Oxfordshire Morris Dancing

Morris is an English folk dance tradition that has been popular in Oxfordshire for at least 300 years.

In the eighteenth and nineteenth century many villages had their own morris side, which performed at festivals like May Day, Whitsun and Boxing Day.

Morris dancers can still be seen performing in Oxfordshire on the traditional feast days and at events like the Oxford Folk Festival.

While some sides today claim to have danced since the earliest days of morris, others were established (or re-established) more recently.

Kirtlington Morris

The traditional style in Oxfordshire is 'Cotswold'.  Dancers dress in white, and perform high jumps, intricate stepping patterns and capers. Typical morris dances include four to eight dancers, though some can be adapted for sixteen or more. They dance in unison, forming pairs and lines and switching position to weave the texture of the dance.