The Bouwerie Boys
By Amy Krzanik Morris dancing, a traditional English folk dance dating back to at least 1448, has made its own history of sorts right here in our part of New England. Morris troupes, or teams as they are called, have performed in the northwest Connecticut and southwest Massachusetts corner every June since 1982. This year’s event, The Suds! Displays of Morris Dancing, will take place on Saturday, June 11, beginning around 10 a.m. Six teams from near (Great Barrington), far (Washington, D.C.) and destinations in between (Boston, Binghamton, Albany, etc.) will embark on four tours, of two teams each, stopping to perform in towns from Sharon, Conn. to North Egremont, Mass. The day-long event culminates in a grand processional and show, featuring all six teams, at 6:30 p.m. in Falls Village. But what exactly is the Morris? “Well, the British empire was crumbling…" begins John Dexter, a professional viola player with The Manhattan String Quartet and The Suds! longtime organizer. You can read the whole story on Wikipedia, but the background of the dance’s popular resurgence in Britain sounds a bit like the situation in the United States right now: a pronounced rich vs. poor situation that the empire refused to recognize, the common people bringing back a custom that was close to their hearts, fathers passing down a tradition to their sons. Much as it was then, dancers today usually don’t have any formal dance training. All it takes is practice. It’s also not required that you have British blood, says Dexter, and most of his 16-member New York City team, The Bouwerie Boys, do not. “How good you are depends on your attitude toward learning it and how good your teacher is," he says. Dexter should know; he began dancing the Morris when he was 19 years old and can still keep up as he nears his 70th birthday. Most of his team members are in their 20s and 30s, and the type of dancing they do comes from Sherborne in the Cotswalds, requires expansive leaps, and isn’t something you can do if you’re not in decent shape.
But each team makes the dance their own, and not all are so athletic. Groups wear different costumes or “kits," too, and perform to music from a variety of instruments. Dexter’s team dons black, white and red, with a fresh red rose in the lapel and rainbow ribbons that sparkle when they catch the light. Others wear suspenders, hats or employ colored handkerchiefs in place of ribbons. Almost all wear bells on their shins to accompany the musician playing fiddle, melodian, accordion, pipe and tabor, or other instrument. Many teams employ wooden sticks or swords in their performances. The Suds! has traditionally showcased all-male teams, but all-female and mixed teams do exist. “It’s folk dancing, so it’s meant to be rustic," says Dexter. “A Morris show or ‘stand’ is just really fun; we banter back and forth, speak to the crowd, make up stories about the dances, pass the hat and just talk to people." That sounds like a tradition we can get behind. Saturday, June 11Tour A 10:15 a.m. Canaan, Geer Retirement Community 11:20 a.m. South Egremont Library 2:15 p.m. North Egremont General Store 3:15 p.m. Ashley Falls, near the post office Tour B 10:15 a.m. Paley’s Farm Marketplace, Sharon 11:15 a.m. Salisbury Market Place 2:00 p.m. Sharon, on the Green 3:40 p.m. West Cornwall, near the covered bridge Tour C10:15 a.m. Norfolk, CT, at the library 11:15 a.m. Mill River, MA, near the library 2:00 p.m. New Marlborough, MA, near the meeting house 3:15 p.m. Canaan, CT, Geer Nursing & Rehabilitation Center 6:30 p.m. Grand processional and show in Falls Village, CT by all participating clubs
