I am a Morris dancer, which means — in the eyes of the 17th century Puritan polemicist William Prynne — that I am a sinner, bound for Hell. His blast against dancing in his 1632 book Histriomastix is so wonderful it bears repeating here.
“The way to heaven is too steep, too narrow for men to dance in and keep revel rout. No way is large or smooth enough for capering roisters, for jumping, skipping, dancing dames but that broad, beaten, pleasant road that leads to HELL. The gate of heaven is too narrow for whole rounds, whole troops of dancers to march in together.”
Morris dancing is a traditional English folk dance, and is first mentioned in 1448 in a record of payment to some Morris dancers. Today it is danced all over the world. Indeed, Morris dancers around the world get up to dance at dawn on May Day — May 1 — because if we don’t, the sun will not rise. Yes, you can thank us when you see us!
Since then, Hollytree Morris has danced at countless festivals and events throughout the region, across Canada and as far afield as the United States and England. Those benefits include being physically active, with good balance, agility and strength, as well as the mental health benefits of having to create, learn and remember dances. Beyond that, there are also the social benefits of being with a group of friends every week.