Herbert C. MacIlwaine

“ As to the permanence of the demand, as to whether the Morris dance is likely to become again, as once it was, a feature of our national life, one can only surmise. For ourselves, we believe absolutely in the permanence of this revival, and that these astounding results of our efforts hitherto are evidence, not of a fleeting phase or vogue but of no less than that we have restored to our own people a rightful inheritance, a means and method of self-expression in movement, native and sincere, such as is offered by no other form of dancing known to us. ”

“ The Morris Dance is essentially a manifestation of vigour rather than of grace. This is probably true of all country dances: it is pre-eminently true of the Morris dance. It is, in spirit, the organized, traditional expression of virility, sound health and animal spirits. It smacks of cudgel-play, of quarter-staff, of wrestling, of honest fisticuffs. There is nothing sinuous in it, nothing dreamy; nothing whatever is left to the imagination. ”

“ Just a few weeks earlier we had taken down, at Redditch, from the fiddler of the Bidford Morris-men, the same tune, note for note, as Tabourot gives it. Here in truth is a signal instance of that persistence and continuity which is always cropping up, to the lasting amazement and delight of the student of Folk-music—to the delight more especially of the student who, like ourselves, holds that in our Folk-music is a treasury not to be hoarded for the delectation of the scholar, but to be expended with both hands for the revivifying of a national spirit. ”

“ The Bidford man, whom we saw at his really funny antics, had a fox's mask for headgear, the muzzle lying on the man's forehead, the brush hanging down his back. His face was raddled like a clown's; he had a vest of cowhide, with red sleeves; stockings and breeches much like the dancers', and he wore his bells, not on a shin-pad like them, but in a row all round the boot-top. He carried a bladder on the end of a stick, and with it he freely whacked the hobby-horse man and occasionally members of the audience.
The hobby-horse man of the same company was dressed like a jockey ”

“ In the high step, used chiefly in the figures called "Capers" (see p. 50) , the dancer must, if his activity will allow of it, raise the forward foot until its toe is as high as the knee of the rear or supporting leg. It is an exercise not to be attempted all at once in its completeness, because it is one well calculated to send the inexperienced enthusiast sprawling on his back. Its study should be approached gently, by way of familiarity with the simpler movement, which, once it is mastered, may easily be extended to the harder one. ”

“ There is a spice of wholesome rowdiness in the spirit of the dance that will not fail to make itself known and beloved of boys. Besides, the shaking of hands before the fight, the squaring-up for war, and the reconciliation, can only be given the right robustious ring and defiance by the fighting sex. ”

“ To teach and to learn the right way of dancing "Bluff King Hal" is more a matter of drill and precision than lusty abandon: it must be danced evenly, seriously almost, and quite quietly, or its true effect will be marred or lost. ”

“ The best way for a teacher who has never seen the dances performed, yet wants to teach them from the book, is to study the diagrams and learn by heart the Notation word for each. He should then stand a side upon the floor, make them go through the evolutions by word of command, or Notation word, slowly, as described; counting the beats, but without music.
This manner of beginning is advised only when the teacher has nothing but the book for guide: where an experienced dancer is available we have found it best for the novices to set to at once upon the dance ”

“ The foot, therefore, the forward or stepping foot, is lifted as in walking, as if to step forward, then the leg is vigorously straightened to a kick, so as to make the bells ring. At the same instant that the forward leg is straightened, a hop is made on the rear foot; the dancer alights upon the toe, but lets the heel follow immediately and firmly, so that he stands upon the flat foot. A good snap-shot photograph of one in the act of walking, when the forward foot has made about three-fourths of its stride, gives a perfect illustration of the Morris dancer's step. ”

“ You will see pretty soon that, to do so, you must, when you jump, let the heels come solidly to earth, immediately following the toes—no man, even an old-time Morris-man, may jump and alight upon his heels alone, with the spine held rigidly above them (see p. 33) . You will find also that, in stepping it, whether to advance or retire, or to step rhythmically in one place, to make your bells ring the true fortissimo you must kick, and kick hard. ”

“ The music is marked ad libitum: the musician simply brings his labours to an end in whichsoever section he shall hear the warning call of "All in." Even the Morris-men themselves do not invariably go through all the movements. These instructions are given in order that, should audience or dancers weary of the exercise, it can be curtailed. Where we have taught the dance to novices, we have found, at first, curtailment to be advisable, for the length and monotony of it palled. ”

“ La Morisque and Morisco of France; the Moresca of Corsica, danced by armed men to represent a conflict between Moors and Christians—is in all reasonable probability Moorish in origin: never mind if in our own country it is become as English as fisticuffs, as the dance called "How d'ye do" will show—wherein our own folk, after their own manner, have suggested strife, as in the Corsican variety. Holland, as is told by Engel, was infected too; industrious research, in fact, will probably show that the Morris in some shape or other was known throughout Europe, and beyond. ”

“ In Stick dances tapping to a great extent takes the place of jumping, but in these, where the Jump is to be used, it will be found marked in the Notation. Movements of the hands, which invariably go with the Jump, will be found under heading "The Hands."
The first general rule is this: Every dancer whose turn it is to execute any movement whatsoever, must jump on last half-bar before that movement begins. This applies, as the case may be, to the whole side, or to any pair of opposites about to execute any figure or movement. ”

“ To say, put away for a while these methods is to put no slight upon them, or to offer a word of criticism: it is requisite and necessary, even as one should advise a change of clothing to somebody about to quit the ballroom for some rough-and-tumble pastime in the open fields.
Firstly, as to the manner of the steps. The Morris-men wear bells strapped to their shins; the bells are there that they may ring their music—and a fine wholesome music it is, too: to ring, they must be well shaken; to be shaken, the leg they are strapped to must be kicked and stamped. ”

