A PIECE OF OLD ENGLAND

Taranaki Daily News, 18 May 1928, Page 9

A PIECE OF OLD ENGLAND

EXHIBITION OF FOLK DANCING. The way to old England, very old England, was through St. Mary’s hall last night, and a large number of people made the pleasant excursion. The ryhthm, the movement and tho simplicity of folk dances and their music had the magic power of making one see leafy glades, shady winding lanes, flowers, an ancient inn, and a village green. On the grass were merry maidens in high-waist-ed full-skirted dresses of blue or pink. Innocent, rustic merry-making was the keynote of the majority of the dances performed by Miss Hilda Taylor and her pupils. There was", for instance, the Helston Furry, perpetuated in song by tho "Floral Dance.” Once upon a time the lady of the manor did something that pleased the villagers and they expressed their gratit ide through the movements of a care-free measure. The good deed has been forgotten long ago; but still each year in May the Furry is the subject of a gleeful party, Though hundreds of years have passed since it was first performed and the villagers themselves have forgotten its true meaning, those who know can trace the original purpose in each action of the head and arms and legs. That is a peculiar quality of folk dances. They preserve tradition in movement.

Then there was Mr. Beveridge’s Maggot (haunting tune}, a processional or “longways dance for as many as will.” Butterfly was another of the same variety, a charming representation of fluttering wings, and Gathering Peisseods, a game in which the dancers closed in a circle to clap their hands on high. Refreshing simplicity was a characteristic running through all these pleasures of a country folk and the words of the eong accompanying the steps of If All the World Were Paper! were typical—-

“If all the world were paper, "And all the sea were Ink. “And all the trees were bread and cheese, “What should we have to drink ?”

Even folk dances are subject to variation by outside influences, however, Jenny Pluck Pears was daneed by Mrs. Pepys, the wife of the famous diarist, and other fashionable ladies of the period. The result has been that it is now an alternative of frolic and the sedate “honouring” favoured in court circles. Hansdon Bouse was another simple measure that suffered the same fate. Most of the playfulness has been banished and it is mainly a rather serious business of honouring and visiting, principally honouring. The mer of the villages have special dances of their own, the Morris and tho Swords. Miss Taylor gave two exhibitions of the former last night, vigorous, spirited measures that made bells jingle after arms and feet and body had whirled and twirled strenuously and gracefully. The Swords is a relic of pagan sacrifice and ceremonial. There is a victim. It was jierformed last night by six girls, each of whom had an imitation weapon. These they held end to end and formed a circle. Not once during an amazing serious of intricate and graceful evolutions did they break the chain. Fir.ally, the swords were formed Into a five-pointed star, the victim’® head being placed through the centre, symbolising decapitation. Mrs. C. J. Harris explained that folk dances were closely interwoven with the lives of the people and were largely prehistoric survivals of ritual. Many of them had a religious origin, but not all were pagan, for even the Israelites danced before the ark. Often through the music could be traced evidences of early religious chanting. “Oh! No John!” a quaint rustic duet, was sung by Mrs. P. C. Davie and Mrs. Harris, and Mrs. Harris gave the solo “The Maypole Dance.” Miss C. Leatham acted as accompanist and Miss Cole was master of ceremonies.