Er, Morris dancers required!

Milhouse_2

Hiya,

Been reading these boards for ages and finally decided to join.

I'm doing a charity do at work and I'm looking to find some Morris Dancers to donate their time and do a small demonstration. I've emailed a few London "professional" groups but they either want payment or flat out said no.

Anyone have any advice?

Savvy_Sue

I just googled Morris Dancers and found The Morris Ring and some other sites which help to find morris dancing sides. I guess you've done the same, but if not try that.

However, if they insist on payment, then try to think around how you could cover the costs of that and put it into the budget for your event. Although you might think they're being a bit mean not appearing for free, there will always be costs involved in maintaining a side and making appearances, and they may have found that's the only way to go.

Could you perhaps take up a collection?

Fen1

THere's a healthy dancing community in Thaxted, Essex. They're doing a a big festival with other teams on 31 May - 1 June. They might be able to help.

https://www.thaxtedmorris.org

https://www.thaxted.co.uk

Kay_Peel

All the best Morris sides and their musicians will be starting a busy and hectic schedule of festivals starting this weekend with Oxford Folk Festival. They'll be booked up until late October, too. There's a couple or three festivals from Friday to Monday (and longer) every weekend. :eek:
For the rest of the week they'll be recovering, working in their proper jobs and preparing for the next.

They don't get paid, but they'll get a few free tickets and free camping usually.

A very good place to start is Myspace. here for instance is a University side of energetic, athletic and accomplished dancers, near me.
Other universities have sides - and students will do owt for a free blow-out meal and all they can drink! :beer:

Follow some links from that myspace page to other Morris sides - there are hundreds and hundreds of the blighters.

You'll be able to see where they are based, what their committments are and you could even contact the ones who look interesting.

The ones with very few engagements will be (how can I put this kindly?) pot-bellied blokes with beards who can barely walk let alone hope, skip and jump while waving a hankie or a stick. With apologies to pot-bellied, bearded blokes with bad feet and bad breath! :rotfl:

Hope that helps.

Savvy_Sue

Kay_Peel wrote: »

The ones with very few engagements will be (how can I put this kindly?) pot-bellied blokes with beards who can barely walk let alone hope, skip and jump while waving a hankie or a stick. With apologies to pot-bellied, bearded blokes with bad feet and bad breath! :rotfl:

:rotfl:You mean there are sides of non-pot-bellied bearded blokes? This I must see! :rotfl:

ahai1

Will you be meeting their expenses?

Kay_Peel

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

:rotfl:You mean there are sides of non-pot-bellied bearded blokes? This I must see! :rotfl:

OOOh yes.

You'll find young ladies in short skirts clicking up their heels in clogs, as well as athletic young handsome men throwing themselves about, with manly thighs and forearms, in tight white trousers. :j

Or wielding swords and burning torches



Oops, I do apologise for that outburst. I think I'd better go and lie down for a few minutes to recover.

Milhouse_2

ahai1 wrote: »

Will you be meeting their expenses?

I could probably cover travel for 2 or 3 people from Greater London.

Thanks to everyone for their lovely replies.

Savvy_Sue - Fair point on expenses, as above. I will try and cover travel.

Kay Peel - I think that's a brilliant idea asking uni students. Am on it.

Fen1 - Thanks. Email sent.

Thanks all.

ahai1

People who do voluntary work get travel as well as other out of pocket expenses for exajmple food. I know I would not do it without expenses. I got £10 a day everything included or in some places just travel and lunch.

nickyc_2

You could always try some of the groups on Facebook if you've signed up -

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2417532143 has over 300 members so someone there may know someone.