Ancient dance revived

Press, 26 September 1988, Page 18

Ancient dance revived

The morris dance is an ancient fertility dance originally done by men in the villages of the Cotswold area of England. Traditionally, it was performed at certain times of the year. The white handkerchiefs denoted purity, the sticks clashed to clear away impurity, and the bells were to frighten evil spirits. How long women have been included in the dance isn’t known, but the first record of women morris dancers is in the early 1900 s. The trend towards women morris dancers is stronger in the antipodes

than in England — because of the difficulty in finding interested men. One local team, the Erewhon Morris dancers, has more women than men. Christchurch had a morris dancing team in the 1930 s but it faded away at the end of the Second World War. Ten years ago the Erewhon dancers began a revival of New Zealand morris dancing, and still perform regularly at fairs, garden parties, and weddings in and around the city. The team welcomes new dancers, both men and women, and also

musicians. Practice night is Tuesday, in the hall at 329 Manchester Street, at 7 p.m. Anyone wanting to know more about the group or performances can contact David Scott at 642-248 (work) or 485-899 (home) or Yvonne at 518455. Outdoor recreation A weekend for those wanting to try outdoor activities like rock climbing, Canadian canoeing, caving, abseiling, tramping, orienteering, nature reserve exploration and

outdoor photography will be held on October 15 and 16. This will be in the Craigieburn Forest Park, in an area with lakes, streams, limestone rocks, a cave and a wildlife reserve. The weekend has been organised by the Canterbury Mountain Safety Committee and the Outdoor Recreation Information Centre in association with local clubs. The idea is to show people how to get started so they can continue their favoured activity themselves. Participants will be able to try out four

different activities. There will also be a programme for the five to twelve-year-olds. All equipment will be provided. Most people are expected to camp overnight on the Saturday, but limited bunk accommodation is available. Day trippers are welcome, providing they register. The weekend fee for

adult campers is $2O and $8 for the under-twelves. Adult day trippers pay $l2 and children $5. Registrations close on September 30. Forms are available from the Outdoor Recreation Centre, 28 Worcester Street, which is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. The phone number is 799-395.