Table of Contents Openning Comments & Announcemen ts .... ... ... p 1-3 Poster Art by Steven Rushcfsky .. .. .... .. p A "Theatrical" Morris EvenJ by Alisa Jensen ..... p 5-6 Dancing In White by Patrice Bennet-Alder P 7-8 The Hobby Animals of N orth America .. ...... .. ... .. .... .. P 9-22 Lucy the Bear by Gwen Dandridge p 9- 10 Sally, the Sheep by Sarah Jane Gilmour p 11 Bonzo, the Hobby Cow by Nancy Winneg p 12-1 6 An Interview with Middlesex Morris' Hobby Rabbit by Lyn Mullen p 16-17 The Black Jokers' Horse by Ishmael J. Stefamov-Wagner p 18-19 "Old Dick". The Ritual Drama Team Souling Horse by Rudd Rayfield p 20-22 Volume 16, Number 1 Team News ........................... ................ ........... ........... ..... .. p 23-24 July/August 1992 COVER DESIGN: This year's summer issue coverhas been designed by Sleven Rushefsky, professional artist. and Morris Dancer with the Bonwerie Boys in «D1J)~Im ~Iml! <C~rmlDllelJlll~ New York City. American Morris Newsletter is published three times a year in March/ Something about certain perfonnances, or even particular dances, seems April. July/August, and November/December. Supplements include the Annual to mesh perfectly. As a dancer you come away feeling everything - the Directory of Morris Sides in North America and the AMN Reprint Series. music, the dancing, the audience - clicked; everything went perfectly. These Subscription rates are $1O.00/year or S17.00/ two year subscription for an cathartic experiences, of the group dancing as one, are what keep us coming individual, or, at a bulk rate of S8.50/year for a minimwn of six copies mailed back time after time after time. Like lovemaking, dancing can sometimes to the same address. Overseas subscribers add $4.00. All checks should be in USA currency, made payable to. and mailed to: American Morris slip into just a regular routi ne. It's the "occasional orgy" (apologies to Newsletter, c/o James C. Brickwedde. 3101 11th Ave. SOUlh. Minneapolis. Graham Greene) , the non-routine effort, that creates new levels of Minnesota 55407-1607; (612)721 -8750. excitement Editor of the Newslener is James C. Brickwedde. Production Assistant is Kay I and my sidemates, Ramsey's Braggarts, had the pleasure of attending Lara Schoenwener. Regional Editors include John Dexter (NY), Alisa Jensen the London Ale this year. Wi th borrowed music (Alistair Brown, Thames (CA). John Mayberry (Ontario), Adam Moskowitz (MA), Jocelyn Reynolds Valley and Alan Dodson, Ann Arbor), we particjpated in a delightfully paced (MA), and Ken Smith (WA). Covers redesigned in 1992 by Lisa Friedlander of weekend of dancing. In front of the Stratford Theatre there was a point Minneapolis, building upon the original designs of Barbara Prentice-O'Rourke where everything clicked - the dancing, the set ensemble, the music, the of Bampton. England. audience, the camaraderie of fellow morris dancers, and a glimpse at a future ADVERTISING: The rear jacket is reserved for non-profit organizations generation of morris on the continent. My complimeDls to the Ale hosts supplying services and mater ials to the morris d ance com munity. and feUow guests for a very wonderful time. Il is moments like that that AnnoWlcements regarding workshops, dance events etc. are printed as a co urtesy keep us all dancing. to the morris community. COMMERCIAL Rates are $40.00 (USA) full page; $25.00 (USA) half-page; $15.00 (USA) quarter page. Here's hoping for those created moments for all. BACK ISSUES: Back issues of selected Newsletters are av ailable for $1.00 a copy (pos tage included). Vol. 1 thru Vol. 6 is only available as a photocopied bound book for $17.00 (postage included unless overseas where charge is per destination.) -- J American Morris Newsletter page 2 of 25 American Morris Newsletter page 3 of 2S privilege at a silent auction at Pinewoods Camp back in the late seventies. lIm '!1'1hlll~ IImllliDlE The other two individuals gave their lives as senior editors of AMN for more years than maybe they cared to have given - someday I'll ascend to this calegory. Hobbies - as in Hobby Horses, Cows, Rabbits, etc. - are the feature th is So, how many of you reaUy read this fine print anyway? How much issue. A MN asked morris sides around the continent to provide a history of mail can this request generate? How much would a life subscription be the reasons for the selection of their panicular hobby animal, the role it worth'! Send your postcards with your thoughts (they must be clean) to the plays at dance events, and any special construction features that might be editor. useful to other builders. Thank you to all those sides that provided the short features on their sides hobbies. AMN regional editor