Latest news with #MorrisDancing
Times
19-05-2025
- Climate
- Times
Morris dancers bring St George's Day revelry to City of London
It took two minutes to fell the dragon on St George's Day. At 10.44am, the bagman of the Ewell St Mary's Morris Men planted a flag showing a white dragon on a red field outside the Lamb Tavern to advertise their annual dance. At 10.46 a gust shot up the wind tunnel of Leadenhall Market and toppled it. 'Too early for a pint?' one of the dancers asked. It is never too early for a morris man to start drinking, especially when it is raining even inside a covered market — the chilly April showers came in horizontally — but these were hardy souls and a crowd had started to form so they began to jump and skip, as much to get the blood flowing
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
'Last chance' to save Furness Morris dancing group
There are hopes a Morris dancing group could be saved if new people join next Morris, based in Ulverston, Cumbria, recently warned it was in danger of folding after 62 years due to low a meeting on Friday, it was decided to organise two final sessions to try and attract new members. "We are not exactly at the end of the road, but this is a bit of a last chance to try and recruit," Les Ord, who has been with the band for 50 years, said "At the end of these two new sessions, if we don't attract anybody new, then that would probably be the end," Mr Ord events will take place in Ulverston in June, with dates and a venue due to be Ord, who is the second longest-serving member of the group, said they were part of the community and it would be good to preserve the tradition. Furness Morris was founded in 1963 and had 20 members in its is now down to eight, with at least half a dozen new dancers needed to secure its over 18 is welcome to join, with the group hoping to pass the baton on to younger Ord added the band could continue as a social activity without new recruits but would not be able play gigs, having had to turn down five so far this year due to a lack of numbers."We feel it's part of the heritage," he said."We'd be quite happy to hand on the tradition if we got the right number of people to be able to do that." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Furness Morris Dancers' future under threat after 62 years
A Morris dancing group says it is in danger of folding unless more people Morris, based in Ulverston, Cumbria, was founded in 1963, but dwindling dancer numbers have put its future at Ord, who is the second longest-serving member, said the situation was "critical".A meeting is being held later to discuss the future of the band which has had to turn down five gigs so far this year, including the Pace Egg play. Mr Ord said: "We've lost a few members over the recent years. "They've either moved away, or sadly one died, and we've had a few injuries."We've gone down to very low numbers and you need a minimum number to be able to put on a decent show. We're struggling."Mr Ord, who has been with the group for 50 years, said at least half a dozen new members were needed to help its are currently eight, but there were 20 in its Ord urged people to come and try out Morris dancing with friends."It's just a great social activity. It keeps you fit, you mix with people. "The music is wonderful and it gets you around the villages and towns in South Cumbria and the Lake District." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dancing troupe with over 100 years of history dances for the final time TODAY
A dancing troupe more than a century old – keeping alive a centuries-old English tradition – dance for their final time today. Horwich Prize Medal Morris announced they would be disbanding late last year with their final dance today, Saturday, May 10. The group – announcing the retirement on December 1 – said the decision came as they couldn't find new people to take up the traditional dance. They couldn't get enough dancers to perform on St George's Day – with this year being the first time in half a century that there was no Morris dancing in Horwich on that day. Tom Besford, former leader of the group, said: 'I'm really proud of Horwich and I hope that Horwich is proud of us. 'It was always lovely to see people cheering us on – especially some of the older ladies who will have seen the team dancing for decades in Horwich. 'It will be noticeable when we've gone.' Although sad to see the group go – Mr Besford said that the final dance has brought dancers from all over to perform in the send off. He said that dancers have been coming from as far as Wales, Northallerton and Selby. It has also given Mr Besford to perform alongside his dad, Ian, and son, Ned – three generations of Morris dancers. Tom Besford (right) with dad Ian (left) and son Ned (centre) (Image: Tom Besford) Mr Besford said: 'It's the first time I've ever seen it! 'I started dancing in Horwich when I was 16, and it's really sad that we've had to call it a day – I've spent my entire life dancing, and hoped my little boy would too. 'Horwich Morris in its current form has been going for 59 years and we all were hoping that we would go for 60.' Have a story? Get in touch at However, the group dates back even further than its current form – over 100 years – and they've even been contacted by a relative of the prize-winning team of 1901. Mr Besford said: 'In fact, we've been contacted on Facebook by a relative of someone in the original prize-winning team in 1901. 'They said 'I've still got my grandad's medal if you want to see it'.' READ MORE: Bacup Coconut Dancers enthral crowds for Easter parade READ MORE: Best pubs for a Sunday roast in Bolton according to locals READ MORE: Westhoughton Amico Stars Morris Dancers need your help He said that with less-and-less people joining Morris groups it's sad to see the tradition go – but that traditions only stay alive if people keep them alive. Mr Besford said: 'Ultimately we're dressed up in stupid clothing in the middle of Horwich drinking in loads of bars and having a great time in the sunshine. 'I thought that would be enough to persuade people to dance but sadly not.'
BBC News
23-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
The King's Lynn man who made Shakespeare funny
Archive research has revealed new information about a 16th Century comedian and his influence on William Armin began working with the Bard's acting troupe in the 1590s and became the principal comedic performer in 1599 when William Kemp left the group. Tim FitzHigham, creative director of Shakespeare's Guildhall in King's Lynn, Norfolk, says he believes many of the Bard's best known comedic roles would have been written and performed by the comedian."Robert Armin is a person who fundamentally changed comedy and he is really underrated - and I think people need to know more about him," he said. "He was Shakespeare's principal comedian for the majority of Shakespeare's writing career." Robert Armin was born in King's Lynn in 1565 and his birthplace is now a nail bar on the high the town's connections to Shakespeare have begun to be better known, the story of Armin's life and writing has been hidden until now, Mr FitzHigham said. The creative director, who is researching Armin's life for his PHD study, said his work had revealed more about Armin's relationship with Shakespeare."I think it is fair to say there was a lot of love between the two of them," he said."They came from similar backgrounds, had similar educations - and we know Armin like Shakespeare could read Italian."Armin's roles included starring as the first Feste in Twelfth Night, Autolycus in A Winter's Tale and as the Fool in King reveals Armin left Norfolk at the age of 16 to work as an apprentice goldsmith in joined Shakespeare's acting troupe in the 1590s, becoming the principal comedic performer in 1599 when William Kemp left. Kemp is best known for Morris Dancing from London to Norwich in nine days, a feat that was replicated by Tim FitzHigham. "He was the first person to really study comedy," said Mr FitzHigham. "Without him we wouldn't have Blackadder, we wouldn't really have Faulty Towers, and we wouldn't have The Fast Show because he changed comedy in such a way as to allow character comedians to happen." Armin's story has been shared across King's Lynn's Town Guide Network, who offer tours of the town to highlight it's Guides' chairman, Paul Allford, said: "While we all know about Shakespeare and his probable visits to Lynn, it's not commonly known that one of our own was so involved in his works." Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
