Orange Peel Morris Dancers otherwise known as The Greater City of Orangeville, Peel, Dufferin and Simcoe County, Anti-Temperance League, Light Orchestra, Choral Society, and Border Morris Dance Side The Border Morris dancing troupe from the Orangeville area north-west of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Orange Peel Morris Dancers

For a printable copy of this photo, click here.

What is Morris Dancing?

Morris is an old English folk dance performance form that includes several types of dance from various regions: Cotswold (south), Northwest, Border, Molly, Longsword, Rapper, and Clog. We do Border Morris from the English/Welsh borders of Worcestershire, Herefordshire, and Shropshire, adding in our own inventions, plus those we have gleaned from others. Border Morris was danced generally around Christmas, with dancers performing vigorously using sticks and bells to ward off the evil spirits of the old year. Dancers were often farm labourers augmenting their meagre incomes by ‘bagging’ — passing the hat. High spirits and high energy — “a rude vigour” — typify Border Morris. “A chance to perform in the street, to show off, to be loud or silly or raucous, to violate normal standards of behavior and not only get away with it but be applauded for it.”(from Rich Holmes)

Exultation!

Links

Orange Peel Details

Orange Peel Gallery (including links to various Orange Peel performances)

Orange Peel Calendar

Orange Peel Tour of England 2004 May

Orange Peel Pub Carolling

For more information, corrections and comments, please contact the Orange Peel Squire :

Updated: 2008 February 23