A thank-you message from Straw Bear 2010

"Despite the difficulties with the weather and the Local Authority’s failure to provide the previously agreed road closure infrastructure the Straw Bear did dance on the street on Saturday (all be it one hour late). The Strawbearers wish to whole heartedly thank the 11th hour support they were given by the Police, local businesses, local voluntary organisations for rallying round to make the closure happen. They also wish to sent a big thank you to the musicians, dance teams and the thousands of public who with gritty determination, braved the weather and accepted, with good grace the delay and the resultant programme changes. It warmed my heart to see and feel so much support on Saturday morning. Brian"

Joint Morris Organisations Day of Dance
Bury St Edmunds - 17 April 2010

Press Release from Mike Everett

The Joint Morris Organisations (The Morris Federation, The Morris Ring and Open Morris) will be holding their national Day of Dance in Bury St Edmunds on Saturday 17th April 2010. This will be a spectacular, entertaining event with several hundred dancers and musicians performing around the town. As well as being a celebration of our national dances, this day of dance is expected to bring a lot of visitors, publicity and income to the town. The organisers hope that it will be supported by local people, traders and councils.

As a morris and sword dancer I know what a delightful place the town is for dancing, having danced in Bury with different sides as guests of local sides such as Green Dragon and Bury Fair.

The Joint Morris Organisations represent more than 750 dance sides in the UK with about 15,000 dancers and musicians. The JMO Day of Dance began in 2003 to celebrate the exemption that morris dancing obtained in the Licensing Act 2003 and has previously been held in London, Newcastle, Birmingham and Nottingham. This will be the first visit to the East of England and Suffolk in particular, and the first occasion that it will be held away from a large metropolitan city.

Further information can be obtained from the joint organisers of the event,
Mike & Jenny Everett,
the Archive Officer and the Treasurer of The Morris Federation,
telephone 01473 742334, or email mike.r.everett@btinternet.com.

Places for Open Morris sides will again be limited and we always work on a first-come, first-served basis. If your side is interested in coming along please contact
the Chair of Open Morris, Chris Hall,
email: chairofom@supanet.com, or tel: 01373-832289.
Book early to avoid disappointment,
Open Morris has always filled all available places at all previous events.

Joint Morris Organisations Days of Dance

Every two years the three Morris dancing organisations, The Morris Federation, The Morris Ring and Open Morris, hold a joint Day of Dance.

The 2009 JMO Day of Dance was held in Nottingham on Saturday 28th March. The event was co-ordinated by Lady Bay Revellers.


The 2007 JMO Day of Dance was held in Birmingham. There is a report on the event in the November issue of the OM magazine, Dancing On.

'Dancing On' No. 53 (pdf version) >>  

Dinosaurs not Allowed - A Youth Dance Showcase
- Part of the "Count me in" - Cultural Olympiad

Dinosaurs not AllowedEighty dancers performed in the Olympic venue of Weymouth Harbour on Saturday 26th September 2009.

See the report in the Dorset Echo:

Dance time for Dorset's morris minors >>

Organiser (and Open Morris Publicity Officer), John Clifford has been nominated for a BBC West Sports Award.

Check out 10. BBC West Cultural Olympiad Champion on the BBC website. >>