morris dance

morris dance or morrice dance, rustic dance of the north of England that had its origin in country festivals, such as those of May Day and Whitsunday. Reference to it in English literature is made as early as the 15th cent. The main dancers were called Robin Hood, Maid Marian, the hobbyhorse, and the bavian, or fool. They were accompanied by a piper or taborer. An ambulatory dance, it was often performed from one village to another by the main dancers and six other dancers, three in a row. The morris dance was a sword dance in many vicinities.

Bibliography: See J. Forrest, The History of Morris Dancing, 1458-1750 (1999).

morris dance, a series of folk-dance pageants, performed at various seasons of the year since the 15th cent. at least, and found in many places throughout England. The most important recurrent subjects are the characters of the Robin Hood legends in the Spring play (especially Friar Tuck and Maid Marian, who often appears as Queen of the May), ‘harvest home’, dances in the autumn, and year-ending plays for Christmas such as the Revesby Play.