English Morris Dancing at its best.
The Morris dance comes to us through the mists of time. It has been part of English life for at least six hundred years and many scholars would argue that it is much older. While the style is peculiar to England, the dances are thought to be part of a world wide family of ceremonial dances, since they share the common features of disguise, colour, vigour and a dance form based on circles and processions.
The costume of The Chameleonic Morris Men is typical of the Cotswold dress and consists of a straw hat decorated with flowers, white shirt, white trousers with black shoes. The blue baldrick or cross braces is an identification of the individual Morris side and is unique to each. The bell pads are decorated with multi-coloured ribbons and small bells, which give the characteristic sound of the dance.
Dances are performed with short sticks, long sticks or with handkerchiefs and sometimes with a combination of both. In addition and part of the dance are the fool or jester with his bladder and the hobby horse or other beast.
The repertoire of the side comprises what is generally known as Cotswold Morris, together with a few dances from the Midlands of England.
In addition to the stick and handkerchief dances from a range of traditions the side can offer, one and two man jigs, a folk dance band for general informal entertainment or with caller to undertake public social dancing, solo musicians and singers.
The object within the constraints of amateur part time status is to present as varied a programme as possible.
Our bagman (organiser) is
David Brewster,
Chameleonic Morris Men, 10 Chancery Place, Writtle, Essex, CM1 3DY, England.
Fax/Phone +44(0) 1245 420742
email davidbrewster@freeola.com