Judith Proctor's Journal

 Having read further, I have to say that my suspicions regarding the maypole dancing with ribbons at the Buxton well-dressing in 1870 turn out to be unjustified.

I've now read the appropriate chapter in Huttons 'Stations of the Sun' (a wonderful book that I cannot recommend too highly if you want to read accurate historical detail rather than waffly speculation about calendar customs), I discover that the first maypole dances in Britain were not those introduced by Ruskin, but imitations of stage performances (presumably using European dances) that were popular on the London stage from 1836 onwards (presumably with adults-though I can't state that for certain).  Hotton says that these stage dances involved plaits (but they may not have been limited to plaits) and that the pole was held by the dancers (the pole being held by the dancers, rather than having a base to keep it upright, is very common in European countries to this day) It was these that inspired the Derbyshire dances from 1840 onwards, and they dispersed outwards from Buxton initially, starting to appear in southern fetes around 1850 and by 1880, the ribbon dances had replaced the older maypole dances across the country.

Ruskin visited events in Cheshire in the 1860s and saw both the maypole dances and the may queen ceremonies that went with them.  The May Queens in this period were little girls - I don't know about the age of the maypole dancers - I haven't seen a reference that gives an age.  (there is a strong implication that a key one in northern Cheshire had children performing the dance).  It was in 1881 that Ruskin teamed up with JP Faunthorpe, principal of Whitelands teacher training college, to design a May Queen ceremony there, complete with maypole dance.  The ceremony carries on to this day.  They've moved with the times - sometimes they have a May King now (photo and text of interest to Abbey book fans)

As pupils graduated from Whitelands, they took the May Day ceremony with them and spread it right across the country, though it's important to note that although most modern May Queens/maypole dances descend from Whitelands, some predate it and others were created by teachers who didn't go  to Whitelands.

In short, maypole dancing with ribbons in England goes back to 1840 as the earliest date, rather than 1881 as I'd previously assumed.  (I'm not counting the actual London stage performance)

 Trying not to bore you with all my findings - I'm adding about a country a day at present.

However, Peru is something totally different!

The only two examples I've found there so far both use the maypole as a processional item.  They dance with the maypole, rather than round it.

Found a Hungarian dance - with a move I haven't seen before. Annoyingly, the photographer doesn't show you the top of the pole, so I can only guess at the pattern it makes.
Szalagos tanc translates as 'strip dance', thus demonstrating the dangers of translation...



But why?

I'm open to suggestions...

I've started work on the French and Italian dances, but still a way to go there.

In the meantime, here is the most joyous dance I've found yet. It's just a simple plait, but it's wonderful. It's from a Portuguese speaking area (possibly, but not definitely, Brazil.)

The Brazilian (and Cuban) dances are the most 'living tradition' I've yet found.

Look at this, and then compare with the French dance that follows.



The French dance is frozen in the past.  It's danced with precision, but I'm not seeing joy there.




Looking at the French dance moves and the general style, it's very clear where the English maypole tradition was taken from.  Definitely from France.  (I've seen one or two web pages that say France or Italy, but the only Italian dances I have so far have stylistic differences.

If there's interest, I'll start breaking down what I consider the stylistic details of each tradition.

 So, who spotted the Swedish maypole in Eurovision?  (a bit truncated but definitely a maypole)