We took in the May Day celebrations in the nearby village of Blockley this past Sunday which included a performance by a group of Morris Dancers from Chipping Campden. Morris dance is a form of English folk dance usually performed with music. The dance is based on rhythmic stepping and choreographed steps by a group of dancers, typically male, in which sticks, swords and hankerchiefs are used to accompany hand movements. Morris dancing dates back to before the English Civil War (1641 and 1651) and it was the working class who took part in the morris dances. Morris dancing was popular until the industrial revolution, which brought about social change. However, four teams of morris dancers claim a continuous lineage of this dancing tradition within their village or town, including the Costswold town of Chipping Campden. Today, morris dancing is commonly thought of as a uniquely English activity although British expatriates have continued the tradition throughout the globe, forming groups in the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Hong Kong.
No comments:
Post a Comment