On Saturday, 21st September I was happy to join members of the Northampton Morris Dancers to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Northampton group. Dancing took place around Northampton. It was a fun occasion and a pleasure to meet those who are keeping this great tradition alive- and I was pleased to also see some young people taking part.
Morris men are dance groups which perform an age-old English folk dance, based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers wearing bell pads and using implements such as sticks, swords and handkerchiefs. The Northampton branch of this group was founded in 1949 in order to perform Cotswold Morris in and around the towns of Northamptonshire and it is great that 70 years later the group is still going strong!