Why do they call it "Morris" dancing?
What do the bells, sticks, hankerchiefs, masks, and/or movements represent?
Are there other Morris teams in the US?
Nobody knows. There has been much speculation about the origin, mostly having to do with the corruption of "Moorish" or "Moresque" to "Morris." Moresque dances were dances commemorating the fall of Moorish Spain in the 14th century. There are also groups of "Morisken Tanzers" in the Bavaria region of Germany. However, there is no evidence of Morris and Moresque being connected other than the coincidence of name.
Another theory is that a group of Oxford musicology students were trundling along a road through the England Cotswolds, when their Morris Minor automobile broke down. One of them played accordion, and the students found that by hitting the engine rythmically with sticks, they were able to keep it going and make it to their destination.
Depends on what you mean. WE, the Foggy Bottom Morris Men, are from America, except for those of us who are from Britian, now living in America. The DANCES are English in origin; some date back to before Shakespeare's time, and others were written last week.
You could get into a long philosophical discussion about whether we have Americanised it and how much, but I think we'd rather just do another dance and have another beer. Your turn to buy a round.
Nothing in particular, other than visual or sound effects to enhance the dance. Of course, the usual spiel is that the noise and activity "awaken" spring. This appears to be a relatively modern (from the early 20th century) tradition when the first generation of Morris revivalists thought they detected "pagan" origins in the dance. The movements do represent the dancing styles found in different villages. A practiced eye can detect which style of Morris dance is being performed by the type of stepping, the way hankies are waved, and the rhythm of the sticks.
Yes, many! Most major cities in the US have at least one team, and there are many in more rural areas as well, especially on the west and east coasts, and particularly in New England. Here is a link to a site which lists many of the Morris teams in America, England, and other parts of the world.
There are many teams in Washington D.C. and the surrounding areas. Among some of the regional teams we frequently tour with are:
Each member has his own reasons, of course, but basically, we do it because it is fun. Don't believe it? Come to one of our practices!