Getting Jiggy: Joint jig workshop with Westminster Morris Dancers and Greensleeves Morris Men
By
Stella Chevalier, Squire, Westminster Morris Dancers.
Off the back of our inaugural jig workshop last year, Westminster Morris Dancers decided to run a second one!
In my first year as Squire, I wanted to build on last year, where attendees went away with Westminster Morris offered jigs to build into their own dance repertoire. This year, I wanted us to be able to offer other traditional Cotswold jigs that we do not currently dance at Westminster (Sherborne), by linking up with another Morris Ring side that dances this tradition.
Linking up to organise this joint workshop would also build fellowship and community between the organising sides and would offer attendees a range of jig styles to try out/learn.
After some communication with various Sherborne sides, Greensleeves Morris Men agreed to join us in running this workshop.
Based in Wimbledon, Greensleeves are not only friends, but a relatively close side to us, geographically speaking, which allowed us to organise this specific jig workshop relatively easily.
Greensleeves Morris Man and expert Morris Ring jig instructor, Alan Chetwood taught Sherborne jigs (Princess Royal, Go Enlist), alternating each jig between the Westminster Fieldtown (None So Pretty) and Longborough style (Strange-French) jigs, taught by Roger Dorman.
With the assistance of musicians Syd Pochin, Ian Whitby, John Hannah and David Legg along with the Westminster Morris dancers and Tommy Cooling (Greensleeves)as demonstrators, four different jigs were taught to over twenty attendees from more than five different Morris sides.
During the afternoon tea/cake break, Westminster presented Greensleeves with a 100th birthday card and cake and discovered that our very venue for that days jig workshop (Westminster Morris Dancer’s practice hall at, St. John’s, Hyde Park Crescent) was the venue of their very first Greensleeves Morris Men practice, 100 years ago.
Some of the feedback received following the workshop included the following quotes:
“It was all wonderful – brilliant teaching and lovely company. Thank you for being such excellent hosts”
“The four jigs were very well taught and clear instruction provided”
”I enjoyed all of it and thought it was well set up and organised. The alternating with Greensleeves worked well and lunch good. It felt relaxed whilst being able to fully learn new dances…Well done Westminster - we would like a similar set up for next year please”
Attendees suggested, as last year, that they would again, be taking some of the jigs taught back to their sides to incorporate them into their own dance routines.
Ultimately the opportunity of running a joint jig workshop might cause a little additional organisation but is well worth it regarding what it offers: building closer links between sides as well as ensures a range of jigs from wider traditions are continued into the future.
Westminster Morris Dancers would like to thank all attendees for joining in so positively with the event; to Greensleeves Morris Men in joining us in putting this year’s workshop on and to the Morris Ring for supporting us with a small grant to run this event.