What is Northwest Clog Morris?
The suggestion is that common people tried to emulate the entertainments of the nobility, and would have carried some practices on long after the courts themselves had lost interest.
The situation is further confused by the diverse forms of dance (at least six regional variations) found under the general name of ‘morris’ in various parts of our country, and by apparently similar forms found in other parts of Europe.
By the end of the 16th century morris dancing had become established as a form of entertainment. The dances have gone through many changes as regional variations developed.
However despite the fact that no-one really knows its origins, it is the English traditional dance, and it is FUN!
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There was a dramatic rise in the number of women publicly dancing morris in the early 1970's, with several cotswold and northwest
sides forming. During the previous thirty or forty years, a male only climate had dominated morris circles.
The emergence of new female sides was vigorously opposed by some who considered them ‘untraditional’ despite evidence of women dancing the morris as long ago as the fifteenth century.
Also dances originally performed by men were danced by women and the tradition kept going through two world wars when the men were away fighting.
The Morris Federation was originally set up to support newly formed women’s sides but is open to male and female sides. The Federation takes the view that the performance of the dance is more important than the gender of the dancers, and that morris dancing should be regarded as a living, evolving tradition. |
As part of the Morris federation Belle d’Vain hopes to encourage any one interested in experiencing the pleasures of morris dancing. Enthusiasm and a sense of humour are essential!