Morris Dancing’s Evolving Inclusivity

When considering the English tradition of Morris dancing, one might not envision a collective of young, gender non-conforming drag kings styled as “chimney sweeps”—unless they have encountered Molly No-Mates. This Bristol-based group, or side, exemplifies the evolving character of Morris, a tradition where, for the first time in UK history, men no longer constitute the majority of participants. Scarlett Hutchin, a co-founder, was inspired to form a queer-friendly Morris side after witnessing a counter-protest outside a drag queen story time event in Bristol. These events, which involve a drag queen reading to children to promote literacy and diversity, have faced public opposition. Scarlett recalled, “I was texting with my friend from my Morris team and I was just like, ‘what would really improve the situation? Morris dancing’.” Scarlett explained that “One of the traditions of Molly [a type of Morris] is to dance to just singing and that’s what we do. And we can have these dances that we can take to the protests that don’t require instruments and don’t require things that are offensive weapons.” She added, “It gives us scope to make our values and our point of view very visible, because when you have songs, you have words.” She also noted, “Pretty much all of our songs are in some way feminist or queer or leftist.” Morris dancing is a traditional English folk dance with various styles, which differ based on their region of origin. For example, Border Morris, originating in the Welsh border counties of Shropshire, Herefordshire, and Gloucestershire, features performers in tatter coats who often paint their faces or use other forms of disguise. In contrast, Clog Step is a dance style characterized by percussive footwork and precise timing. Scarlett perceives Molly No-Mates as contributing to a “cultural moment” for Morris, referencing the previous year’s Brit Awards where the Stroud-based group Boss Morris performed on stage with Wet Leg, who received the Best New Artist and Group of the Year awards. Scarlett commented, “One of the things that’s bringing a lot of people kind of back to folk… is people want to have some kind of culture.” She further stated, “And there’s this idea that England doesn’t have any culture which is just not true. It’s just that it’s really neglected.” According to the 2023 Morris Census, the proportion of female members in Morris in the UK increased from 46% in 2014 to 50.6% in 2023. In 2020, the census questions were adjusted to include the number of “non-binary/other” members. An estimated 0.8% of UK sides’ members were reported in this category in 2023, an increase from 0.5% in 2020. Molly No-Mates, established in May 2023 in north Bristol, initially had only two members, hence the name “no-mates.” The group now numbers 10, with approximately “80% non binary or other.” Scarlett remarked, “It feels like we’re kind of bringing visible queerness into spaces that don’t always have it that much.” She described their costumes as resembling “19th Century chimney sweeps,” comprising black shorts or trousers, a white top, braces, and a flat cap. Colin Andrews, an administrator at the Morris Dances & Teams Database, began teaching Morris dancing in 1990. The database, launched in early 2018, offers a readily searchable directory of Morris teams worldwide. He stated, “From about the mid 20s right the way through to the early 70s, Morris was regarded as being exclusively male.” He added, “The Squire Elect [incoming leader] for the Morris Ring is a woman… it’s moving away from being gender specific.” Colin also observed, “I would say probably over the past five years many of the male-only Cotswold Morris sides have gone mixed, and that basically was it’s either a case of going mixed or folding… [they] just weren’t getting enough new new members in.” Colin characterized Morris as an “evolving tradition” and found it interesting to observe teams developing their own interpretations of the dance. He pondered, “I think the question is whether these innovations will continue or whether they will just last as long as that particular team lasts.” He concluded, “But I think it’s a good thing that people try experimenting with different things.” Since its formation, Molly No-Mates has received a “really positive response” from many traditional teams, according to Scarlett. She recounted, “In August we were dancing at Northgate Folk Festival in Chester… and there was a lovely traditional old, white men’s team and they said they’d arrived several hours early to see us.” The English Folk Dance and Song Society notes that a distinctive feature of traditional Molly dancing is cross-dressing, with at least one, and sometimes several, team members wearing women’s clothing. They indicate that 19th Century Molly groups took pride in the appearance of their cross-dressing “Moll,” competing to produce the best-dressed, which is likely the origin of the name Molly. Historically, the term “molly” was an offensive word for gay men or men who performed tasks traditionally considered women’s work, such as cooking or clothes washing. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, “molly houses” were venues like pubs, taverns, inns, or coffee houses where “mollies,” or queer men, met for companionship and sex. Sam Murphy, who identifies as gender fluid, is the Squire of Kittiwake, a Bristol-based Border Morris team. Sam began Morris dancing without any family background in the tradition. Sam advised aspiring beginners, “The key things that you’d need to enjoy are moving around a lot and looking a bit funny.” Sam added, “The people I’ve met from it have been just the most lovely people.” Sam emphasized the supportive environment, stating, “There’s no gatekeeping, [there’s no] ‘You’re not committed enough, so you can’t do this’. It’s very supportive.” Sam concluded, “And certainly in the circles that I’ve been in… there is more acceptance and openness, and people are more comfortable expressing themselves in things outside the gender binary.” The three main organizations in the UK that support Morris and traditional dance teams are The Morris Federation, The Morris Ring, and Open Morris. They collaborate as the Joint Morris Organisations to discuss issues affecting all their members. Nigel Strudwick, the current Squire of the Morris Ring, acknowledged the changing landscape of the Morris world and stated that the Morris Ring is “delighted” to see the traditions progress. He affirmed, “We welcome everyone who would like to try out Morris dancing regardless of background, and it’s good to see new teams being formed to cater for those who might otherwise have felt there is nothing in the Morris for them.” He expressed hope, “Long may this continue.”