Maypole dancing - did you ever partake ?

[WildRosie]

I'm sure we had at least one Maypole at my preschool playgroup circa 1975. We might even have had two. I was at primary school in 1977 for the Queen's Silver Jubilee and we did a very frilly/spirited/awkward plod around a pole during the summer fair. The regular ribbons were replaced with red, white and blue. I really didn't want to take part and there was a good deal of strong arm persuasion from the teachers. I'd have happily sat on the base with three other youngsters to stop the pole from toppling over but that job was given to the children of a more robust physique, shall we say ? So I spent an excruciating few minutes skipping, bowing and prancing about. I felt an utter nincompoop, especially as I was dressed completely differently to all the other boys. Thanks Mum😉!

Doesn't the Maypole have a pagan origin ?

Found this somewhere:
The symbolism of the maypole has been debated by folklorists for centuries, although no definitive answer has been found. Some scholars classify maypoles as symbols of the world axis or axis mundi.
They were found mostly in areas of Germanic Europe, where, prior to Christianisation, Germanic paganism was followed in various forms and some believe that Maypoles were a remnant of the Germanic reverence for sacred trees.There is evidence for various sacred trees and wooden pillars that were venerated by the pagans across much of Germanic Europe, including Thor's Oak and the Irminsul.

Also in Norse paganism, the universe was seen as a world tree, known as Yggdrasil. There is therefore speculation that the maypole was in some way a continuance of this tradition.
Non-Germanic people have viewed them as having phallic symbolism, an idea which was expressed by Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher, who erroneously believed that the poles dated back to the Roman worship of the god Priapus. Although nowadays, I think he's been copied into the Beltane pantheon.

I was at school in the South East, where maypoles were more common and we did maypole dancing every May. I have also seen it revived at pagan camps recently.

I was 10 in 1975 and we did lots of Maypole dancing. We did some quite intricate designs as well

Yes. We did it in primary school until I left in 1990.

Yes we did in the early 90's and I really loved it!

We did in primary school and still happens at the school now! Lovely memories.

Never done it and always wanted to! Have done loads of country dancing/morris dancing though.

We had one at the school where I taught. The Head wanted to get rid of it because it was no longer used but I said I would use it and got it out every May for my class and a few other teachers followed suit. The caretaker was on my side regarding keeping old traditions alive so didn't object to hauling outside for me when required. I made up the dances. I don't know if it is still there but at least one teacher still used it last time I asked.

We did it at school, just the girls though. I loved doing it, and watching the ribbons weave.

My girls did it at school too in the early 2000s.

Yes. I hated it back then. We had to be paired with a boy 🤮.

Now I'd love to have a go (as long as it wasn't with someone annoying).

I had to explain to one parent what we were actually doing after her child told her we had been pole dancing.

Our village still does kids and adults may pole dancing every year on the may day bank holiday.

Maypole Day was a big thing in the village I grew up in - 1970s. The village has the second tallest maypole in the UK, standing in the centre of the village.

Every three years there is a massive maypole festival at the end of May and people come from mikes away. A May Queen is elected and is escorted to the field where the events are held along with a procession of local schools and organisations. There are loads of stalls and events and maypole dances by local schools. We used to practice for months before the event as the dances are quite complicated! It was a fabulous day.

Moved away years ago but really must go back one day for the festival.

Yes, we always did it for May Day at my primary school! It was fun (1970s).

However, we also had a tradition where one girl was the “May Queen”, and she was selected by all the boys in the class voting for who they thought was prettiest. This genuinely happened.

Yes, we had May Day (with a May Queen) at my village primary school. There was both Maypole and country dancing. We invariably got tangled at least once when somebody went the wrong way! 🙈🤣

I only did it once at my primary school before I moved away in 1990.
I really enjoyed it. I also remember that a boy and girl were also selected by the class to be the May King and Queen and sat on throne like chairs whilst the dancing went on. Never seen it since.

Yes, did it at infants school in the 80s. We actually did it for a PE lesson one term! Mind you, we also did country dancing for PE at junior school, and that's not something I've seen much of at the schools I've been in.

I know a teacher who raised money and got a maypole for her school about 10 years ago. And my mum is a governor and they always use the maypole at her school, still.

I think it's wonderful. Too much of our more traditional dance is becoming more rare.

Yes, and loved it! My village still does the May Queen festival, with parades and floats and a fair. Go every year, even though I now live at the other end of the country and am in my 40s 😊

My mum used to teach it in primary school, but as I was never in her class I never got to have a go. I was always sad about that.

I'm pleased to see I wasn't the only one, although it appears I'm the only detractor. As a six year-old boy in the 70s, I might have got away with calling Maypole dancing 'cissy' but I doubt I'd get away with that now!

Yes, I was at primary school in the late 80s/v early 90s and we did maypole dancing and did the whole thing with a May King and Queen (year 6 boy and girl voted for by the rest of the class) who sat and watched the proceedings on a stage.

Yes...at primary school in the early 70s. We did it every year and took part in competitions with other schools. Our 'costume' was hideous though! Dark brown/white gingham check skirts, white puff sleeved blouses, white aprons with brown lace around the edge and brown gingham head scarves 😱🤦‍♀️🤣 Utterly awful! Other schools had really pretty costumes 🤷‍♀️ Our teachers clearly hated us 🤣

I loved it. Very much enjoyed the dancing and weaving the different patterns. Would like to have another go if they let us.

Yes, we had one at our (C of E) primary school, and I think just the girls did it.

We also did country dancing, which DD is doing now in primary (LEA, England, so not an unusual school) and it's really popular. Don't think they have a maypole though!

Yes, I did it in the mid- late 1990s at primary school. Was quite disappointed when I discovered it wasn’t a thing at high school! Everyone did it in y2 (the y2 teacher was the one who lead it) then it was a club for y3+ with more complex dances, and only girls chose to do it.

we also had an elected May Queen, purely a popularity contest. Madness now! I was on holiday the day they voted in assembly and was raging when the fair rolled round and someone with a much less pretty dress than mine got to be queen 😂

Still happens at my kids primary school in Oxfordshire. Alongside Morris dancing 😁