Morris 18-30 provides a network for young Morris Men. Its primary activity is to organise an annual weekend, hosted by a Morris Ring side, to which all young Morris Men are invited. Morris 18-30 also seeks to represent the views of all young Morris Men.
The aim is to encourage a group of energetic young men who, whilst representing their own local teams, can dance together to push the Morris Ring into the future.
The Annual Morris 18-30 Weekend began in 2002 and is hosted by a different morris team around October each year. The host side are encouraged to help as much as possible towards the weekend (with food, beer, best dancing spots etc etc) but have little input to dancing, playing, singing and drinking. Men attending the Morris 18-30 weekend proudly wear their local side's kit, and should be inspired to go back and recruit young blood to their own teams. Hopefully in years to come there will be enough youngsters around to enable full sides to attend the Morris 18-30 Weekend.
It was the Idea of Alastair Hutchinson and Graham Hubbard, both of whom have danced for the majority of their lifetime. Realising that there are loads of young chaps out there dancing with teams all over the country they thought it sensible to get them all together. At Days of Dance and Ales people rarely mingle properly and get to know other guys outside their own side. The initial intention (and still the most important) is to get young dancers together to simply have a wicked weekend, dance, drink and have a laugh. But it also serves the purpose to show people what morris can be like with a set of energetic under thirties jumping about. Shoppers in Oxford City centre certainly seemed to notice that it was Morris, but that something was different. We basically kicked more ass than most Morris teams they'd seen before. We hope to raise the profile of the Morris and encourage young guys to dance.
It's for any type of Morris, though mostly Cotswold dancers turn up. It would be great to see others there to dance, play or just for the crack. There is time and space for scratch rapper/N.W./border etc. teams to practise show dances as well as us Cotswold lot.
It's all very informal and relaxed (just don't hide the keys to the hall - that really pissed me off!). Don't worry about turning up by yourself - everybody else is in the same boat and so you get chatting to everyone quickly. Especially after a few beers.
Have a look at the reviews, the pictures or give me an email and hopefully all you questions will be answered. See you there.
Ben Higgs
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