Equally at home in Hexham or Hungary, the Hexham Morris Dancers are one of the most experienced, versatile and accomplished exponents of the ancient art of English Morris dancing. In summer they perform weekly in the traditional surroundings of local markets or village pubs (usually with informal music and singing afterwards, enlivened by a few traditional beers).
The Morris is England’s oldest surviving tradition. For at least five and a half centuries (perhaps much longer), it has been performed to welcome the spring and to mark the turning of the year at midsummer and midwinter. One version was danced in Hexham until the 19th century, when – like many other rural customs – it fell into decline.
The revival of Morris dancing in Hexham began in November 1977 and in the towns folk club Hexham Morris was born. The group started slowly, but grew to incorporate the Hexham Morrismen and Hexhamshire Lasses. The teams are the strongest they have ever been with around 45 members between them
Hexham Morris are two separate but very closely associated teams of Dancers. The teams dance separately, but mostly appear together to entertain the public and bring traditional English dances to Hexham and further afield.
While still continuing to dance regularly in the Tynedale area both teams are also frequent travelers abroad and have undertaken several joint ventures to represent the U.K. The biggest event being the World Folkloriada (the World’s biggest international folk dance festival) in Tokyo, Japan in 2000 and most recently The Azores in 2009. Together the teams have also maintained links with Hexham’s twin towns of Noyon in France, and Metzingen in Germany.
There is a lot to be gained from being part of a morris side, besides the activity keeping you fit there is also the social side which includes dancing at local events and pubs, weekends away with other morris teams, occasional trips abroad, and above all, the friendship.