Morris dancing is a centuries-old form of ritual dance from Britain. It's origins lie in the fertility rituals of the ancient Celtic Britons who were later pushed into Wales and Scotland. Morris dancing has always been quite a vigorous tradition in the farming villages, where fertility has always been a prime conern. Today its stronghold is the Cotswold region in the English Midlands.
Considered ancient in Shakespeare's day, Morris dancing and the related sword dance traditions of the North are still done today throughout England--and in England's old colonies: Canada, Australia, and the United States.