CriticalDance Forum

Sapphire Swan is worth knowing about, especially as a resource for different types (genres) of dance.<P>have a look at the list in the left frame, for an A to Z of genres -well, Balkan to Zydeco, by way of Clogging, Greek, Lindy Hop and Salsa, anyway...<BR> <A HREF="http://www.SapphireSwan.com/dance/" TARGET=_blank>http://www.SapphireSwan.com/dance/</A>

i was surprised to learn that morris dancing is not dance by mark morris but an english folk dance. so much to learn about dance at sapphire swan

Well now that you mention it, Mark Morris is heavily influenced by folk dance, but not burly men wearing bells, jumping up and down with a handkerchief in each hand.<P>Actually, Morris Dancing does have a rustic charm for me. Under 'Other Dance' there is a thread about the latest scandle in the Morris Dancing world - women are doing it!! Have they no shame?

yes, i saw that, stuart! <P>actually once i toured around devon or dorset or somewhere, in a combi-van full of morris men!!!<P>sounds a bit rude, doesn't it? well, i suppose it WAS, but only in the primary-school level of their humour! <P>they were the 'Bow Street Rappers' - the royal ballet's morris team. i took some good photos. it's a picturesque business, all that stopping in front of pubs and cathedrals to fling coloured ribbons and handkerchiefs about! -followed by 'a few' beers, of course...<P>the RB boys were more than happy with my presence, but some members of other morris teams loked quite askance at even the fact that a woman was in the same CAR as one of the other teams, let alone their fear that she might turn up at the pub!! the RB boys, of course, were so enlightened as to inhabit another planet entirely, from those neanderthals... <P>each team seems to have their own culture - ranging from 'SNAGS' to types like hells angels without the bikes!<P>how did we get onto THIS!?<P>

Grace, are you saying the Morris dancers you were travelling with were with the Royal Ballet? Were they corps members?

I saw 'The Bow Street Rappers' on TV once. I have to say that it didn't really seem to work - a bit lacking in the necessary welly.<P>Did it work better live, grace or were you too drunk to notice? <p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited June 28, 2000).]

albrecht: they were from right thru the company ranks. <P>they do morris dance at white lodge and have done for years, under two expert teachers (real authorities: bob parker and -oops, forget the other name- how embarrassing!).<BR>so those male dancers who have come thru the RBS have all been trained in morris dance.<P>david bintley used this to advantage in 'still life at the penguin cafe' - those original cast morris dancers were on the team then.<P>and stuart: well- they may have pointed their feet a bit, and actually been ABLE to DO split leaps in second etc., so perhaps more virtuosic than SOME other teams (altho' some of those beer-swilling once-a-week-pub-morris dancers can really surprise you - perhaps not unlike those tractor dancers from idaho....)- but NOT lacking in anything -except coarseness (which SOME teams DO specialise in!) <P>tell you what! i'll find you a photo or two! BUT - are we in the right thread for all this, or should we move?

second thought: let's just change the title of THIS one: i'll see if i can work out HOW!

<BR>bow street rappers dance at covent garden<BR>at front(veteran instructors): L: bob parker, R: ron smedley, who both taught generations of white lodge boys<BR>in the centre you can see billy trevitt (was he in ballet boyz doc?), and on the right, guy niblett, ex-RB principal (& ballerina lesley collier's partner)<BR> <BR>same morris team in devon. notice philip moseley at front right...<P>SORRY about the apparent quality of these photos - they're actually quite nice, but have been distorted by my far-too-fancy scanner!

thank you, grace. now i know what morris dancing looks like

bob parker is on the far left of that devon photo, watching his team. <P>you might also notice two members of another team, in black face make-up against the fence, also watching, till it's their turn to dance. the whole team wears the make-up. don't ask me why - i can't remember - but they look scary and act crude to match!