Morris is a traditional type of dance of England.
Dancers practise and then dance out (perform in public).
It is usually danced in sets of 6 or 8 with the dancers moving with coordinated moves and steps.
The origins of morris dancing are obscure but in various forms it has been danced across the country.
The main types of morris are:
- Cotswold – from the area around Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire
- North Western – developed in the mill towns of Lancashire
- Border – from the English / Welsh border.
Dacre Morris dances in the Cotswold style. This style is usually danced with hankies or sticks but there are a few dances which use neither.
Within each type of morris there are different “traditions”. These are dances which come from a particular village or area and have features in common with each other.
Most of the dances have a verse (called a figure) and chorus structure. The figures are called by the dancer at the head of the set.
