Virtual Buxton Day of Dance 2020 – Chapel-en-le-Frith Morris

A couple of dances from previous Buxton Days of Dance when we were still Chapel-en-le-Frith Morris Men. (explained later).  In the first video, outside the Opera House, we dance Bumpus o’ Stretton, Ilmington and in the second video, in Pavilion Gardens, we dance Jockey To The Fair, Ducklington

A bit about Chapel-en-le-Frith Morris

Chapel-en-le-Frith Morris Men are based in the Peak District. We dance traditional English Morris from villages around the Cotswolds. We were formed in 1975 by an enthusiastic but small band of interested men following a letter to the local paper looking for ‘like-minded souls’. Since then we have danced around the Peak Disrict, throughout the UK and on the continent. In 2019 we took the decision to become a mixed side and now welcome women and men dancers and musicians.  We are (allegedly) the most hyphenated Morris side in the world!

Throughout the summer we would usually be dancing at one of our favourite local hostelries. You can recognise us by our team colours straw hats individually decorated with flowers, white shirts and socks, black breeches and baldricks (crossed sword belts) of yellow and green. The rosette on our baldricks bears the head of a stag, reflecting the historic connection with the royal hunting forests that once covered the local area.

Since 1993 we have danced on May Day morning at 5.30am to welcome up the sun on Eccles Pike (a local landmark 1215ft above sea level) and each year we organise the Buxton Day of Dance in July to coincide with Buxton Festival Fringe.

To find out more about Chapel-en-le-Frith Morris visit the website www.chapelmorris.org