Rooster History

ROOSTER HISTORY
Rampant Rooster Morris History

 In 1993 four people who had all been involved in Morris dance and folk for many years felt it was time to leave their respective Morris Sides and form a new, vibrant mixed Morris Side. 

The first practice was on 12 July 1993 and the inaugural AGM on 12 October 1993 with the first Dance out at the Duke's Head Brockham on Boxing Day 1993.  The first dance out in kit was St George's Day 1994.


The Founding Members who formed the Side were 


Martina Preece our First Squire

Tim Curtin our First Foreman

Ray Henderson our First Bagman

Neil McRitchie our First Musician


Our constitution is unchanged over all these years.


The main aim of the Side is to dance, have fun and to entertain!


We recognise that the Morris is a living and evolving tradition; we will try to maintain a high standard of performance which does not conflict with our main aim.


We are a mixed sex Morris Side where all of us are regarded as performers and so we have no concern for sets looking symmetrical with regard to the positions of men and women within the set – no division will be made with regard to gender.


As members we should be loyal to our Side but we are happy if our fellow members wish to perform with other Sides (whether in our Kit or not) and we will – wherever possible – give people from other Sides the opportunity to dance with us if they so wish


We have always danced in the Cotswold tradition, mainly Adderbury and Bledington styles, but also interesting dances from other traditions such as Moulton, Bampton, Badby, Fieldtown and Lichfield, and the ‘local’ style from Horsham – with a couple of Border dances as well for added ooomph! 


Our talented musicians provide the vital rhythmic lift and instrumentation for the dancers and are sometimes thrown into the odd dance or two!


Our dancing season is very often (unsurprisingly!) near pubs in Surrey/Sussex, but we enjoy dancing further afield and with other Sides too.   We have also danced abroad at Lille France, around Paderborn Germany, near Dublin Ireland, Tuscany Italy, Sicily, Prague Czech Republic, Gascony France,  Heidleberg  Germany and Scilly Isles.



Our First Advert
Dance, Have Fun and Entertain - When Founder members joined us, Some  dances go like clockwork, very clever and entertaining!
rocknrollArtboard 7

Martina
Preece

YEAR SQUIRE SIGNIFICANT EVENTS DURING TERM OF OFFICE
1993 - 1994 Martina Preece Side founded by Martina Preece, Tim Curtain, Ray Henderson & Neil McRitchie
1995-1997 Barry Phillips 1997 Padderborn Germany Tour
1998 Ray Henderson Bray Wicklow Ireland
1999 - 2003 Sheila Gray 2002 Tuscany Italy
2004 - 2005 Ian Cox
2006 - 2007 Nicky Shreeve 2006 Sicily Italy
2008 (EGM) Sheila Gray
2009 Cory Furness 2010 Prague Tour
2010 Judith Pamir 18th Anniversary
2010 (Acting Squire) Jane Gallagher
2011 Jane Gallagher 2012 France Tour
2012 Jane Gallagher 2013 German Tour
2013 Amanda McCormick 21st Anniversary
2014 Amanda McCormick Scilly Isles
2015 - 2016 Niall Mitchell
2017 Niall Mitchell 25th Anniversary
2018 - Niall Mitchell
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