About Mish Mash Morris
Hever Castle, 2015 - after jousting with Henry VIII. We survived!
About to start our first dance at our very first dance-out! The "Cock", Ringmer, 9th August 2006.
Synopsis (posh for overview)
Mish Mash Morris was formed in 2006 by a small but beautifully formed group of dancers and musicians, bringing together in one place extensive experience of performing the Morris.
We have fun practicing during Autumn and Winter in Laughton, East Sussex. We hope to emerge blinking and wide-eyed in the Spring of 2024 to perform the fruits of our practices.
We may be seen at an interesting place or event almost anywhere in Sussex or Kent - and Festivals further afield!
The styles, or 'traditions', of the dances we perform originate from several areas of England; "Molly" from East Anglia; "Border" from the border counties of England and Wales, "Cotswold" from .... the Cotswolds, and a touch of North-West from the North West of England. We perform dances old, new, and of our own creation - a veritable mish-mash of Morris!
Mish Mash Morris is a member of the Morris Federation, who can be found here: www.morrisfed.org.uk/about/
They're an excellent resource for all things Morris!
Who we are, what we do, and why
We all like to dance "The Morris", but don't wish to be constrained to any one form. Hence, our desire to try different forms of Morris. Great for new members who haven't danced before!
We have in our repertoire: Cotswold (hankies), Border (sticks), Molly (look - no sticks or hankies), and a touch of North West. (OK, so not all of us have clogs, but hey!) We couldn't resist a flag dance, either...
We also like to creatively remember dances (that means developing our own), preferably using tunes that are rarely used, or not necessarily associated with, Morris.
We also have a bit of a mix of members: different genders, senses of humour, and favourite drinks. So it's all a bit of a mish-mash! Hence our name - Mish Mash Morris!
To reflect this in our kit, we each have our own coloured shirt and hankies, and wear multi-coloured tatterjackets, with short tatters. If you've tried dancing Cotswold in a tatterjacket with a multitude of long tatters, you'll know why!
Morris is a fun activity, great for keeping fit and no previous dancing experience is needed. All you need to learn are: trainer style shoes, loose clothing, an awareness of your right and left feet, water to drink, and a willingness to have a go. Oxygen optional.
If you want to find out more, please contact Phil on our contacts page. He's been house-trained, and doesn't bite!