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An Arts Celebration
Loving our community
The Family Friendly Festival

Morris Dancing

12:00 noon Sunday 14 May 2023
Outside the White Lion pub
This year we are excited to welcome two excellent groups to our festival - The Westrefelda Group and the Danegeld Northwest Morris Group
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Westrefelda is a mixed Morris team from Westerfield in Suffolk. Most of the dances you will see us perform today come from the villages around Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire & Northamptonshire which is why this style of Morris dancing is known as ‘Cotswold Morris’. We dance with sticks and hankies and wear bells on our knees allegedly to wake up the earth when we stomp around, so don’t try to sleep when we are about…

 

We really hope you enjoy our performance and if you fancy trying your hand at this quintessentially English dance just stick around…. we may just ask for volunteers!

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Danegeld Morris started in 1988; the first mixed gender Morris side in South Suffolk.

 

Many original members had enjoyed dancing in men’s or women’s sides but wanted the chance to dance with friends and partners. North-West Morris dancing originates from street processions, danced through the industrial towns of Lancashire and Cheshire. 

 

Early 19th Century archives mention local dancers accompanying rush carts in ceremonial processions when new rushes were laid on church floors, to help conserve heat over the winter months

We are proud to be a mixed gender side. Pictures from the 1820’s show dancers in both male and female dress, proving North-West Morris has always been for both sexes.

 

We are always looking for new dancers and musicians, so why not come and meet us?

Photos by Jemma Watts

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