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For Sally Mn - Jockey to the Fair
Sallymn has been talking about Elsie Oxenham, the writer of the Abbey School books.
Elsie was an early member of the English Folk Dance and Song Society and wrote a lot about morris dancing in her novels.
Sally said in reply to a comment of mine:
"I knew about her experience with the Society (and that she based quite a
few of the early characters on other members - overtly)
I'd love to see the dances as they were done then, as she saw them, to
compare..."
Sally, your wish has come true. A little over 100 years ago, the earliest known film of English folk dance was made. Here are Cecil Sharpe, Maud Karpeles and George Butterworth dancing the morris.
Look especially at Maud Karpeles dancing 'Jockey to the Fair'. She's a wonderful dancer, a real spring to her step and light on her feet. And if anyone ever wondered why morris dancers use hankies, look no further. She uses them to great effect, to emphasise every movement, making it both more visible and more graceful.
There's no music on the film because that wasn't possible back then, but we know what tune Maud was dancing to - the dances were often named for the tunes and Sharp recorded the tunes before he ever thought about recording the dances.
Here's a modern side dancing Jockey to the Fair - they're doing it as a set dance, rather than as a solo jig (both forms were used historically), so you will recognise some of the footwork and some will look different as it's being done on the spot by Maud and the morris men are moving through figures.
I must admit that I'm getting an urge to read some of the Abbey School books. I shall have to keep an eye open for them.
Elsie was an early member of the English Folk Dance and Song Society and wrote a lot about morris dancing in her novels.
Sally said in reply to a comment of mine:
"I knew about her experience with the Society (and that she based quite a
few of the early characters on other members - overtly)
I'd love to see the dances as they were done then, as she saw them, to
compare..."
Sally, your wish has come true. A little over 100 years ago, the earliest known film of English folk dance was made. Here are Cecil Sharpe, Maud Karpeles and George Butterworth dancing the morris.
Look especially at Maud Karpeles dancing 'Jockey to the Fair'. She's a wonderful dancer, a real spring to her step and light on her feet. And if anyone ever wondered why morris dancers use hankies, look no further. She uses them to great effect, to emphasise every movement, making it both more visible and more graceful.
There's no music on the film because that wasn't possible back then, but we know what tune Maud was dancing to - the dances were often named for the tunes and Sharp recorded the tunes before he ever thought about recording the dances.
Here's a modern side dancing Jockey to the Fair - they're doing it as a set dance, rather than as a solo jig (both forms were used historically), so you will recognise some of the footwork and some will look different as it's being done on the spot by Maud and the morris men are moving through figures.
I must admit that I'm getting an urge to read some of the Abbey School books. I shall have to keep an eye open for them.