Sunday morning music

How about something new this morning?  Most Americans will probably never have heard of traditional English morris dancing.  It involves men and women dancing in traditional costume, with bells around their ankles, waving handkerchiefs and/or sticks.  It goes way back into pre-medieval times.  (Traditionally, only men danced morris;  women performed other folk dances.  Nowadays, both men and women are found in morris troupes.)

Here are three examples.  First, the classic dance 'Princess Royal', performed by the Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers.

Next, a modern rendition of the ancient Beltane Fire Dance, performed by the Beltane Border Morris Dancers.

And finally, the group behind the 'Morris On' series of albums from the 1970's and 1980's, performing live at the annual Cropredy music festival, organized by Fairport Convention.  This recording dates from 2004.

Fun stuff, particularly if you're into traditional dancing.

Now, if we can just persuade Lawdog and Old NFO to put bells around their ankles, and caper around the garden (in Texas, in 100°+ high summer heat) with handkerchiefs in one hand and sticks in the other . . . and if we can arrange to record it for posterity (and this blog, of course) . . .




Peter