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Jun 8, 2023 · One of the most distinctive features of Morris dancing is the use of bells, which are worn on the legs of the dancers and create a rhythmic jingling sound as they move. The use of bells in Morris dancing has a long history and is deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of England.
Morris dancers with handkerchiefs in York. Morris dancing is a form of English folk dance. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers in costume, usually wearing bell pads on their shins and/or shoes. A band or single musician, also costumed, will accompany them.
- A Short History of Morris Dancing
- Name and Origins
- History in England
Morris danceis a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers, usually wearing bell pads on their shins. Implements such as sticks, swords and handkerchiefs may also be wielded by the dancers. The earliest known and surviving English writte...
The name is first recorded in the mid-15th century as Morisk dance, moreys daunce, morisse daunce, i.e. “Moorish dance”. The term entered English via Flemish mooriske danse Comparable terms in other languages are German Moriskentanz (also from the 15th century), French morisques, Croatian moreška, and moresco, moresca or morisca in Italy and Spain....
While the earliest (15th-century) references place the Morris dance in a courtly setting, it appears that the dance became part of performances for the lower classes by the later 16th century; in 1600, the Shakespearean actor William Kempe, Morris danced from London to Norwich, an event chronicled in his Nine Daies Wonder(1600). Almost nothing is k...
The morris from Cheshire and Lancashire originates from the industrial towns. The costumes worn tend to be striking and the footwear will normally be clogs with irons nailed to soles and heels. The dance involves much stepping, and the rhythm is accentuated by the clogs.
In the seventeenth century there had been suggestions of a connection with Moorish dancing and it was adopted as a convenient theory. It fitted in, for example, because some dancers blacked up their faces and attached bells to their legs, which was believed to be something to do with North Africa.
Why Bells? It is likely that medieval morris dancers wore bells because in masques bells were used to represent Moorish people. Because of the sheer volume of bells used, it is possible that the earliest dancers had bells all over their body. By the 17th century bells had largely became confined to a special bell-pad worn on the shin. Why ...
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Why Bells? It is likely that medieval morris dancers wore bells because in masques bells were used to represent Moorish people. Because of the sheer volume of bells used, it is possible that the earliest dancers had bells all over their body.
