Beltane Border Morris dance White Ladies Aston at Upton Folk Festival 2015

[@albertvermeule5844]

This is a part of British culture i wasn't aware of until recently an di must say i like it.

[@randolphtrenchtrousers4345]

Superb, love it, God bless you all !!!!

[@alanstevens2512]

Morris Dancing......that puts a chill down your spine.....BRILLIANT!

[@sylviabeattie]

I've watched so many of their videos recently, I think I'm stalking them! Love the energy and wish I was young enough to join them.

[@Bertoblam1]

Am I still allowed to say that these guys make me proud of my British heritage? Long may they continue to bring this amazing traditional dancing to the people.

[@neilbreward5440]

Nothing wrong with being proud of a British tradition like this. Love other cultural traditions too. These dancers are absolutely brilliant.

[@burninglion2584]

Yes. Yes you are.

[@poeticider]

Greetings from Shropshire! I am very proud of our local dance :)

[@enzedbrit]

I’d be disappointed if you didn’t!!

[@jenniferrussell9118]

Love it so jolly and vibrant. ❤❤❤

[@diannemorgan-smith2245]

TERRIFYING! Love It!

[@Bpl541]

I absolutely love this dance and the energy is amazing. Thank you 😊

[@lindagregory2144]

Totally agree british folk and morris dance in may brillent

[@josechrist3948]

Fabulous! This is very important cultural heritage, please do not fade it away, there is already to much lost in this time!

[@shaunwild8797]

The black face painting is now being removed as not to offend. Next someone will take offence to the dance it's self.

[@grid_keeper7889]

Now that's a part of Albion 🦡I'm proud of🍀

[@rumeunner3245]

Its like a gothic new age style of morris dancing

[@morrisndoris]

This video has had so many views and I think 500 of them must be me! It is just one of the best renditions of White Ladies Aston I have ever seen. The footwork is perfect and it has incredible energy. I take my morris hat off to you Beltane Border Morris!

[@phoenixrising6245]

Love, love, love this!!!!! Keep this tradition ALIVE!!!!

[@enzedbrit]

Join your local troupe to keep it thriving

[@phoenixrising6245]

@@enzedbrit Great idea! I'm seriously tempted!

[@ArmandKarlsen]

I, for one, want to see morris dancing in a mosh pit. They've got the outfits down already XD

[@elizabethmillane8369]

Great stuff ! Keep the stories of our history alive!

[@coltal1]

Wonderful energy... that's what I call dancing with 'attitude'.

[@burninglion2584]

My people.... Vibrant, strong, joyous ❤️

[@BelledVain]

My favourite side of the weekend ! Thoroughly enjoyed the energy and damned good dancing !

[@BelledVain]

An offensive and unnecessary comment. I suggest you simply get lost :-)

[@iamtenzin4409]

+Julie Church Looks like they did.

[@albertascouse4507]

Terrific energy! Certainly one of the best vids for Border Morris thx

[@MrLuridan]

I love it when she screams in my face....RAAAWWRR!!!

[@glindaparkerman6646]

Love this dance.

[@IckyTzatziki]

Great stuff.. long may it continue

[@andyduckering8731]

Absolutely fantastic. Would love to be involved in that.... ❤️

[@ktsenya2]

YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME

[@christophersharp317]

Fucking awesome!

[@highwindsclarke2685]

The tune is The Four Elements and was also used on a schools dance programme. I have this tune on tape.

[@elizabethcarver5151]

Are you sure? It sounded like The King of the Fairies to me

[@hcewhite]

@@elizabethcarver5151 It is King of the Fairies :)

[@yammybobo]

Wonderful Energy....

[@bettybrown2968]

now that's what I call a fertility dance...

[@megleschack9049]

The fringed ragged look is so interesting. They look like swooping crows.

[@megleschack9049]

An especially forceful and athletic dance, this one.🎉

[@lauramoneybanks]

What is the name of this tune? Does anyone know?

[@rowazi]

+Laura Brockbank King of the Fairies

[@tehminagoskar2043]

King of the Fairies.

[@mikestalberg6591]

Yes, but only the A part, over and over. They don't play the B part at all.

[@lauramoneybanks]

@@rowazi Thank you! Haha, it's literally taken my 6 years to get back to this - you are wonderful now, as then

[@kenthorseman]

Border Morris is under attack, the powers that be in the Morris federation have banned the black face tradition that goes back time immemorial, in our side they’ve hit a hurdle as one of our side is black as with other sides, so what they gonna do about that ?

[@ktsenya2]

What do you use for blackface? Does it come off easily?

[@amybaker4654]

Apparently its a sort of disguise,a means to hide your identity from eveil spirits.

[@kay9156]

@@amybaker4654 Pretty sure it's more in imitation of the black people/moors the dance is named after.

[@renamcvicar]

@@amybaker4654 you're close but it had more to do with not being recognised by the authorities during the time when begging was a crime punishable by imprisonment around the time of mid 18th-19th century Dickens era if not a little earlier..coal dust mixed with lamp oil.. the country side here in England really struggled between the industrialization of mills/factories which put hundreds of thousands out of work and croft farmers were pushed off their lands by the rich owners..people from the country had flocked into the more urban areas.. suddenly out of work and with no social programs invented yet.. they resorted to begging and some had enough skill to incorporate dance.. it's nothing at all to do with mocking of Africans.. and in those days Britain had a high earning slave trade income,.. so let's keep the facts real, it's working class struggling to survive same then as now.

[@jestpassinthru9915]

It's a disguise. nothing to do with black people at all.

[@kay9156]

@@jestpassinthru9915 actually, the clue is in the name "Morris". Think the "morisca/moresca" dance in Spain and Italy, where they dress in Moorish costume. The moors had a strong presence in Europe, and over time, this history has been downplayed and erased. A lot of customs and practices that relate to the moors have lost their true meaning.