The New Year launched me into the national gathering of Morris Dancers, held in Dunedin between the 3rd and 8th of January 2012.
The hosts for this year's annual tour were Jack Frost Morris,
a side whose Otago University origins have coloured their character - maverick.
Although this is a New Zealand gathering, there are always international visitors, some of them old hands, and others new to the way of the morris in New Zealand. English and Australian dancers joined us this year.
We danced for joy.
We danced with skill,
and showmanship.
And we danced because it had to be done!
We danced in landmark settings.
We toured a multi-national factory...
and a small boutique brewery:
where the hospitality was as excellent as the beer,
and the dancing was memorable.
In truth, I did very little dancing. Jetlag and bad ankles took their toll, though I did indeed get to the top of the Steepest Street in the World. However, I took great pleasure in watching Kitty dance at every opportunity...
Poignantly, she wears her father's bell pads.
Without our live musicians, pleasure in the dance for me would be diminished. Every one of them is precious beyond gold.
Here a handful from our larger band, plays in the Botanic Gardens.
From top to toe, most of us enjoy
dressing up.
And the theme for this year's Ale provided ample opportunity for creativity and sartorial elegance: Steampunk/Apocolypse.
The End of the Earth Morris Tour is over.
Well done Jack Frost, with particular mention of Jules Mann and Jonathon Cweorth, who organised it... and us!
Next year the annual tour will be hosted by City of Auckland Morris Dancers and held in Rotorua.
11 comments:
Glad to see you back blogging I have missed you! What a 100% load of fun your pictures tell and Kitty just looks the part perfectly. :)
We certainly had a great time, but I am ready for some settled time at home now. The summer garden calls but I intend to be back blogging too:-)
Looks very energestic! I love Dunedin, have been to the Cadbury factory but the Green Man was closed when we were there last - will put it on the list for next time tho.
Welcome back to city of rock n roll!
Sounds like a rollicking good time was had by all !
And now I understand better why few people actually leave New Zealand once settled there... if there is Cadbury chocolates, and beer, why go anywhere else ???
:-)
Saj and Owen, what a pair you are. Beer and chocolate lovers both of you. Dunedin is a lovely city and all its colonial/Victorian architecture reminded me of what Chch has lost, but also how fragile that period is anywhere in NZ now.
I have never seen so many happy people in one place!
x
There's always a welcome for newcomers you know ... :-)
What a splendid record of a splendid event! Great to see some photos of the happenings, thank you.
And it was lovely to share your garden and home on our way home :-)
Jude
Hello Verdant1. If my photos of you hadn't been so blurred you too would have shimmied into this post! Lovely to have you visiting, and glad to hear that you had a safe trip home :-)
My first experience of this event (as Jack Frost accordionist). Brilliant time.
Great title for a blog, by the way.
Welcome to Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden Neil. Chances are you can visit it for real occasionally.
It was a brilliant time wasn't it. And I am very envious that Jack Frost have found themselves a new accordian player before young Pont has even left the country. The Tussock Jumpers aren't having much luck replacing Elwin!
Glad you appreciate my blog title. Thanks for visiting:-)
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