Why? Because it is tons of fun. Morris dancing, when it is done "on the street" is not so much entertainment as guerrilla theatre. When we appear, we cause heads to turn in surprise and confusion. Eyes light up with delight and amusement as we begin to perform. Children dance on the sidelines. Adults ask "what is this?" and other questions. Soon they are buying us beers. Ladies glance at our bulging calf muscles and say "Hmmmm, cute knickers!", inspiring us to leap higher and clash sticks harder for their admiration.
The time commitment need not be heavy, and not all members attend every gig. We go to festivals and dance events once or twice a month in season, which is fall and spring, with some activities in the winter. We practice for a couple of hours every Thursday evening September through June, and generally end up at a drinking establishment following each gig or practice. Belonging to a Morris team is much like belonging to an amateur sports team or musical group. Our members enjoy social aspects of dance events as well as the excitement of public performance.
Dancing events and festivals are often opportunities to get together with other Morris teams - men's, women's, or mixed. A popular form of dance event is the Morris "Ale," a day or weekend of dancing tours followed by feasting, singing, social dancing, and general carousing. We attend at least one per season, and we often host our own.
Our members are regular folks from many walks of life and of all ages. We have: an architect, a printer, an FDA researcher, a cartoonist, a computer technician, a chemist, a music producer, an astronomer, a bank assistant, a student, and others. Our age range is from teens to sixties. Only about half the team have English roots or ethnicity. We live in and around the Washington, DC metropolitan area; from Sterling, Virginia, to Ellicott City, Maryland, and everywhere in between!
All are welcome to come to a practice and try it out. Those in good physical condition and with a good sense of rhythm will do better than those without. Musicians are most welcome, as well.
We practice most Thursdays from 8pm - 10pm, at the Highland View Elementary School, 9010 Providence Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20901, near Colesville Road and Sligo Creek Parkway (directions). Nearest Metro stop is Silver Spring Station, but you'll need a ride. We recommend that you contact us first to make sure we are having regular practice the night you wish to attend.
And check out our calendar to find out more information about our practices and performances.