5000 Morris Dancers at the South Bank.

The Southbank was filled with Morris Dancing and Folk Music the weekend 4th and 5th Sept.

I managed to see a number of Morris troupes, take some photos and listen to a bit of music while I was there. I have been bringing these aspects of pagan and folk traditions together in my mind and thinking about a body of work in this direction for some years.

The connection to the land or environment is important as well as the aspect of spirituality for me in the folk traditions, somewhere there also needs to be the contemporary political and urban experience too. I am pleased to find this particular focus for part of my art work.

At The Southbank I really enjoyed Boggart's Breakfast. their site here. I liked the rag jackets, or tatters, their semi goth black and blue colours with sparkly bits and the energetic performances with great musicians.
Belles of London City, danced with traditional bells and hankies site here and the Stone Monkeys site here, wove intricate dance steps and swords.
Gog Magog were the Molly Morris Dancers, with fab brightly coloured clothes, hair, faces and shoes.