Mr Hemmings Day of Dance

Day of Dance
The annual Day of Dance today in Abingdon was hosted by Mr Hemmings Traditional Abingdon Morris Dancers. Their invited guests were Armaleggan and Ashnah.
Day of Dance
Armalleggan are a rowdy stick bashing Border Morris side who practise in Cumnor.
Day of Dance
Ashnah are tribal style belly dancers, and come from Abingdon.
Day of Dance
The day is organised by Mr Les Badcock – a life long Abingdonian.
Day of Dance
The day had a family feel with quite a few children of members following the event. There were occasions when everybody could join in the dance and the children loved that.
Day of Dance
The Day started at Annie’s Tea Room and ended at the Royal British Legion car park. They also danced at the Broad Face, the Market Place twice, the Black Swan and Brewery Tap.
Day of Dance
The Mr Hemmings dancers have been encouraging ladies to join in for two or three years, and this year there was also one or two younger dancers.

The day of dance used to be on the Saturday nearest the birthday of the original Mr Tom Hemmings in early May. The move to early July happened in 2017.

13 thoughts on “Mr Hemmings Day of Dance

  1. Chris John

    Frank the assistant lock keeper used to be a Morris dancer. Now there’s something I bet most don’t know!

    Reply
  2. ChickenDinner

    I don’t think anyone should be a Morris dancer! And if Ashnah were as terrible as they were at the Cowley Road Carnival today, i for one am glad I didn’t have to see them

    Reply
  3. Sarah

    Morris dancing is fab. I for one would like to see the England rugby team performing a quick dance in answer to New Zealand’s haka. I genuinely believe it would strike the fear of God into any opponent.

    Reply
  4. ChickenDinner

    Nope, there are things that belong in a bygone era, not just Morris dancing, but many other ‘quaint’ things.

    Reply
  5. Spike S

    I suppose modern ‘quaint things’ are eating from Colonel Sanders and talking to a pet brick while walking into lamp posts. Innit ?
    It’s not a mandatory Citizenship rite but Morris is a regional heritage and most natives treasure it.

    Reply
  6. Ashnah

    Thank you ChickenDinner for your comments and I’m sorry to hear the ‘terrible’ dancing wasn’t to your taste ….. but you don’t have to watch.

    Did you know that dancing is a fantastic way of keeping fit, reduces stress and depression, reduces isolation, is sociable and lots of fun – perhaps its an activity that would help get you out a bit more?

    Ashnah often dance at care homes for the elderly, for dementia and Alzheimer patients plus are going to be doing a workshop for stroke victims … our work brings much joy to people.

    Did you also know that all the dancers go above and beyond to entertain folk for FREE … plus spend their time performing to help raise lots of funds for charities?

    ps ….. I also have a very big pointy sword

    Reply
  7. Flamingo Lane

    I like the Morris. They make me smile. I also admire that large groups of these men find it possible to come together, and spend all day drinking prodigious amounts of beer without the merest hint of disorderliness.

    I also respect the contribution they have made to keeping alive the folk music tradition, which today takes many forms.

    Reply
  8. Spike S

    “… spend all day drinking prodigious amounts of beer without the merest hint of disorderliness.”
    Now there’s a role model !

    Reply
  9. Tim

    Well I’m a Morris dancer and a very proud one. Its good fun and keeps you fit. If you don’t like it, walk away. No one is forcing anyone to watch.

    Reply

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