[ May, 2015 ] We happened to be able to see the Morris dance in a town in Bovey Tracey in Devon, southwest England.
This is a traditional English folk dance, usually danced in May Festivals celebrating that spring has come.
They usually have bells on their legs and rhythmically wave and hit their sticks together.
I think usually they wear pretty costumes, but here in this town, for some reason, all of them looked like the Hells Angels.
Some had painted their faces black, which is apparently a tradition in some areas.
The word “Morris” came from “Moorish” so the black faces may mean that they were trying to be Moorish people.
The rhythmic music is played with accordions, smaller concertinas, fiddles, tabors and so on.
Here, there were three groups and they danced alternately.
