
a complex mass of conflicting ideas
There is/was a troop in Banchory(up by Aberdeen) but I think it was an english guy who moved up there set it up.
lang rabbie
Je ne regrette les gazebos
Yes, despite the camouflage of Welsh dragons on their website, and green white and red livery, the Isca Morrismen of Caerleon are obviously part of fiendish plan to reclaim Monmouthshire for England [/conspiraloon]
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hiraethified
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hiraethified
I kind of like Morris dancers because they're so gloriously unhip, and a bit bonkers.Note: A morris troupe is called a 'side'
Me too. And they remind me of this party there is in my home town every year. As well as Morris dancers there are climbing a greasy pole (snigger) and football on the mud when the tide's out and cockle eating competitions.
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hiraethified
Most English people seem a little bit embarrassed by Morris dancers, which is a bit of a shame seeing as it's one of the few truly quintessential English traditions. You'd think they'd see the common ground too: Morris dancers love to run around with sticks, wave things around, drink vast amounts of beer and bellow out tunes.Me too. And they remind me of this party there is in my home town every year. As well as Morris dancers there are climbing a greasy pole (snigger) and football on the mud when the tide's out and cockle eating competitions.
I'll post up more pics in a moment - it was an excellent event.
Divisive Cotton
Now I just have my toy soldiers
I reckon if you are a tourist and you stumble upon a Morris Dancing festival in London you must be like WTF?! 
I can't stand Morris dancing. I don't believe they are of genuine historic origin, just made up somewhere along the way. But then I don't like any formalised group dancing. I was a Ceroc widower for a while or it may be because I can't do it though and have bad memories of being made to do 'country dancing' in infant school with the teacher pounding away on an upright piano in the school hall.
Good photographs though.
Good photographs though.
QueenOfGoths
Fuck you Dave!
My sister-in-law does the black face morris dancing. She was at the Upton Folk Festival with them over the last Bank Holiday weekend
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hiraethified
Maurice Picarda
Actually, might as well flounce.
Monmouthshire isn't particularly Welsh, but my grandfather was a Morris dancer from Pwllheli.
the button
out on the kocker
I used to play for a "rapper" side, which is the north east (northumberland, down the east coast into the East Riding) equivalent of Morris.
Here's some: -
The music is a bit more "fast & furious", and just because it's jigs, people tend to assume it's Irish.
Traditionally performed at midwinter, the thing where they lock the swords together is known as "the lock" or "the nut," and is thought to be a representation of the sun -- encouraging it to come back at the darkest time of the year.
I spent quite a few Boxing Days on "dance outs," doing the thing and then getting pissed and playing a few tunes in the pub after.
Here's some: -
The music is a bit more "fast & furious", and just because it's jigs, people tend to assume it's Irish.
Traditionally performed at midwinter, the thing where they lock the swords together is known as "the lock" or "the nut," and is thought to be a representation of the sun -- encouraging it to come back at the darkest time of the year.
I spent quite a few Boxing Days on "dance outs," doing the thing and then getting pissed and playing a few tunes in the pub after.
cesare
shady's dreams ♥
the button
out on the kocker
Incidentally, Morris dancers (a corruption of "moorish," apparently, cos of the blacking-up) always refer to it as "the Morris" rather than "Morris." It's a different world.
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hiraethified
Thanks for your input, but he was clearly warned about his idiotic paedo/Nazi nonsense but still came back for more.I saw that and it wasn't that bad
Back on topic, the bloke leading the show yesterday kept insisting that contrary to recent press reports, the Morris tradition is in good health.
Maybe he was referring to this piece in the Times:
hardcore Morris: http://www.rathergood.com/morris_dancers
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