Alive & Kicking North-West Clog Morris

A&K is a mixed Morris side, formed in 1992 we hail from around the Maldon area of Essex, where we dance in the traditional North-West Clog style. Our colours were chosen from the Maldon crest and consist of royal blue, with gold and white. Our musicians play a variety of instruments the Melodeon, Bass Drum and Tambourine.

The Dancing

There are several varieties of Morris, each having a distinctive style and costume. The dance customs were, at the outset, regional; Cotswold, Border, and so on. North-West Clog Morris dancing was established by workers in the cotton mills and other factories of Cheshire, Lancashire and West Yorkshire. This was a new form of the original Morris, brought from the countryside during the mass migration of the industrial revolution. It incorporated the clogs that were originally used for solo step dancing on factory flagstones. Gradually it developed into a processional style, often with brass bands accompanying the teams. The dance patterns and arm movements were meant to represent the motion of the mill machinery, such as the criss-crossing of shuttles in a loom. Each village had its own team or side and gave its name to an individual dance. Many of the dances we perform still have these village names; Newton-le-Willows and Knutsford for example. The dancers dressed in fancy and colourful costumes but wore their clogs from the mills and factories. The dances were often performed during the annual holiday week - Wake's Week - and at church festivals. Essentially two types of stepping are used in North-West Morris, polka step and single step; see if you can spot them as we are dancing.

The Origin of the Name Morris

The name Morris as a country dance style is uncertain: it is probably a corruption of Moorish as some traditions require the dancers to black their faces. England had close ties with Spain at the time it was occupied by the Moors, and there are certain similarities between some forms of Morris dancing and dances of the Basque country and Northern Spain.

What!! Women?

By the time North West Clog Morris was established, old rules against female dancers were breaking down. Although these days there are mixed sides as well as ladies' and men's teams in almost all forms of Morris, North-West Clog is the only tradition where mixed sides have always been the case.

About our Name

The name was taken from a comment made when a previous side folded and some of the members decided to form up again under a new name to show that they were still Alive & Kicking!

Where You Can See Us

Summer 2011 Programme

You'll find Alive & Kicking Morris in spring, early summer and autumn evenings "dancing out" at pubs in and around Essex, including our local The Blue Boar pictured below. Occasionally we dance farther a field on odd weekends during the year, with other teams at various towns, villages and pubs around the UK. We regularly dance at the Rochester Sweeps Festival and Leigh folk festival. Nearer to home we dance on high days and holidays in our home town - on our own or with the Greenjackets - and also join in with special events like Maldon's famous pre-Christmas Victorian evenings.

The ‘Blue Boar’

Silver Street, Maldon, Essex CM9 4QE

‘The sides local on a Wednesday night’

New Members and Winter Practice Nights

We are always happy to welcome new members to our team male and female. New male members are especially welcome as most of the original dances were performed with four men and four ladies. During the winter months we practice at United Reformed Church Hall, Market Hill in Maldon Essex on Wednesday evenings starting at 8:00. For more details either have a chat with any of the dancers or call:

Angela Clarke 01621 857569

Email: angelaclarke60@gmail.com

Ruth Teverson 01376 502266

Email: ruthteverson@yahoo.co.uk

Sylvie Bullen-Bell 01621 859614

Email: bullenbell@btinternet.com

Alive & Kicking Morris is a member of

The Morris Federation