We probably all have seen Morris Dancing but what do we actually know about it and its origins?
Morris dancing is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers, usually wearing bell pads on their shins. Implements such as sticks, swords and handkerchiefs may also be wielded by the dancers.
The Mersey Morris Men originated in 1960 from the merger of the Liverpool Men (founded 1928) and the Wirral Men (1953). They dance predominantly Cotswold Morris from the villages of Bampton, Leafield, Bucknell, Adderbury, Bledington, and many more. These dances were traditionally danced exclusively by men to promote the fertility of nature.
Their costume consists of white shirts and black breeches with flower-decked hats. Over the shoulders are worn blue and gold baldricks, centred by a badge showing the Liver Bird carrying the Wirral Horn.