“ We have been drawn to the publication of tunes and description of the old English Morris, not primarily for the information of the archæologist and scholar, but to help those who may be disposed to restore a vigorous and native custom to its lapsed pre-eminence.
Whether we have erred in believing that there exists to-day a wide and keen desire for that restoration will be plainly shown in the reception and the result of our endeavour. How we ourselves came by the belief in that desire is easily told. ”

“ It is a formula based upon and arising out of the life of man, as it is lived by men who hold much speculation upon the mystery of our whence and whither to be unprofitable; by men of meagre fancy, but of great kindness to the weak: by men who fight their quarrels on the spot with naked hands, drink together when the fight is done, and forget it, or, if they remember, then the memory is a friendly one. ”

“ With an eye upon the foregoing notes and, it is hoped, a personal memory of the experiment as recommended, the learner will readily grasp the description that follows here.
Roughly, the Morris step is alike throughout all the dances; it varies only in force, length (i.e., the length of the stride varies more or less) , and height (i.e., the foot is lifted more or less) .
The foot, when lifted, is never drawn back, but always thrust forward. The toe is never pointed in line with the leg, but held at a right-angle to it, as in the standing position. ”

“ In the Notation, the term "Partners" is used to denote the pairs as they stand fronting or abreast, Nos. 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6.
The term "Opposites" is used in referring to couples when they must change places, or re-change, as in Corners and Capers, Nos. 1 and 6, 2 and 5, 3 and 4. The latter couple, the centres, it will be noticed, will have both terms applied to them, according as the movement described is Corners or Capers, or another, such as hand-striking.
In some dances, as, for instance, in "Bean-setting," the side forms a ring, and many dances end in this formation. ”

“ In Corners and Capers, wherever opposites change places, the rule is that they jump on last half-bar, as they finish their part in the figure—that is, as they complete the movement of changing or re-changing places.
In "Blue-eyed Stranger," where the whole side dances in position for eight bars, all jump at half-bar in bar 8. Should the side elect to keep up the step for sixteen bars (see p. 50) , then all jump at half-bar in bar 16.
In "Bluff King Hal" and "Morris Off," there is no Jump at all. ”

“ There is plenty of room, there, for a different sounding of the phrase: for making it ring of challenge, and strife, and victory—also of honourable defeat, after lusty strokes have been dealt and taken: the next best thing to a win—sometimes even a better thing. ”

“ He then proceeded to dance the Morisco the length of the hall, forth and back, to the great amusement of the company. So says Tabourot, long dead; and to-day we learn that, in most winters, a side of Morris-men dances at White Ladies Aston, one-and-a-half mile from Spetchley, Worcester. They blacken their faces and have for music accordion, triangle, and tambourine: their flute-player died recently. Tabourot suggests that the bells might have been borrowed from the crotali of the ancients in the Pyrrhic dance. ”

“ It must always be remembered that the Morris-men themselves vary the length of their dances, according to the humour of the moment, and their freshness or fatigue. A dance can always be shortened by leaving out one or more figures: the musician will know what to do by the call of the leader.
In "Blue-eyed Stranger," for instance, if the side is feeling particularly high-spirited, the whole sixteen bars of "B" music may be danced ”

“ In the step most commonly used the raised foot is thrust forward only so far that, when the leg is straightened to the kick, the forward heel is roughly the length of the dancer's foot in advance of the toe of the rear or supporting foot. ”

“ At the present time the music is generally played on a fiddle; though here, again, having no complete knowledge of all the traditional dancers still left among us, we offer no precise statement as to the instruments still in use. ”

“ The celebrated Kemp, who danced the Morris all the way from London to Norwich in 1599, and whose picture we reproduce, wore his bells in the traditional manner.
The records show that, even in recent times, both treble and tenor bells were worn, each carried by the opposite files of dancers. There are accounts also of bells with four different tones. But nowadays certainly the rule is that bells all of a kind are worn by all the dancers—latten bells, if that be still the correct name for the kind of bell to be found upon the harness that children use when they play at horses. ”

“ Partners cross sticks, leading file (Nos. 1, 3, and 5) holding to the right of even numbers. The tapping (or clashing, rather, for here the sticks are loudly clashed together) is done on first three beats of bars 1 and 2, and 5 and 6 of "B" music (see mark X) . Partners strike each other's sticks, right, left, right, according to position, in the manner of sham fencing—the manner of brigands in pantomime.
While the tapping is being done all stand fast, not moving the feet at all. When the six taps are finished, in bars 1 and 2, 5 and 6, the sticks are held crossed and in position ”

“ The exception—the only one that presents a difficulty at first—is the one marked 4/3 and 6/3, these two being one, since only the time differs; the feet step the same in each. A hint will make this step come as easily as the rest. Let the beginner in temporary difficulty with it bethink himself of the polka-step; sing a stave of the polka, and dance round the room to it. He will find that his feet are stepping exactly in order of the Morris 4/3 and 6/3 step—left, right, left, hop-left; right, left, right, hop-right, and so on. ”

“ If the spirit has been Anglicised, the steps remain. Tabourot, for instance, a very quaint and interesting writer on dancing, tells us that when he was a youth—that would be early in the 16th century—it was the custom in good society for a boy to come into the hall after supper with his face blackened, his forehead bound with white or yellow taffeta, and bells tied to his legs. ”

“ In remaining six bars of "B," repeat dibbing and tapping as in the first six bars.
In the notation of "Bean-setting" (p. 61) , the term "Dibbing" will be used to denote all the actions, here explained in detail, that go to the music of "B."
COUNTRY GARDENS (HANDKERCHIEF DANCE) .
In the hand-striking figure of this dance (for hand-strokes, see mark O in "B" music) there are four movements, as follows:—
Each dancer strikes both hands together. ”