About
About Renegade Morris
Renegade Morris is a gender-inclusive Morris dance group in the Philadelphia area, performing modern and traditional dances in the style of old English Morris dancing with high energy and spontaneous excitement!
Perhaps you’ve wondered what drives otherwise sensible people to tie bells on their legs, then frolic about waving hankies and clashing sticks? Ancients established these spring rituals to wake the earth and ensure its fertility. Our reasons are simpler: we dance because it is fabulous fun.
Renegade Morris was founded in 2007 by a group of enthusiastic dancers looking for energetic, mixed Morris dancing in the Philadelphia area. Since then, Renegade has performed in venues all around Philly, including historical organizations, library fairs, private parties, dance festivals, and May Day celebrations. Renegade dances the sun up on May 1st at Belmont Plateau and performs each year at Bryn Mawr College’s May Day. We also love traveling further afield to perform with other Morris groups.
Even more than performing, we welcome new dancers to discover the joys of Morris. Over the past 20 years, we’ve had more than 120 Renegades, many of them trying out Morris dancing while in college. Are you Morris-curious? We welcome dancers of all genders (age 13+) – no experience needed. Get in touch to learn more, or to inquire about Morris dancers at your event!
About Morris Dancing
Morris dance is a traditional folk dance style from the Cotswold region of England, dating to at least the 15th century (if not earlier!). Morris dancing is so old that its origins remain a mystery, however the dance form is commonly associated with changing seasons, especially the coming of spring. Cotswold Morris is easily identified by the jingling bells, clashing sticks, and waving hankies that signal Morris dancers are near. Today, Morris dancing is a living tradition and groups across the US, UK, and further afield dance a variety of old and new dances in the traditional style. To read more about Morris dancing, visit The Morris Ring.