Morris dancing to be extinct within 20 years?

I heard this on the new yesterday, so thought I would blog about it today, being Welsh I thought this was just a English tradition, but at the Otley 08 Beer Festival they had some Welsh morris dancers and it was great fun and goes well with the real ale lot, but our nations past times should be kept..maybe one of these modern Disk jockeys could do a “dance” version, now where is wogan and the floral dance.

Image from themorrisring.org
Image from themorrisring.org

Morris dancing could be “extinct” within 20 years because young people are too embarrassed to take part, a UK Morris association said today.

The numbers of people participating in the traditional British folk dance are dwindling whilst the age of the dancers is increasing, according to the Morris Ring, an association representing over 200 Morris troupes across Britain.

It is warning that “unless younger blood is recruited during the coming winter months, Morris dancing will soon become extinct”.

Charlie Corcoran, Bagman of the Morris Ring, said: “There’s a distinct possibility that in 20 years’ time there will be nobody left.

“It worries me a great deal. Young people are just too embarrassed to take part.

By Andrew Wilcox

I love sheds Founder & judge of Shed of the year - Wilco writes mainly about sheds. About the blog Enter your shed into #shedoftheyear

2 comments

  1. Dance groups in the Morris Ring may be ageing but there are many young and very active Morris groups outside it. Come to Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire this Saturday to see Morris dancing at its best! About 35 teams will be there for the Straw Bear Festival and you’ll see plenty of young dancers.

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