Dancing delight with Jackstraws Morris

Round & About

Kris Lawrence invites you to join Jackstraws Morris where dancing is for fun and fitness!

Morris dancing has to be one of the most social ways to keep fit and local team Jackstraws Morris invite anyone to come and have a go to see what it’s all about.  

This form of dancing is very energetic – and a lot more complex than you might think. It offers good exercise and co-ordinated teamwork, in a very sociable and friendly environment. You don’t need to be an expert dancer to come and have a go, but just a willingness to learn. We dance to live music and welcome budding musicians to try their hand at playing for the Morris.  

In the warmer weather we perform publicly, often at a local pub, but there is also the opportunity to go out to events and festivals and meet new people. Being based in Hale, we like to be seen out and about locally. This year we danced at the Hale Carnival, even winning a prize for our efforts! But we also like to travel further afield to meet up with, and build relationships with, other Morris teams at ‘weekends of dance’ or folk festivals.  

And importantly we are keeping an old tradition alive! 500 years ago, royal courts and wealthy houses throughout Europe were hiring Morris dancers – the style of dance is unknown, but you can see statues of ‘Morisktanzer’ carved in 1480 in the museum in Munich, Germany.  

Changes in fashion, and the movement of country people to towns in the 19th century led to Morris dancing being almost extinct in Britain. Then in 1899 a folk music researcher called Cecil Sharp saw a group of dancers at Headington in Oxfordshire and realised that they were the heirs to an ancient tradition. He went on to travel all over the south midlands to track down dancers and those who remembered dances. Those dances, now called ‘Cotswold Morris’, form the basis of what Jackstraws perform.  

Jackstraws was originally a team of female dancers, but has now opened the doors to all, including youngsters aged 11-16 years (accompanied by an adult). We meet every Monday evening to learn the dances 7.30 – 9.30pm, at the Hale Institute, Wings Road, Upper Hale, GU9 0HN (overlooking the cricket field). For further details, contact secretary@jackstraws.org.uk or check out the Jackstraws website. 

If you are interested in: 

• Having fun 

• Keeping fit 

• Trying something new 

• Being part of something meaningful 

• Meeting new people 

• Getting out and about to events and festivals 

Why not come along and give Jackstraws Morris a go!