Welsh Morris and other Welsh Dances






Cadi Ha: This Morris Dance originates in Clwyd (Point of Ayr). It can be coarsely described as a cross between the Wheatley Processional and the Dilwyn. This is an interesting dance for eight dancers PLUS two comic characters Bili, the Fool, and the Cadi, the man dressed up as a woman, believed to symbolise perfection. Also the Branch Bearer. The Cadi Ha was seen as late as 1936 in Mold celebrating Daniel Owen's birth,organised by Lois Blake. It was used to open the Urdd at Ruthin in 1992. It is traditionally danced in the month of May. It is a double stepped hanky start/stop processional.The Cadi Ha is named after the Cadi or Kate, a character seen in some other Morris teams. The Ha is from the Welsh word for Summer. Summer Dancing is a key custom throughout Wales, starting in May.The Branch Bearer is a character not commonly found in other Morris. He is the only person not blacked up and carries branch of gorse in flower. This was possibly a version of the traditional Fedwen Haf, the summer birch, which was decorated by the dancers. It is believed that in some areas the branch was taken from the tree used for the Maypole.During the dance, a song is sung in Welsh, with about as much depth of meaning as most Morris songs.

These dances were recollected by Mrs Margretta Thomas, of Nangarw, Glamorganshire, and noted down by her daughter, Dr.Ceinwen Thomas, who has kindly given her manuscript to The Welsh Dance Society.

Tom Jone's Rally - (Rali Twm Sion): This is for Six Couples. This is a processional dance, closely related to the Cadi Ha. It was danced by six couples in fancydress on Fairdays in Caerphilly and Tongwynlais.The men and women wore wore bells attached to their thumbs, middle and littlefingers, as well as on their caps and their tunics. Dancers are otherwise not tooled up. It is double-stepped for 12 (or 24!) dancers, and includes parallel half-sets, circular keys, cross-overs, casts, a tasty movement called Serpentine and a neat finishing step.


The Snow Horse - (Y Gaseg Eira): Seen at Groeswen was 'Y Gaseg Eira'. This is the Welsh name for a giant snowball.'Y Gaseg Eira' is an unusual dance. It appears to be a Morris Dance but has eight men instead of the usual six. In this and other details it is curiously like the "recently" discovered Lichfield Morris dance.There has been some question about the origin of these, and it must be remembered that the potteries at Nantgarw were staffed by Staffordshire men.This dance shares with Lichfield a characteristic sideways kick step. Margeretta Thomas believed that it should be danced only by men. She saw it danced by an all men group and by mixed men and women, but when women were included they took to fooling and they only danced it seriously when they were all men.The dance integrates some movements that may be associated with working with a large Snowball. In the chorus, the dancers stand and swing their arms as if to warm themselves. They then perform a distinctive process-up with the lower couple pushing them along.


Caerphilly Fair Dances Dances: The Fair dances were for twelve men and women in gaudy fancy dress.

The Llangadfan Dances: The Llangadfan Dances were noted by William Jones of Llangadfan (c. 1729-95) and enclosed in a letter to Edward Jones, Bardd y Brenin, the author of 'Relicks of the Welsh Bards' (1784). The manuscript was discovered some years ago among the papers of Edward Jones, now in the National Library, Aberystwyth. It contains the notation and airs of three dances and suggested variations for others. Although he says that he is not proficient in the dance and is not well acquainted with the proper terms, he uses the terminology of the dance manuals of his day. (Welsh National Music and Dance. W.S.Gwynn Williams); All three dances are for three couples and have a similar pattern of three parts; the Leading, or men's part followed by the men's hey; the Tracing, or women's part, followed by the women's hey; and the Turnings, followed by Cross Heys. At the end of the dance, all the couples in the room may join in a progressive round, the Round O, for which he suggests several tunes and movements.; Some of his suggestions have been used to create new dances; notably 'Sawddl y Fuwch' and 'Ty Coch, Caerdydd'. Unlike the Llanofer dances, there were no living exponents to assist us in reviving the Llangadfan dances. We found, as William Jones said, that they at first seemed very perplexing, but once the theory is understood, they soon became familiar to persons of reasonable skill and activity.

Clog Dancing: Welsh Clog Dancing is not like North-West or Lancashire Step. It is not a revival, as it is danced in the style of the unbroken tradition.; Clog dancing and trick dancing, which may be two separate things, were much used in impromptu competitions. Trick dancing, or one might call it step dancing, was often based on the Broom dance. It might include dancing over a lighted candle or any other object. It has been suggested that an old fashioned flail was originally used, although the steps were similar, the dancers did not necessarily wear clogs. The Llanwyddyn dancer used two crossed sticks and wore ordinary shoes.

