Morris Dancing

Jigs & Musicians

Jigs

Morris dancing is done in 'sets' usually consisting of 6 men in two columns of three, and, of course, a musician. A dance for less than a full set, usually one or two men, is termed a 'jig'.

[A "double jig"] A "double jig" danced by two men simultaneously (The Binghamton Morris Men of Binghamton, NY)

[My jig-"Princess Royal"] The author (Jim Moskin) doing the Bleddington jig, "The Princess Royal".

To download some of the music for this jig, select one of the following options:

Play "Princess Royal"
(1.9MB .aiff file
46 secs. 22.254 kHz)
Play "Princess Royal"
(1000K Quick Time file
46 secs. 22.254 kHz)

[Ducklington Jockey Set Jig] The Bouwerie Boys of New York City doing the Ducklington set jig "Jockey to the Fair" at Cold Spring, NY. In a set jig, though there is a full set of dancers, the dancers dance in pairs as a jig. Only the chorus is done by the whole set together.

An early woodcut of "Kemp's Jig"
One of Shakespeare's comic actors, William Kemp, was a famous Morris dancer. In 1580, he made a bet that he could dance continuously between London and Norwich in less than ten days. He won the bet in what has since been known as, "the Nine Daie's wonder," or to Morris dancers, "Kemp's Jig."

Musicians

Morris Dancing is done to the music of a variety of instruments: pipe and tabor (a small drum), fiddle, accordions, melodeons and concertina. The dancers of course, wear bells on their shins. The tunes consist of lively airs, jigs and reels. A few dances are done to haunting slow airs. The all-important musician stands at the head of the set and the dancers 'face the music' at the beginning and end of the the dance.

[Rik Bourne on the button accordion]

[Bampton fiddler 'Jinkey' Wells]

<=The Bampton Fiddler, 'Jinkey' Wells (left)

Rik Bourne, musician for Philadelphia's Kingsessing Morris Men, on the button accordion (right)=>

[Musicians on various instruments]

Morris musicians on the accordion, button accordion, pipe and tabor (a small drum), and fiddle.

Play "Highland Mary"
(1.9MB .aiff file
45 secs. 22.254 kHz)
Play "Highland Mary"
(1.9MB Quick Time file
45 secs. 22.254 kHz)

Play "Princess Royal"
(1.9MB .aiff file
46 secs. 22.254 kHz)
Play "Princess Royal"
(1000K Quick Time file
46 secs. 22.254 kHz)

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Play "Highland Mary" (1.9MB .aiff file 45 secs. 22.254 kHz)	Play "Highland Mary" (1.9MB Quick Time file 45 secs. 22.254 kHz)
Play "Princess Royal" (1.9MB .aiff file 46 secs. 22.254 kHz)	Play "Princess Royal" (1000K Quick Time file 46 secs. 22.254 kHz)