Border Morris

Border Morris originates from English counties on the Welsh border, especially Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire. The tradition declined during the late 19th and early 20th centuries; this is often attributed to the industrial revolution and the Great War. However, the steps and music was recorded by a number of folk music collectors before it went.

Border Morris was revived in the 1970s, although at the time called “Welsh Border Morris”; despite this name, it is generally regarded as an English tradition rather than a Welsh one.

History of Border Morris

Farm labourers and fishermen mainly danced in the winter to earn little extra money when work was scarce. he dancers often collected money or hospitality, and in some periods this could be viewed by authorities as a form of begging or vagrancy. As that could have made it harder for dancers to find employment, if they could be identified. One theory is that blacked-up faces helped disguise the dancers’ identities, to get around the problem. Today many sides use alternative face paint colours or patterns instead of traditional blacking.

The “kit” was traditionally anything that looked eccentric – sometimes parts of an army uniform, or a woman’s dress, or simply turning a jacket inside-out and decorating with ribbons. The latter is interpreted today as a rag jacket, covered with strips of cloth, or tatters.

The dances took their names from the village teams that danced them, such as White Ladies Aston, Pershore, Dilwyn and Much Wenlock, although these are now augmented by modern additions. The contemporary country dances were also adapted for display purposes, with additional or changed figures.

Many Border Morris dances make use of a large stick – usually of ash or hazel – and the stick-clashing adds to the noise and spectacle that makes this form of dance attractive.

Information from OBJ Morris, with thanks.

Many thanks to Brian Kelly of the Morris Federation for this great video and the background information.