watervole: (Anonymous Morris)
Judith Proctor ([personal profile] watervole) wrote2010-08-09 09:48 pm
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Gratuitous Icon Post

This icon made by Mick Widder of Widders Morris.

They're a Border Morris side we met this weekend. Great dancers, really good costumes (their hats have decorations based on spider webs and the like. They were formed out of a motorbike group. (It's not that uncommon a combination. I'm not sure why there's a motorbike/morris overlap, but there is. I'm sure I once saw a side that actually danced in biker gear, but I can't recall the name.)

I've added Widders to my mental lists of sides I'd like to get to do a workshop for Anonymous Morris, once our dancers are good enough to benefit from it.

Mick also knows where to get top hats at around £35.  This is not a trivial point if you want top hats as part of your kit.   A lot of border sides use them for the simple reason that they look good and are fun to decorate.

Morris dances are definitely a combination of Chinese Whispers and random errors.  Very much an evolutionary process. Which dances survive under what conditions?  What genetic changes will survive?

I'm just making notes for how Anonymous will dance 'Valiant Soldier'.  Our version will be a hybrid of that danced by Hunter's Moon (which we have on DVD) and Paradise Islanders (which we have paper notation for).  Boggart's Breakfast get credit for help with the sticking descriptions and Steve of Morris Dancers of England for giving us the Paradise Islanders version.

Incidentally, the Morris Dancers of England series of DVDs are excellent value for money and much easier to watch than dances on You Tube.  If you want to get a feel for what morris dancing is like, then I absolutely recommend them.  They're all under a tenner including postage.  They have a DVD of mummer's plays as well - and some of them are very funny.

[identity profile] vjezkova.livejournal.com 2010-08-10 09:31 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you for this comment and your recommendation. I will seriously think of buying it! By the way, I fell in love with the Fisherman´s Friends and My children sponsored it - I have it now! If you want a copy, just ask!!!!
ext_15862: (Anonymous Morris)

[identity profile] watervole.livejournal.com 2010-08-10 09:39 am (UTC)(link)
They do lots of morris DVDs, it's actually hard to choose one, but the basic one showing all the different kinds of morris is very good value.

I'm going to buy my own copy of Fishermen's Friends if nobody gets me one for my birthday, but thanks for the offer.

[identity profile] queenortart.livejournal.com 2010-08-10 11:25 am (UTC)(link)
We saw Biker Morris Dancers at Rochester Sweeps about 3 years ago if that might lead you somewhere, I'll ask the people we went with
ext_8559: Cartoon me  (Default)

[identity profile] the-magician.livejournal.com 2010-08-10 01:42 pm (UTC)(link)
We had the Biker Morris side at the 1995 Eastercon, I'm sure any of the plokta people (e.g. [livejournal.com profile] bohemiancoast) would be happy to pass on details.

And on the web I've found B.U.M.s (http://bikerurbanmorris.moonfruit.com/) (Biker Urban Morris side)

The Hat Company in York and Chester had top hats at £35 or less ... e.g. this one (http://www.thehatcompany.com/product/black_top_hat/) for £25.

ext_15862: (Anonymous Morris)

[identity profile] watervole.livejournal.com 2010-08-11 12:48 pm (UTC)(link)
That looks like a hat I'll have to check out. Thanks.

Interesting that there's so many biker morris sides. I think that makes three that I know of now.