FOLK legends Steeleye Span are in a celebratory mood as they are about to set off on a 20-date UK tour to commemorate their 50th Anniversary!
Many members have come and gone, but vocalist Maddy Prior is still there, as she was back in 1969.
Speaking at her home, Maddy, expresses an unusual emotion about the milestone.“Surprise more than anything,” she says. “Nobody sets off intending to last 50 years.”
Review by Jonathan Hooton
“In Christmas time, and especially on plough Monday, several Men dresse themselves in Womens Close and goes from House to House a Dancing along with fiddles” so the entry in the Arderon papers at the Norfolk Record Office reads. It dates from the mid 18th century.
This was the inspiration behind the formation of the Norwich Kitwitches Molly side. Like many of the traditional sides we do not start practising until November and only dance out in December and January. Being a 21st century Molly side, we are mixed and therefore the women have to dress as men, dressed as women. Perhaps it was this fact that led Andrew Logan to ask us to dance in the 2018 Alternative Miss World, whilst the judges were making up their mind as to which of the contestants had won the coveted crown. This was the reason why we broke with tradition to dance in October on stage at the Globe. It was combined with dancing on the South Bank and outside the Globe as the audience was entering. Luckily it was fine weather. We stood at the side of the stage for most of the show and our pantomime dame outfits, wigs and make-up did not look out of place amongst an audience of alternative Londoners. We had been asked to provide ten minutes entertainment at the final interval before the winner was to be crowned Alternative Miss World 2018. There was time for two dances and the stage at the Globe was large enough for two sets as well as the musicians. We started with the traditional Comberton Molly dance ‘The Special’ published by Cyril Papworth. It is a linked handkerchief dance but instead of handerchiefs the Kitwitches have always used bras which seemed very appropriate for that evening. We have also added a final figure – the lock – similar to Rapper sides, but with underwear instead of swords and inspired by the Illmington Maid of the Mill dance. It was well received and we finished off with one of our own Norwich dances, ‘The Witch’ with its now, fairly traditional zombie ending. It was a rare but thoroughly enjoyable outing to the capital, but now we need to prepare ourselves for Plough Monday and the winter weather in Norfolk.
Milkmaid Molly founded in 2012 is part of Milkmaid Folk Arts, a Community Interest Company, offering a place of welcome and acceptance for people with disabilities and those without who meet on equal terms and find companionship. The Milkmaid’s ethos is to support vulnerable and disadvantaged people to build a life that is both fulfilling and rewarding through the joy of music, art and performance.
We meet at Station Hill Social Club, 1 Station Hill, Bury St Edmunds, IP32 6AD on the first Thursday of each month promptly at 07.30 pm and finish by 09.00 pm. Both the Buddies and the Mollies would be so grateful if you could come along and help for just an hour and a half once a month. We are also looking for more musicians. Next meeting 1st March 2018.
Milkmaid Molly have a core of people with Learning Disabilities who choose to be called the ‘Mollies’ and a group of dance “Buddies” who assist the Mollies. The idea has proved so popular that we have a large number of Mollies but need more Buddies. Assisting with the Mollies does not mean you have to be in any way super fit or have any dance experience, Buddies just help with steering in the right direction when we perform very simply adapted Molly dances. The Buddies have more complicated routines of their own and during the evening to give the Mollies a rest from dancing we invite them together with our regular musicians to play for us. The Mollies enjoy playing percussion instruments, or in some cases their own guitars or mouth organs. Every practice we have fun, lots of laughs and have all made some good friends.
If you are fleet of foot and wish to take part in more intricate dances please come along on the third Thursday of the month as well when the Buddies have a practice alone concentrating on more complicated dances. During the summer both branches of the team have performed together Euston Rural Pastimes Country Fair, Ely Folk Festival and Oxjam.
If you wish to join us please ring Gill 01284 767476, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., look on line at www.milkmaidmusic.co.uk or just turn up on the night we would love to meet you.
Jan Robinson; Milkmaid Molly
Milkmaid Molly performing at Ely Folk Festival 2013
Interview by Simon Haines
Unless you are a folk performer, you may not have heard of Alan Bearman, but he has been involved in the English folk scene for over 40 years, starting as a folk club organiser, moving on to being heavily involved in organising the Sidmouth Folk Festival. He is currently Artistic and Marketing Director of the festival, now in its 65th year, as well as running Alan Bearman Music (ABM), an agency representing major artists on the folk, roots and acoustic music scene. He is also one of the few holders of the EFDSS Gold Badge, awarded for services to English folk music. Alan has famiy connections with the area and is a regular at Folk East Festival and at pub sessions in our area. Here is my recent interview with Alan
The Belles of London City
The Morris Ring founded in 1934 may not survive to celebrate its 100th birthday as a fundamental change to its constitution is being proposed which will end the "men only" dancer rule.
Adam Garland, recent past Squire of the Ring, wrote in the “Morris Ring Circular” magazine in July last year with his reflections on his two years in office (2014 -16). He reminded readers that Morris has a long history in England and has evolved during that period. In the twentieth century the Morris Ring saw itself as the custodian of the Morris tradition but in the twenty-first century, under Adam's leadership, it "permitted" Ring sides to include women musicians and then ensured "that Ring Meetings should be open to all members of all clubs". Adam argued in his article that the Ring should go further as a “change in the Ring constitution to welcome women dancers as members of the Morris Ring is long overdue”.
At the time I wondered why any side with women dancers would want to join the (almost) all male Morris Ring; surely existing sides are happy to join one of the alternative organisations, the Morris Federation or Open Morris and with these alternatives why would a new side want to join the Ring.
Read more: Belles of London City to join the “Men only” Morris Ring? I don’t think so.
by Jill Parson
Since Suffolk Folk ‘morphed’ into mardles.org in 2017 the idea of putting on events in East Anglia was always near the top of the agenda for the steering committee. Enter Vintage Squeeze! a group of enthusiastic melodeon players based in Norwich who will travel almost anywhere to reach a workshop that would help them improve their mastery of the instrument.
Read more: Playing together workshop - Norwich, 13 April 2019
The 2017 Morris Census; The Results are in.
During 2017 all UK morris sides and as many foreign sides as possible were sent a detailed census form. The object was to try to compile a picture of the current state of morris dancing. The term “morris dancing” is used in its widest sense and embraces all forms of English traditional dance: Cotswold, Border, Molly, Northwest, Garland, Mumming, Rapper, Clog Step, Longsword, Appalachian, English Country Dance/Playford and Stave. The 798 sides who replied included both UK and foreign sides.
The results were sent to all participating sides at the end of 2017 and they are available to a wider audience at the website www.morriscensus.uk . The site is interactive and easy to use, giving information not only for the UK, but also for New Zealand and Australia, the US and Canada and for international sides. You can look up your Morris organisation and your form of dance and by clicking on the appropriate column find the 2014 figures too.
Some of the conclusions.
