Dartington Morris
South Devon morris side performing Cotswold, Filkins, and longsword dances.
Last updated
via Wikipedia: Dartington Morris · see source
Dartington Morris is a dance group from Dartington, near Totnes in Devon, England. It began in 1968 as a men’s side with both male and female musicians, based at Dartington Hall, and belongs to the Morris Ring. Early practices were held in the 13th-century Pillar Studio at the hall.
While the group was deciding on a name, Leonard Elmhirst, a co-founder of the Dartington Hall Trust, mentioned he had once danced morris and suggested they call themselves The Dartington Morris Men. He also proposed using the Dartington crest—a white hart on a red rose, originally the emblem of Richard II and his half-brother John Holland—on their kit. In 2021, the side removed its male-only restriction, now welcoming dancers of any gender, and changed its name to Dartington Morris.
Quick Facts
- Former name
- Dartington Morris Men
- Kit colours
- red
- white
- gold
- black breeches and shoes
- Crest
- White Hart on a red rose
- Crest origin
- Richard II and John Holland, 1st Duke of Exeter and 1st Earl of Huntingdon
- Gender restriction lifted
- 2021
- Regular performance season
- May to September
- Regular performance day
- Friday evenings
Facts from the source article.
Background
Two previous Dartington Morris sides are believed to have danced in the Totnes area; one at the end of the 19th century, the other in the 1930s. One of these sides apparently danced in bare feet. The side's kit is based on the colours red, white and gold, derived from the crest, with black breeches and shoes. Dancers perform to live musicians, with the White Hart "Leonard" (new in 2024) and a Fool occasionally adding to the show.
The side's horse "Champernowne" has now been put into retirement. They perform mainly traditional Cotswold morris dances and also uniquely perform dances from the lost Filkins tradition, reconstructed by erudite member Christopher Farr. A North Skelton Longsword dance is performed on occasion by six dancers. At Christmas and New Year the performance is supplemented by the Dartington Christmas Mummers' Play.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Dartington Morris (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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