Peter Stewart

I'm going to whisper this, and forgive me for saying it, but you know there's a few people out there that kind of look on Morris Dancers as a little bit unusual, a little bit odd.

I'm going to whisper this, and forgive me for saying it, but you know there's a few people out there that kind of look on Morris Dancers as a little bit unusual, a little bit odd.

And Phil, you were explaining to me a little bit earlier on about how intricate the dances are with the different beats and things like that. Together with perhaps some of the dances I think have some words or some chants and there's music and there's sticks and there's bells and all sorts of things going on. It's not just kind of dancing or swaying to a disco beat, is it?

And Phil, you were explaining to me a little bit earlier on about how intricate the dances are with the different beats and things like that. Together with perhaps some of the dances I think have some words or some chants and there's music and there's sticks and there's bells and all sorts of things going on. It's not just kind of dancing or swaying to a disco beat, is it?

All of this intricate footwork and so on is good for the brain. It's good for the cognition and so on, isn't it?

All of this intricate footwork and so on is good for the brain. It's good for the cognition and so on, isn't it?

But I suppose with the music, that could be written down in a way that the dances couldn't be written down.

But I suppose with the music, that could be written down in a way that the dances couldn't be written down.

But also I suppose that it's almost part of the charm of the whole Morris tradition, is it, that... Different villages would have different variations of dances and would adapt and change.

But also I suppose that it's almost part of the charm of the whole Morris tradition, is it, that... Different villages would have different variations of dances and would adapt and change.

That's the main thing. We love it. But unfortunately, Robin, not enough people love it. I mean, Phil hinted at this earlier on in his, I think, very first answer when he said, when the Surrey Morris men started up, that actually you're nearing 100 years, but you may not quite get there.

That's the main thing. We love it. But unfortunately, Robin, not enough people love it. I mean, Phil hinted at this earlier on in his, I think, very first answer when he said, when the Surrey Morris men started up, that actually you're nearing 100 years, but you may not quite get there.

Why is it that people don't want to join Morris groups anymore?

Why is it that people don't want to join Morris groups anymore?

I guess there's so many more calls on people's time now.

I guess there's so many more calls on people's time now.

Yeah, and years ago when shops weren't open on a Sunday, people were looking for something else to do and this would have fitted in.

Yeah, and years ago when shops weren't open on a Sunday, people were looking for something else to do and this would have fitted in.

And yet you would have thought that people like history and provenance of food and getting back to nature and the green thing. Morris dancing would kind of fit in with that, wouldn't you think?

And yet you would have thought that people like history and provenance of food and getting back to nature and the green thing. Morris dancing would kind of fit in with that, wouldn't you think?