Border Morris

If you've seen morris dancers dressed in white on the village green, then the chances are that it was "Cotswold" Morris. I play recorder for both Cotswold and "Border" Morris. The term "Border" refers to the border between England and Wales: it was coined, almost accidentally, by Dr Chris Cawte, to describe the dances from the "Border Counties" of Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

The dances from the area either were always simple or had become so by the time they were collected. Most villages had only one dance, in contrast to Cotswold villages where the tradition may include up to forty. The dances are for the most part with sticks rather than handkerchiefs. Modern teams tend to emphasise the performance itself rather than the choreography, and flamboyant costumes, painted faces and loud bands are all common.

If you don't know about this stuff, or if you do and want to see if it's more than I do, then here's a cut-down version of a booklet that I've written, which describes the history and revival of Border..