Morris dancer phobia

[Disa13]

This is honestly not a joke. I was talking to my friend earlier and she reminded me about her phobia of Morris dancers. It might sound ridiculous but she finds them very creepy. I'd forgotten, but she was telling me about a time she was in a pub and some came in, so she ran downstairs to hide from them, but one came jingling down the stairs to the loo. She described it as "like the scene in Jurassic park." We had a bit of a joke about it and I kept saying "jingle jingle jingle" and she found it very funny.

I ended up reading about them on Wikipedia, I hadn't known much about the tradition or that different types of Morris dancing are from different parts of the country.

I wanted to ask aibu (is my friend being unreasonable) to be freaked out by Morris dancers? Or is it quite reasonable in that it could be likened to clown phobias, which aren't that uncommon. Personally, I can't stand Ronald McDonald, I find him a bit sinister. Now I'm in a silly mood, I wanted to ask if anyone else has a phobia of slightly irrational or silly things.

Also, if anyone has any suggestions to help her overcome her fear of Morris dancers, they would be much appreciated.

Shoot them

I don't understand the point of them at all

Terry Pratchett invented the 'Dark Morris' for one of his books. A group of Morris Dancers came and did a Dark Morris for him and he found it very creepy.

Ronald McDonald is pure evil. Pure pure evil.

Anyone with a phobia of morris dancers should avoid south Oxfordshire on the first weekend in September (when normal service resumes). There's a festival in Wallingford with Morris dancers from all over the country. And it's brilliant!!

@DPotter

Anyone with a phobia of morris dancers should avoid south Oxfordshire on the first weekend in September (when normal service resumes). There's a festival in Wallingford with Morris dancers from all over the country. And it's brilliant!!

Morris dancing is great, we've got quite a few border Morris sides round here and I never tire of seeing them.

Exposure therapy is the only cure

Make her go to a festival with Morris dancers and have her join in haha

They are quite entertaining for short time. One group used to come and dance and prance outside our village pub a few years ago, then come in the pub and play some of their music whilst have a few pints, with people singing along with them.

Its an extremely old tradition, and seems to be an up North thing, various villages have their own groups.They are usually very friendly and jovial, and might allow you to have a go at prancing around with them if you wish. It's a shame to have a phobia about them, but people have all sorts of phobias I know.

I have heard of this before, my son has a phobia of shaving foam and my husband of buttons, as you can tell by me having a phobia of MRI scans/tight fitting clothes/being in a small tent type thing I am the normal one in the family

she was in a pub and some came in, so she ran downstairs to hide from them, but one came jingling down the stairs to the loo.

You can have a phobia about anything. This one sounds unusual though!

I loved this film;:

Morris: A Life With Bells On

www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/4564321.morris-dance-movie-gets-national-release---thanks-oxford-petition/

Oh that does look good, thanks.

I have heard of this phobia before, so she’s no the only one....unless this is a very small world.

I genuinely have a phobia of Morris men. I'm weirdly glad I'm not the only one.

At least they don't run out from under the sofa when you are watching TV

@30daysoflight

At least they don't run out from under the sofa when you are watching TV

I love a bit of Morris but from a safe distance, as they are a bit weird. I would not like to be cornered by bells and handkerchiefs shudder

Oh, I think they're wonderful! Such a unique and ancient tradition.

Unless friend is living in a very active Morris Dancing part of the country it should be pretty easy to avoid them. I’d not waste time with exposure therapy as the amount or distress/cost -v- result probably not worth it for such a niche phobia.

I imagine it’s not restricting her life on a day to day basis. If it were a phobia to something like beds or pavements then it would be pretty important to get on top of it. Keep her away from any obvious high risk areas like former mining town summer fairs and don’t risk cricket matches as they involve a lot of white clothing.

I've never thought about it before, but I can see why someone might find it a bit sinister. They have a whiff of the Wicker Man or Midsommar about them.

Years ago I worked in a small, usually empty pub. Was behind the bar one evening and suddenly a group of about twenty Morris men came in. It felt utterly surreal.
Also every single one of the fuckers wanted a real ale - so took about half an hour to serve them and had a very achy arm afterwards (anyone who had worked in a pub with real ale on tap will get this).

My father was a Morris dancer
We wanted to find some Morris dancers last year because Dad's Australian friend wanted to watch a display. Couldn't find any public displays at all, so unless your friend is very unfortunate there doesn't seem much chance of her seeing any.

My only problem with them was that our local set were very sexist and refused to let women join.

I think it's a shame we don't value these traditions more. You wouldn't find other nations mocking their own traditional culture in the way we do in the UK (moreso England). Most learn about and celebrate their heritage, showcase it. I actually think our lack of knowledge and education about our own traditional culture means we as a society end up boosting our identity from negative comparisons to outside groups rather than having a concrete sense of our own society - ask what makes the English English and most people are stumped after listing fish and chips and queuing.

That being said, the real issue with Morris men is that the whole thing is about fertility so it really should be muscular young 20 somethings demonstrating their strength and virility, not a bunch of 60+ pot bellied pub goers.

When I was a teenager we used to go to all sorts of folk festivals and there were quite a few rather attractive Morris dancers. They are probably the pot bellied 60 somethings Bellsavage refers to.

Understandable.

When I was 14 I was watching the Oxford ones with my mum and they dragged me out of the crowd (unwillingly but my mum thought it was a great photo opportunity) and they made me join in their dance! I had to wave hankies then they all lifted me up into the air. Then one by one they kissed my cheek!!
I know it was all a bit of fun and a traditional dance but I was mortified. I still remember the bristly feeling of their beards and moustaches!!

I stand further back nowadays!