Alisa Jensen has contributed a piece on "theatrical M~ll'(!'ilm am New ~alnlllD~ morris" in the Bay Area. Patrice Bennet-Alder writes a very sensitive piece on the morris and the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Thank you to all who Lake AMN recently was contacted by the New Zealand Morris the rime to contribute. Sphere. It is the Newsletter's counterpart in that country in the far Enjoy the remaining weeks of the summer. southern reaches of the globe. Ifanyone is interested in being in contact and Cheers! finding what it Lakes to receive a copy, write to: Alison Knight, Editor, New Zealand Morris Sphere, 11 Greer Cres., Tawa, Wellington, New Alb<Dmn illli ~ <C@nll' Zealand. In the continuing tradition of inviting Morris anisLS to design the cover of the summer issue.AMN invited Steven Rushefsky of New York City to do this year's honors. Steven bas been dancing since 1977. His Morris childhood was spent in Binghamton with the Binghamton Morris Men. In 1979, he was among the founding members of the Bouwerie Boys in NYC with whom he continues to grace sets. He is an artist, painting and drawing works on paper. Recent training in 3D Computer Model-Making has resulted in an interest in painting 2,3 and 4-sided boxes. (Flat work on 3D boxes.) Ru, as all call him, supports himself as an Art Director. His public has reason to suspect his brain waves are being affected by continued computer study. Thanks from all al AMN! ~memn4~mG lFw ~Ilile IEtilM@I!' At the end of a recent note LO the Editor, Sarah Strong wrote, "P.S. have you ever considered offering lifetime subscriptions?" After an initial reaction of "G-- forbid!", a certain amusing thought popped imo my head. What WOULD a life subscription to AMN be really wonh? What do readers REALLY feel about receiving A M N •til death do you part? Now mind you, three people already receive a life subscription to the newsletter. The very first, a prominent CDSS personality, paid for the o of o American Morris Newsletter page 5 25 "­ A "Theatrical" Morris Event 3 ~ . Alisa Jensen ;;.... Mayfield Morris ~ ~ ;n" Last fall I participated in a unique morris "event" (111 use that for lack "~ of a better one-word description!) and think it deserves some documentation ~ t;l before Ihe memories fade any further. It began in Ihe summer of 1991, wilh 5" g the return of Jocelyn Reynolds to San Francisco. Jocelyn is a West Coast .. dancer studying morris with Dr. Tony Barrand at Boston University. She ~ came borne for a few months to study, pursue interviews, reach at dance ~ camp -- and renew some friendships. One of her friends, Carmen Hennida, works as an adminislrative assi.stant for the Lamplighters, a popular GiJben and Sullivan theater company in San Francisco. The company was working on ways to increase their audience on Friday nights and Sunday matinees. Carmen and Jocelyn came up with a plan to produce a "green show" (some lheateT before the main play) composed of morris dances on selected Fridays and Sundays. The upcoming production in October was to be "Ruddygore" ­ - the perfect Halloween selection. since it deals in ghosts. Jocelyn's tasks were not easy: First.. she had to find morris dancers who would look reasonable together and who were willing to commit to several months of rehearsal and a month of perfonnance -- for no money. She found eight dancers besides herself and a musician, though we lost a dancer to injwy dwing rehearsal. We were a mixed side. Seven of us were from local Bay Area sides (Berkeley, Mayfield. Deer Creek) and two were not cwrently on a side but had illustrious morris pasts! Second, she had to decide what tradition to use to unify our disparate experience. She chose to teach us something none of us knew: Duns Tew, a new tradition that Jocelyn learned at Sidmouth in 1988 from Scratch Manis. It was a great choice - it was not hard to learn, and our lack: of (J'J previous knowledge of it avoided the ubiquitous moms whloe, "bul that's r:w o / . I nOl how we do it ... "! ...... r/ ...'--. :::... ..--J c:: We practiced every Sunday through August, September and part of """t 0­ »~ October at the Lamplighter's !beater in San Francisco. OnJy two of us r:w actually live in San Francisco, so lhat meant a commute for the rest of us, ~ Zo eilher figbting traffic across the Bay Bridge or traveling 30 miles up the c:: O;N peninsula from Palo Alto. Besides the Duns Tew dances, we learned the - ShTOpshire Bedlams' border Morning Star. This provided variety (and :l ft) Z:;v challenge -- iL wasn't easy to learn!) We spent extra Lime being ..... photographed and measured for costumes. And. in time-honored morris (,Jl CJ(7) fashion. we hit the local pub after practice.