Look for Călușari dance of Romania, not related to Catholicism in any way, much older, perhaps pagan or Roman origins. I am Romanian, the Călușari dance is a southern Romania tradition, and that part was under strong Roman influence.

As we know it today, Morris dancing is basically a Victorian/Edwardian invention; the idea of which was reviving a Medieval idyll of 'Olde Englande', which became fashionable with the artistic and literary figures of the time. Cecil Sharp, amongst many others, went round the country looking for songs and traditions of old, fearing that they might somehow get lost in the mists of time. Morris dancing probably existed in much earlier times as a local tradition in many places in England on high days and holidays, probably during the Middle Ages, but records are scant. The word 'Morris' may be connected to 'Moorish', that is, from North Africa and that style of dance is alleged to have been brought to England after the crusades. Not too unbelievable I reckon. (While I'm on this, check out the history of bagpipes). But the whole point of dancing is to have fun and get drunk and maybe attract the attention of an eligible partner. Dancing was, and still is, a way of demonstrating your eligibility and potential sexual prowess; sadly John Travolta didn't do much for me in that field, had to wait for punk rock for that. Hey ho. Big up to my favourite Morris side, Moulton Morris! (Northamptonshire), can't wait to see you guys perform in 2022!. Love and peace.

Its probably older with explanations lost to time. The Abott Bromley Horn dancers had their Reindeer horns carbon dated and they were found to be from 11th Century 😮. Dont forget - rituals in villages and the countryside hamlets was not written about in a way that could be read about today. Many customs of the working or peasant class were unknown to the elites. Such as the 2 fingered salute which had to be explained to Churchill so that he wouldnt offend rank and file soldiers when giving his V for victory sign. You find photos early in the war had him flipping off half the country whilst later on he makes sure its always the back of his hand showing.

Interesting idea.

All wrong... workers at the Morris motor company in Oxford invented these dances to show how the internal combustion engine works. There.... now you know. 😆

Which other countries have Morris-like dancing?

Why would anyone take seriously the whimsical musings of a pop singer about Morris Dancing? His "pet theory" takes no account of dates, the structure and form of Morris. These are just the whitterings of an ignoramus. Were Country Dancers, Mummers and Sword Dancers all secret Roman Catholics too? Of course the Morris contains features and an older history possibly linked to dances from other countries. How could it not? Dances, music songs and fashions moved back and forth across Europe in the Middle Ages. But, it's interesting to note that the figures, music and structure of the Morris ("Cotswold" Morris that is being talked about here) have their closest connexions with Country Dances. The heys, gyps (gypsies), back to backs, casts, crossovers, hands across, the music, the structure of the dance etc. All these are closely related to Country Dance, and it is no surprise that the two (Country Dance and Morris Dance) developed over the same period of time. For me, no whimsical origins. No pagan activities; paganism had long died out by the late 15th century when Morris Dancing was first mentioned in England. This was a form of processional dancing, performed on high days and holidays (such as Whit week), also paid for as a spectacle in civic processions; these payments form most of the earliest records of Morris Dancers. It developed in form and structure alongside Country Dancing from which it evidently took much inspiration. The Morris became popular in working class and peasant communities for much the same reason that we do it now. We like dancing, we like dancing with others, we like the music, and we like the whole social side of the Morris. Dancers and musicians would have liked the fact that they were paid and tipped. No pagan fertility rites, no secret Catholics, no silly unsubstantiated "pet theories."

See Pauliteiros de Miranda, from Portugal. Same dance....

Catherine de Medici is thought to have had something to do with the origins of ballet. It is interesting that another royal named Catherine had a hand in the origins of Morris dancing.

2.33 love the hobby horse followed by all the fascinated horses

Its obvious to me its a dance created by men who had a simple love of suspender belts and handkerchief waving. I do not judge.

This is just fantasy. Romania has a similar dance, and is not catholique or had Maures to takes inspiration from. Croatia has one, Slovakia has one (Haiduks) and so one. I think I read somewhere the Romans had something similar too. So maybe common roots, but way older, or just synchronicity.

Adderbury still supports three morris sides.

Irish Dancing has elements of suppressed rage, with its clenched fists n high kicks, while also paying homage to the natural environment, horses, stags, deer n the like. Highland dancing is similar, it seems to pay homage to the stag in particular but with militaristic overtones. Morris Dancing is outright sword play/practice, thinly veiled by music. Celtic Isles, & its traditional dance culture, seems to be one of a conquered territory. 🤔

Very interesting. I came across this video after watching another that suggested the ancient people of Scotland were blackamoors/ moors. Blackamoors or moors being the name for darker skinned people at that time. In that video they say that Morris dancing was brought over by these Moors so I searched for the origins of the Morris dance and your video came up. Thanks for sharing this.

There is no mention of Morris dancing in England before the 1440's, co-coinciding with the expulsion of English soldiers from Gascony in France, where they copied the dances which are still done by the Basques,kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pZ-eltCfq7GbaZc.html In England the dances were changed, being mixed up with country dancing. 'Morris' is a corruption of 'Morrisco'.

morris dancing is a by product of stick fighting

No link with Catolicim - check Calusarii in Romania. An ancetsral dance, no one knows where it come from, it was "always there" A lot of people believe it has celtic origins

Nice story, Mr Bragg but from what I've been able to research it seems that the moorish dance was popular in many European countries because people like to dance, Simple as that. I have a picture of a Morris dancer from Munich in 1480, with the unmistakable leg bells. And I have pictures from England from every century from then on. If there were a religious connection, we'd know about it.

Its pub dance ,ancient booze gathering dance

1:12 this is a very dumb revisionist explanation. This is very manipulative. Morris = Moorish as in done in the manner of the moors. The dance was done in blackface as an imitation of the dances that the moors would do. Remember the people were there for centuries. There’s literally statues of Morris dancers. The bell pads on the shoes is the dead give away. Dictionary of the English language from the 1800s defines it [Morice, mo’risk,, ]as a dance after the manner of the moors, often written morris nut more properly morice. 3 Adancer of the morris or moorish dance. Erasmus Grasser in 1480 , mind you a contemporary of the time that the 1st mention of it in English record [1448], made figurines of the leap dances performed by the moors which were later performed all over Europe in major European courts. The revisionism needs to cease.

The drive to outlaw Morris dancing is to be commended