Morris Dancing

At Pitch and Stitch on Tuesday we were all so impressed with Jackie's figure for the Museum of British folklore.  Any Morris Side could send off for the doll and then had to dress it in their side's outfit.  Jackie's is amazing

 

All the tiny little details: bells, ribbons, hankie and even a stick.  But we all decided she looks a bit younger than us!

 I think I've been dancing with the Garston Gallopers for over 5 years now.....it all started when we wanted to have Morris Dancers at our village fete - and no sides were available.  Jackie decided we would have to make our own side, and since her daughter-in-law's mother already ran a side called the Kintbury May Maids, she had someone to teach it already.  She duly put signs up all around the village asking for volunteers - and no one came forward. I said to Jonathan, "as Chairman of the Parish Council, you really should set an example and volunteer".   He replied that nothing in the world would make him go Morris dancing - in fact he hates dancing.  Weeks passed and still no volunteers, so, again, I approached Jonathan.  In the quiet way he has, he slammed his fists on the table and yelled "I AM NOT GOING MORRIS DANCING!"

It came to the first practise, and I told Jackie that I would go along to support but would not dance in public.  As I was going, I said to Jonathan that it was pretty poor that he wasn't coming too.  "Alright", he said "but only to the practise to show support".

After the practise he said it was the best thing he had ever done and he was never going to stop.

I decided that if he was going to do it, I suppose I should because otherwise we hardly did anything together.

This Saturday we are having an open workshop to try to attract more dancers, preferably a few more men....

So:

Have a Go at Morris Dancing!

Saturday 14^th November 2015

2:30pm

East Garston Village Hall

Musicians welcome too – any instrument as long as it’s portable!

Hopefully we'll see a few new faces......it is good fun, and we get to go to some lovely places, and it's not really that weird: it's tradition.  As Louis De Berniers said at his talk 'People in England are bonkers' - and I think that's probably something to be proud of.