Wimborne Folk Festival 2007: Part 2

Traditional Folk Dancing performed by Wild Hunt,Old Meg, Wheal Sophia, Quayside Cloggers at the Wimborne Folk Festival 2007
Wimborne Folk Festival
Founded in 1980 and held in the shadow of the gracious 12th century Minster Church of St Cuthburga, the annual event of Traditional Folk Dance and Song has become the focal point for the largest gathering of dance teams and musicians in the South of England. For the old town of Wimborne Minster, the festival is considered by many to be the major event of the year and is highly regarded nationally as one of the largest events of its kind in the country.
This very colourful spectacle of dance and music was first held in August 1980 as a one day event and was such a success that plans for a bigger event soon followed. The event is based on the town centre streets and has its own very unique atmosphere, it regularly attracts many thousands of visitors from all over the UK and of course from the rest of the world, proving that even in this day and age an event of this kind based on tradition can attract crowds of over 30.000 people and has stood the test of time. Visit Wimborne Folk Festival website www.wimbornefol...
Morris Dancing
May Day (1st May) is traditionally the start of the Morris Dancing year. The Morris Dance itself is believed to have evolved from ancient fertility rites, although the present dance is more recent. The name "Morris" may be a corruption of the word "Moorish" a reference to the way dancers black their faces and supposedly resemble Moors.
Morris dancing in Victorian England was in a general decline until a man named Cecil Sharp became interested in collecting and recording traditional folk dances and music. It is largely from his collection that today's dances and their many variants are drawn. Morris sides often choose to dance one of two styles, either Cotswold or Border. Yet vital to any Morris dance are bells, handkerchiefs and sticks; visually attractive as they are, though their true purpose is to scare away troublesome fairies and demons.
Among Morris sides there will always be lurking a curious animal figure invariably a 'Obby Oss' usually appearing on May Day, and even dragons and peculiar bull-like animals!
Discover more Dorset traditions in the book 'Dark Dorset Calendar Customs', by Robert Newland, now available at Amazon.co.uk. Visit the Dark Dorset website, www.darkdorset.... or blog darkdorset.blog...
and open the door to a world of fascinating folklore and legends.