Sword Dancing: What we have not found is any indication of the linked sword dance; not to be confused with the Scottish sword dance, over the swords, with which our native broom dance has something in common. The latest theory is that where the hilt and point sword is found, there exist some ancient mine workings. But the converse does not seem true. Wales has mines in plenty, but no sword dance. The Dungeer Mummers from Ireland, who have won honours at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod, claim that their Sword dance was introduced to Wexford by some ship-wrecked Welshmen. But their swords are short daggers and are used exactly like the staves in a Morris dance. The impression that it was Morris, was strengthened by their use of the tune "Rakes of Mallow", well known among Morris men as the "Rigs of Marlowe".; The following of clues often leads to disappointment. Some years ago Len Roberts of the Myllin dancers told me that some young men at Llanfyllin had danced, linked together by lengths of straw rope. This sounded promising until an old lady at Criccieth told me that the people who lived at Bodfach Hall, Llanfyllin, used to teach English sword dance to the lads of the village. The Manor, now a guest house, has an interesting painted ceiling in the music room. With a Crwth and Pibgorn there appear some bars of 'Meillionen'.

The Welsh Morris Dance: The Welsh Morris Dance 1733, from Walsh, is not a true Morris, but a Country dance with a triple minor set.

Three Sheepskins: This 1718 dance was possibly the fore-runner of the Leominster Welsh Border dance "Three Jolly Black Sheepskins"

Of Noble Race was Shenkin: Of Noble Race was Shenkin 1695, has an old Welsh tune, 'Y Gadlys'. It appeared as a song for a Welsh character in the Richmond Heiress, a comedy by Tom d'Urfey, a compiler of old ballads and author of Pills to purge melancholy. So popular was this song that two years later it appeared as a dance.

Oswestry Wake: Oswestry Wake was originally a longways single set. Nowadays it is often danced in square formation and is immensely popular. The tune was mentioned by Frank Kidson in his list of tunes with Welsh titles; in spite of the fact that Oswestry lies over the border.; The mixed Welsh Border team 'Madcaps Progress' is based at nearby Welsh Frankton.

The Gower Reel: The Gower Reel was noted by Miss Karpeles at Port Einon, where the folk singer, Phillip Tanner, provided some of his characteristic mouth music to his own version of the 'Liverpool Hornpipe'. A record was made of this by H.M.V., but it is now out of circulation. The E.F.D.S. have now made a long playing record of a number of his songs as well as the dance. This is reserved for members only. The four-handed reel begins by leading into a hey: stepping eight bars to partners: hey again bringing the dancers into a different order; stepping to new partners and hey again and so on. The steps had been mostly forgotten but an old lady at Rossili told me to use my heels. With the present revival of step dancing it should not be difficult to recapture the spirit of the dance.

The Gower Horn Pipe: The Gower Horn Pipe or Lumbers is another dance from Gower. This appears to have been danced to a version of 'Soldier's Joy', a much travelled tune that has been found in several European countries as well as in Northumberland. In the early days of the Cymdeithas, I had the outline of the dance but no tune; and as we were hungry for simple dances, I set it to a tune given to me by Joseph Hughes of Aughton, and believed to have been composed by Edward Jones, Bardd y Brenin. This was the 'Llandaff Reel', which has proved very popular. The movements, however, are those of Lumbers and if the Llandaff tune is preferred, it does not matter very much; though 'Soldiers' Joy' is more lively.

The Llanover Welsh Reel: The Llanover Welsh Reel was the first of our dances to be rescued from oblivion. It is a three-handed reel for one man and two women. It was performed at Llys Llanover by members of the household, for the entertainment of guests, until the death of the harper, Thomas Gruffydd, in 1887. It was recalled by his daughter, Mrs. Gruffydd Richards, who had danced it herself, and revived under her instructions, by the school children, in 1918. The tune is that known as Jones Hornpipe and it has fourteen figures, each with its traditional name. These are linked by a Hey, twice repeated, known as the figure eight. It was danced in column formation, commencing and ending with a formal Honour or Towards the Harp. Performed by the same people of their successors, it had acquired a stylised polish, generally found in ceremonial dances. The form of the dance is that of the Elizabethan Galliard and there is, in a manuscript by the famous exponent of dance, Gugliemo Ebro (c.1435) a picture of three dancers, complete with a harpist, who might be dancing the Llanofer Reel; but this was at the wedding of Lucrezia Borgia. With the pruning of some of the figures, this dance is used today as a progressive dance on the Twmpath. It could be presented as a courting dance, which was probably the original intention.

Rhif Wyth: Rhif Wyth is another dance from Llanofer; a longways triple minor set with the attractive tune, 'The Peacemakers'.

Meillionen: Meillionen is contained in a book without a title page, believed to be Walsh's Dancing master, 1735. It is now in the possession of the Glasgow Municipal Library. It is suspiciously like the unusual dance 'Row well ye mariners', which appeared in Playford 1650. There was, of course, no copyright in those days. The tune is well-known among Welsh harpers, and is included in 'Atia di camera' 1726, under the title, Meillionen, or Sir Watkin's delight.

The Horned Ram: Y Ddafad Gorniog (the horned ram) was based on the recollection of a lady in Merioneth and was recounted to me by Mrs. Bowen Jones of Ruthin. It was danced at weddings, and also she believed, it was the culminating event in the midsummer dancing. We have set it to the old nursery rhyme of the same name. The first verse of the song should be sung by the dancers. The words and the music will be found in the 'Welsh Nursery Songs' (G.P.C. 9010).