Morris Dancing Teams can be found all over Great Britain and many new teams have been found in Canada, U.S.A., Hong Kong and Australia. Many people would recognise this essentially English tradition but what exactly is it? It's origins are vague, and many different theories have been expounded on it's beginning. Some believe that the dances seen today are derived from the French Moresque or the Spanish Morisca dances of the late 15th and early 16th Centuries.

Flag Crackers of Craven

Others put forward the theory that the dances are remains of pre-Christian fertility rites for soil and crops. Certainly by the end of the 16th Century Morris dancing had become established as a form of entertainment often accompanying the seasonal celebration of the coming of the Spring and Autumn harvests.

Stockport Morrismen

After these times the dances went through many changes and at least six regional variations developed, each one clearly different and each one contained within a particular geographical area of England.

Alvechurch Morris

The upsurge in the interest in the Morris today has meant that these styles have been taken out of their "home" counties to be performed all over the country but their origins can still be detected.

Mortimers from Nottingham

The Morris of the Cotswold areas is typified by the waving of handkerchiefs and the wearing of bells strapped to the dancers' legs.

Plum Jerkum from Long Itchington

North-West Morris dancers wear colourful costumes, with clogs on their feet. Yorkshire Longsword dances can be recognised by their circular formation and the swords used to link the dancers.

Local Morris Dancing Teams

• Anstey Royale Chalfont
• Anstey Morris Men
• Bare Bones
• Hinckley Bullockers