The season of summer fetes is here, with their cake stalls, beer tents, bric-a-brac stands, vicars' wives and bouncy castles. It's also the season of countless Morris dancers, all hopping, skipping and jingling in bizarre and unerringly hideous colours, who come out of the woodwork as soon as the clocks go forward. This lot from last year were the most sophisticated-looking I've seen yet. They really have to be unselfconscious and uncaring about what people think of them, since most of the audience tends to stand around sniggering when the dancing starts. Can you imagine being able to bounce up and down uninhibitedly while waving hankies and making jingling noises like a bunch of nursery school kids? You'd certainly have nothing left to lose after that.
Great shot ! And you should all be a bit more like those on that picture Giles - forgive me - but I allways have thought the English people had a habbit of beeing little too strict - lol - not meant in a bad way. Thats simply your style I guess, but look at these ones, they really express their " freedom" to everyone, and I dont think they min doing it - they simply have fun. Picture Perfect - Freedom
Pokingbrook Morris, Albany (web site) B.F. Harridans, Binghamton (web site) Binghamton Morris Men, Binghamton Heartwood Morris Dancers, Ithaca (web site) Museum Village Morris, Monroe (web site) Bouwerie Boys Morris Dancers, New York City Greenwich Morris Men, New York (web site) Half Moon Sword, New York (web site) The Harpies, New York (web site) New World Sword, New York (web site) Ring O' Bells, New York (web site) Snowbelt Morris, Rochester Berkshire Morris Men, Southern Berkshire County (MA)/Mid-Hudson Valley (NY), Northwest Connecticut (web site) Bassett Street Hounds, Syracuse (web site) Griffin's Corners Morris, Syracuse (web site) New unnamed Syracuse morris team, Syracuse Ribbonsteel Rapper, Syracuse (web site) Thornden Morris, Syracuse (web site)
LOL...I love your perspective on things. I would think that is great freedom to express such silliness without any regard to the critics. Great take on the theme and great photo full of color and I can just feel the excitement.
"freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose"...I believe is the lyrics that keep going throught my head. An interesting outlook, and perhaps a urge to "let go and be free".
Pokingbrook Morris, Albany (web site) B.F. Harridans, Binghamton (web site) Binghamton Morris Men, Binghamton Heartwood Morris Dancers, Ithaca (web site) Museum Village Morris, Monroe (web site) Bouwerie Boys Morris Dancers, New York City Greenwich Morris Men, New York (web site) Half Moon Sword, New York (web site) The Harpies, New York (web site) New World Sword, New York (web site) Ring O' Bells, New York (web site) Snowbelt Morris, Rochester Berkshire Morris Men, Southern Berkshire County (MA)/Mid-Hudson Valley (NY), Northwest Connecticut (web site) Bassett Street Hounds, Syracuse (web site) Griffin's Corners Morris, Syracuse (web site) New unnamed Syracuse morris team, Syracuse Ribbonsteel Rapper, Syracuse (web site) Thornden Morris, Syracuse (web site)
Okay Giles, when I lose 56 lbs., I'll get back to you! LOL!!
LOL...Giles...you are too funny sometimes. Perhaps these are Pagan pass-downs...LOL.They never seemed to care either. I love the shot though. It says so much about freedom during your short Summer. Ronnie's Picture Perfect
Oh fun...interesting and what I found equally so is hearing your words ...bric brac, sniggering, vicars wives, bouncy castles! lol Can you imagine the exercise they are getting tho from all this freedom?? Thanks for sharing a bit of your culture Giles...
Those are quite ugly outfits they are wearing. It looks like it would be pretty fun though - if only the costuming was nicer. I'd have a problem with that, lol. (But not with jingling and flinging my body around in silly ways).
They remembered to contrast the colours at least. As for the un-inhibition... I think this would be the best exercise in learning to be comfortable with ourself...I am trying to grasp the confidence and the sense of self they must have to be able to do that inspite of all the sniggering.
I haven't been to a fete in years. This had me thinking back quite a way. What are the Morris dancers? I love their uninhibited freedom. I don't even have the courage to do that inside closed walls. Tint~ My Picture Perfect
I've always loved watching Morris dancers... and you're right... total freedom!
Don't know why, but for some strange reason I suddenly remembered a great television series screened here a few years back while reading your blog. It stared Dawn French (who I think is absolutely wonderful) and was called The Vicar of Dibley. Possibly the thought of fetes and vicar's wives brought the series to mind. Are you familiar with it?
And you should all be a bit more like those on that picture Giles 
