morris dancing – Brattleboro Adventure

Leaf-peep-alooza: Morris Dancing

We’ve blogged about the joys and perils of Morris Dancing before. But, perhaps we don’t have the storytelling skill to really convey the essence of this pastime… Perhaps our skill with words just isn’t up to the task. Perhaps, if we ever had it, we’ve lost the ability to write without irony or judgment or snark.

Luckily, we live in an age where pictures are easy and video of everything from elevator ascents to rushing waters can be captured in real time.

Today in Shelburne Falls, we parked and heard the unmistakable and intoxicating sound of a concertina and jingle bells… and so now you can see for yourself.

This is the Poster with the schedule of events for Strolling of the Heifers activities tonight.

I draw your attention to the north end of Main Street, where, in one of the infinite possible universes, all Morris dancing happens at the same time.

Morris Dancing

One time, I was out on a Green Dress Run with the Salt Lake HHH. We were cruising through a park, in green dresses, singing and whooping it up. We happened upon the SCA dudes going at it with their swords and armor, and both groups saluted each other. A lot of communication happened in those ten anonymous seconds… basically, we all said “You guys are nuts, and what you do is silly… but you know what? we’re nuts too, and what we do is probably even sillier.”

Subcultures are wonderful, and Brattleboro seems to understand that more than most places. And so, today, we have the 37th Marlboro Morris Ale, a convocation of several hundred Morris dancers. From gawky teens to persons well up in the white hair stage of life, hundreds of dancers converged on our area today to jump around in the heat in their funny jingle-bell costumes and play their archaic instruments.

It’s silly… and we’re so glad for that.

Tag: morris dancing

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