Girls’ Carnival Morris Dancing: a Contemporary Folk Dance?
Often overlooked in accounts of English Morris dancing, girls’ (carnival) Morris is a highly competitive, team formation dance popular in England and Wales.
Folk music, folk art and folk dance
The Mystery of the Green Man
Finding Green Men in medieval churches was a game for myself and my young charge; others have made it an all-engrossing spiritual quest. Deep things have been said about the head in the leaves: he is a trickster, a prophet, the guardian and revealer of mysteries. Well, maybe.
The Devil’s Instrument: Hardanger Fiddles and Norwegian-American Folk Music
The Hardanger fiddle is a staple of traditional Norwegian folk music, which connects people visually, bodily, and aurally, with their Norwegian heritage.
Songs of the Sea: The Origins of Shanties
The life of the shanty is a fascinating example of how elements of a music genre can evolve to match its environment.
Of Kobolds and Heinzelmen: Forgotten Creatures Brought Back to Life
German artist Florian Schäfer is creating life-like art dolls & figurines of strange but mostly unknown creatures to fight against their cultural oblivion.