Datchet Border Morris
Website
2012
More about Border Morris and Datchet
This style of dancing was performed in the villages of the Welshborder counties (Shropshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire).
It is now thought that they pre-date the more common Cotswold style of Morris.
They are usually danced by sides of four, six or eight men who black their faces and wear 'rags' and dark trousers. The black faces and 'rags' are believed to have originated as a disguise to preserve the anonymity of men performing an annual 'ritual' dance to bring fertility to the land each spring.
Here we are, dancing the Peopleton handkerchief
dance at Kew Gardens 2011
The name "Morris" probably developed from 'Morisco' - a name used throughout Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries for any 'outlandish' or 'wild' dancing. This in itself could perhaps have been derived from "Moorish", but there is no evidence to support this.
There are now several sides dancing in this style both in the counties of origin and in the south of England. Datchet Border Morris was formed in 1991, when the Datchet Morris Men (formed in 1961) decided to change from Cotswold Morris to something more exciting and distinctive.
We still perform one or two Cotswold dances, but concentrate on both traditional and newly created border dances (including some unique to Datchet), danced in our own distinctive style.
We perform mainly for our own enjoyment, and that of our audience, and collect money to cover our expenses (e.g. hall hire, new sticks) and on behalf of local charities.