Morris Dancing and Clogging in North Carolina.

NEWS: “In England, Morris Dancing Is Loved, Mocked and Getting a Makeover.” And adds: “Morris dancing, a folk form with origins in the 15th century, is opening up to younger dancers who approach it as a living tradition.” It’d seem anything that is “traditional,” rooted in cultures past, and deemed conservative are demonized these days. Culture war has slipped from academic self-righteousness to political arrogance, or worse. Of course, we know why the mockery: Only because the tradition belongs to the past. 

       Morris dancing is a form of English folk dance, 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. In a small number of dances for one or two people, steps are near and across a pair of clay tobacco pipes laid one across the other on the floor. They clap their sticks, swords, or handkerchiefs together to match with the dance.

       The earliest known and surviving English written mention of Morris dance is dated to 1448 and records the payment of seven shillings to Morris dancers by the Goldsmiths' Company in London. Further mentions of Morris dancing occur in the late 16th century, and there are also early records such as bishops' "Visitation Articles" mentioning sword dancing, guising and other dancing activities. 💃👯‍♂️🕺

IN the United States, a similar cultural tradition is “clogging,” a type of folk dance in which the dancer's footwear is used percussively by striking the heel, the toe, or both against a floor or each other to create audible rhythms, usually to the downbeat with the heel keeping the rhythm.

      American Clogging is associated with the predecessor to bluegrass—"old-time" music, which is based on English, and Irish fiddle tunes as well as African American banjo tunes. Clogging primarily developed from Irish step dancing called Sean-nós dance; there were also English, Scottish, German, and Cherokee step dances, as well as African rhythms and movement influences too. It was from clogging that tap dance eventually evolved. Now, many clogging teams compete against other teams for prizes such as money and trophies. 

     Clogging is the official state dance of Kentucky and North Carolina. In the United States, team clogging originated from square dance teams in Asheville, North Carolina's Mountain Dance and Folk Festival (1928). We watched this summer’s event at the Lipinsky Stadium in UNC. 

      I must say they weren’t the best cloggers and bluegrass performers that I’ve seen in years but it wasn’t all about the “show” per se but the sublimity that some people let the culture live. 

      The best in the mountain perform in the yearly “Shindig on the Green” though I haven’t seen one in years. But last time I was there, it was fiesta vibe. And no alcoholic drinks! Ain’t that different? 💃👯‍♂️🕺

(With some info copy-pasted from Wikipedia.)