Morris Dancing FAQs

DERT : Dancing England Rapper Tournament: The Dancing England Rapper Tournament is a continuation of the most significant Short Sword or Rapper dance competitions that were held in Newcastle upon Tyne, the epicentre of the coalfields where the dance originated. The modern annual weekend event held at different venues in the UK, brings together teams and dancers from around the country and occasionally abroad. The essential idea behind the tournament was then and is now that teams have to practise well and develop their skills, giving their performance a polish and their audiences a treat.; • Homepage: <http://pages.zoom.co.uk/dert/main.html>; • 2004 Event: <http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/dert2004/>; • Maintainer: DERT [Contact Form]; • Categories: Events : Sword Dancing

Fit to jump ower the moon-- : the Rapper Sword Dance of Northumberland and Durham: by George Wallace; edited by Ednie Wilson
[Gateshead] : Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council, Libraries, Arts, and Shipley Gallery Committee, 1986; Not much information is available. It is a 56 page booklet, that according to Corrsin's bibliography, is a "very well illustrated, anecdotal history."; • Categories: Books : Sword Dancing

Longsword Dances from Traditional and Manuscript Sources: by Ivor Allsop, edited by Anthony Barrand
Plainfield, VT : Northern Harmony Pub. Co., 1996

Proclaimed as the "Bacon" of longsword dances. Full notation of all 27 longsword dances and sword play texts from British sources (Yorkshire, Shetland, and Isle of Man). Lots of diagrams and all music for the song- and dance-airs beautifully engraved by John Roberts. There are also photographs of teams and some key sword dance researchers, and maps with each notation to help create a sense of "place" for each dance. Does not include rapper dances. 384 pages.; • Publisher: <http://www.sover.net/~barrand/nhchb.html>; • Available: <http://www.cdss.org/sales/english_dance.html>; • Available: <http://www.TheMorrisRing.org/Sales.htm>; • Maintainer: Tony Barrand <barrand@adelphia.net>; • Categories: Books : Sword Dancing

Orchesography: by Thoinot Arbeau
translated by Mary Stewart Evans
Dover Books, 1967
ISBN 0-486-21745-0

Probably the most valuable book on 16th-century dances and dance music. Describes the galliards, pavans, branles, gavottes, lavolta, basse dance, morris dance, sword dance, canary, etc., with detailed instructions of steps involved. Throughout the text are references to the practices of 16th-century instrumental music, in addition to 47 dance tunes with 16th-century barring and notation.; • Available: <http://store.yahoo.com/doverpublications/0486217450.html>; • abc notation: <http://anamnese.online.fr/abc/arbeau.abc>; • Categories: Books : Music Sources : Sword Dancing

Rapper Dance Discussion List: A small Yahoo mailing list with low traffic devoted to rapper dance. No description of purpose is given on the homepage. Archives are closed to subscribed members.; • Homepage: <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rapper_dance/>; • Categories: Discussion Groups : Sword Dancing

Rapper Online: The rapper sword dance is traditional to Northumberland and County Durham in England and is thought to have been performed by miners in the pit villages of Tyneside. It is peformed at speed by a team of five people continuously linked by flexible swords called rappers, which are weaved in and out of figures for display. The website includes dance notations (and links to more), a bibliography, notes on origin and history of the dance, and links to teams on the web.; • Homepage: <http://www.rapper.org.uk/>; • Dance Notation: <http://www.rapper.org.uk/notations/>; • Bibliography: <http://www.rapper.org.uk/bibliography.html>; • Maintainer: John Asher <john.asher@btinternet.com>; • Categories: Bibliographies : Dance Notes : History : Sword Dancing

Rapper Swords: Frank Lee, an engineer/designer from Newcastle-on-Tyne has been making rappers and longswords, as well as dancing with the Carlisle and Hexham teams for 27 years. His swords have been highly praised on the MDDL. Web site also provides maintenance tips.; • Home page: <http://www.rapper-swords.co.uk>; • Maintenance: <http://www.rapper-swords.co.uk/maintenance.html>; • Maintainer: Frank Lee <frank.lee2@btinternet.com>; • Categories: Sales/Shops : Sword Dancing

Sword Dances of Northern England: by Cecil Sharp
Parts I, II, III
EP Publishing Ltd., 1977; Notation of nine longsword and shortsword (rapper) dances as well as the Abbots Bromley horn dance. Now out of print; the Morris Ring has considered reprinting it, but situation in less clear now that Allsop's work is now available. Contact Eddie Dunmore, Ring Publications Officer for more information.; Some of the Sharp's collected dances are notated on the Rapper Online website.; • Online notation: <http://www.rapper.org.uk/notations/>; • Categories: Books : Dance Notes : Sword Dancing

Sword Dancing in Britain Bibliography: by Stephen D. Corrsin
2d ed., revised and expanded; This is a significantly revised and expanded version of a bibliography that was first published by the English Folk Dance and Song Society in 1993 as Vaughan Williams Memorial Library Leaflet no. 21. This new edition, like the first, uses as its primary basis the holdings of the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library of the English Folk Dance and Song Society, at Cecil Sharp House in London.; • Bibliography: <http://www.efdss.org/sword.htm>; • Categories: Bibliographies : Sword Dancing

Sword Dancing in Europe: A History: by Stephen D. Corrsin
Enfield Lock, Hisarlik Press, 1997
ISBN 1-874312-25-7

Widely distributed from the mid fifteenth century on, sword dancing has been popular at different times in towns and villages in many parts of Europe. This meticulous study surveys the history of European styles of linked sword dancing based on the evidence of primary sources in ten or more languages. This breadth of reference makes it essential reading for students of the history of European dance, popular performance and festival customs, as well as for those interested in sword dancing itself. With photographs.; • Available: <http://www.cdss.org/sales/english_dance.html>; • Available: <http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ISBN=1874312257>; • Categories: Books : Dance Notes : History : Sword Dancing

Welcome In The Spring: Morris and Sword Dances for Children: by Paul Kerlee
World Music Press, 1994
ISBN 0-937203-93-9; Instructions and music for 14 dances, with teaching notes, and glossary of steps. Sold alone or with CD containing music to all the dances.; Contents: The Morris call; The mayer's carol; Peopleton stick dance; North Skelton sword dance; Rigs O'Marlow; Bean setting; Shepherd's hey; Ring-o-bells; Bromsberrow Heath; Constant Billy (Adderbury); Constant Billy (Headington); Lads a-bunchum; Beaux of London City; Jenny Lind; The Boghouse Door; Evesham; The fool's jig.; • Available: <http://www.cdss.org/sales/english_dance.html>; • Categories: Books : Dance Notes : Sword Dancing