Great Cotswold

[watervole]

 
There are those who think Cotswold morris is a bit dull and sedate and that Border morris is far more interesting.

And then there are those who have seen Cotswold morris teams like Berkshire Bedlams!

Just watch. Four dances, all totally different in style.  Look at the way they bounce off the audience!

Great dancing, great entertainment.

Watch on YouTube

Comments

[aunty_marion]

Wow, thanks for posting that! Most enjoyable. I particularly liked the transient 4-handed (4-sworded?) star that popped up in the sword dance; very cleverly done.

[watervole]

I think the sword dance may have been inspired by Bouffens, a matachine dance recorded several centuries ago by Arbeau. Some of the moves look familiar.

Some of those strike one way, turn and do a different strike with someone else moves are the devil to memorise, but they look really good.

Matacine may have been one of the ancestors of morris stick dances.

I've just sent the team an invitation to Wimborne Minster Folk Festival. Don't know if they'll come, but I definitely want them!

[aunty_marion]

There were some moves like that in the one with the (?) coconut shells too. I could see at least one dancer getting a bit confuzzled at times there!

[kotturinn]

Classy!
Very impressed with the sword dance and the strike-turn-and-strike moves. Not even going to think about the level of practice required!

[watervole]

I'm guessing coconut shells. Sort of traditional for horse noises (and also possibly a pun on the Britannia coconut dancers, who don't use half coconuts...)

[sallymn]

Wonderful! I'm always interested to see more of the dances I've read about.

[watervole]

I look into my crystal ball, and I see me posting more morris dances!