Morris Dancing on the Promenade

By on June 26, 2008 10:25 am in Arts and Entertainment, News, Photos

BHB Photo Club member Dietrich writes:

Morris dancing, a form of English Folk dancing, along the Brooklyn Heights Promenade through June. Catch ’em with a the waterfall in the background for a double feature.

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  • Jeffrey Bary

    We call this “dancing out”. That is, performing in public. The groups are called “teams” but there is nothing competitive about it. We have been dancing out on the Promenade on Wednesdays in June for many years. Some years we have a team or 2 from the UK, but not this year.

    There are a variety of dance styles and forms. Mostly Morris but also a related form called “Sword Dancing”. Morris dancers use hankies, sticks or other things and are not linked together as dancers. Sword dancers use ceremonial swords of 2 types. Either rigid swords, “long swords” or flexible swords, “rapper swords” and are linked together in a ring by holding each end of the sword.

    Here’s a well documented event from 2006:

    https://webspace.nyu.edu/jb4/public/promenade

    This year, depending on the Wednesday in question, there were 4 different NYC teams:

    Ring O’Bells, all women Morris team

    June 2008: http://flickr.com/photos/70118259@N00/2631427553/

    Bouwerie Boys, all men Morris http://www.myspace.com/thebouwerieboys
    Half Moon Sword, all women Sword http://www.halfmoonsword.org
    New Moon Sword, mixed teen Sword