Joined in the studio by Julian Whybra who is the foreman of The Mayflower Morris Men. A fascinating chat with Julian about the history of Morris Dancing.
NEW MEMBERS NEEDED!
The Mayflower Morris Men are looking for new members, all ages, besides the dancing, events, summer pub evenings, there is also a great social side to the group as you will hear in the interview.
Come and find out more on Saturday 30th January between 10am – 1pm :-
St Mary Magdalen Church, High street, Billericay. CM12 9BQ
CANT MAKE SATURDAY? They practise at St Mary Magdalen in the High Street every Thursday, starting at 8.00pm during school term times. As an experienced dancer or an absolute beginner you’ll be equally welcome.
MORE ABOUT MAYFLOWER MORRIS MEN
The Mayflower Morris Men were formed in 1973 to dance the Morris in and around Billericay, to learn new dances, and to maintain the traditions of the Morris. Our side comes from all walks of life and has a spread of ages from the teens to the fifties. Some dance to keep fit, some because it’s part of the folk scene but all of us dance to enjoy ourselves. We have a full programme of fêtes, pub stops, and charity events throughout the spring and summer. There is no subscription and tuition is free (but you do need a pair of handkerchiefs!). We practise on Thursday evenings at 8 p.m. Come along, you’ll be made most welcome!
When well-presented, the Morris communicates to spectators something more than the simple enjoyment of watching a dance: there’s an almost tangible sense of harmony with Nature, of primæval magic, and of age-old pre-Dawn Rite conveyed. Enjoy it, and be sure to partake of the Morris’s good luck by contributing to the Bag and helping to keep a quintessential part of English rural tradition alive.
The Morris Dancing Season
Spring and summer are the seasons when you’ll see us dancing out and about in Billericay and the surrounding area. Just click on ‘Where to see us’ above and the dates and times of our season will appear.
In the autumn and winter we practise and perfect dances and teach new members. Complete beginners are always welcome. We always begin by teaching a stick dance from the village of Adderbury, Oxfordshire which has simple foot movements. We’d follow this by another one or two dances from the Adderbury tradition, perhaps a short-stick dance from Headington, and then introduce you to a handkerchief dance from Bampton which requires a bit of hands-and-feet co-ordination. Anyway, we aim to have you out dancing in time for Christmas and by the time the dancing season begins you should have four or five dances under your belt. There’s no age limit for members and tuition is free, so if you want to keep fit and enjoy yourself in learning a very old English pastime, give our Squire a call on 01277 650631 , and he’ll let you know the date and venue of our next practice session.
