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.

One time, I lived in a house where there was a green space across the road. A minibus pulled up on the main road and about 12 Morris Men climbed out in full regalia and did a jig in a circle for a couple of minutes, then climbed back in and drove off. I still frown when I remember it.

I used to go out with a Morris dancer (40 years ago). He was very fit!!!

I think those things they wear across their chests, usually ith the group insignia in the middle, are called 'baldricks' not braces.

They are quite intense and passionate about morris dancing. I have had the pleasure in the past of having to share a car with one to a review meeting (she was the indepent reviewing officer tasked to review my work as a social worker). She was very pleasant but trying to talk enthusiastically and pleasantly about morris dancing for 45 mins whilst driving down the M1 was quite a task.

@Disa13

I think it would be very fitting if I hired a Morris dancing quartet for my friend's wedding. What does everyone think?

Most dances involve 6, but I'm sure you could get hold of some to dance at a party.

@somthinginthewoodshed

I run a Morris side and I’m definitely NOT creepy - a little eccentric maybe but a full-blooded, healthy woman. To help your friend overcome her fear - perhaps she needs to join a Morris side. Check out The Witchmen - they are amazing and just the freakiest. 😀

@somthinginthewoodshed

Are you a happy jingly jangly or a death metal stick type?

I really want to have a go at the stick sort but I don’t think the stick group nearish to me are going to accept me rocking up to have a go.

Baldricks! Sorry. They look like braces.
The clothes must be quite expensive I would imagine.

Not quite hankies and bells but my DS used to love the coconutters. Are they from Bacup or thereabouts? In general we love folk things.

@The80sweregreat

Baldricks! Sorry. They look like braces. The clothes must be quite expensive I would imagine.

Not really. The cotswold whites are just shirts from Asda and white trousers from online. White belt. Black dress shoes. The bells, Baldricks etc aren’t too expensive. Rag coats are easily made and hats, if they’re made with plastic flowers rather than fresh last a few years if they don’t get too damaged.

The real cost is the drinking

I think Morris Dancers are strange in an eccentric British way but I'm Scottish and have only ever seen them on tv jangling about with white clothes and hankies. An ex of mine had a phobia about potatoes. He was terrified of them if they'd been left in the dark and started to sprout long stems.

Haha, I'm a female morris dancer in the northwest. Just getting ready for our season, if restrictions allow...

www.blackpigborder.co.uk/photo/2020/20200111Waingroves/index.html

My favourite saying of all time is 'try EVERYTHING once except incest and MORRIS DANCING ' ... im a very rural dweller btw Whi has their very own 'troupe' in my Hamlet.. when DH joins I leave him...

I'm a Morris dancer! It is quite barmy but it's great fun and surprisingly cardio. My side (name of a Morris 'squad') has such a range of people, from 8 to 80, men and women, all just lovely people. We don't take it too seriously and have a great time. I'm missing it a lot at the moment. But I do understand your friend. I have a phobia of people doing reenactment! Anyone dressed up as someone from history makes me want to run and hide. I walk past them literally whimpering to myself. Watching battle reenactors is the worst. I worked with a lovely chap who once got chainmail delivered to work to make his latest costume and I blurted out that I found them terrifying. Bless him, he made me a little chainmail keyring, which I still have (but have never used as a keyring because bleugh!)

I love to watch Morris Dancing - good old English History. But i have a phobia of spiders so i would never criticise any one's fears.

Dp does it ...the border type is cool...the hanky stuff....not so much.

I find the black face nasty and the whole it a disguise from their bosses while begging and busking during the winter. It is very possible that it was an attempt to mimic the North African dances that were part of the Morris’s inspiration....

So yeah, don’t black up it’s offensive.

@12frogsincoats

Morris dancers really creep me out! However, I have a phobia of oompa loompas...they are so much worse.

Can you imagine Oompa Loompas doing Morris dancing ? 😂

@nosswith

It may seem strange at first glance though reading the comments I can see why.

Sadly also there were some who wore blackface long after almost everyone else recognised is completely unacceptable.

The sides that still do are doing it as the sides had to historically disguise their faces also their employers didn't know who they were.it's common in border Morris around Herefordshire and the Welsh/English borders.

*Are you a happy jingly jangly or a death metal stick type?

I really want to have a go at the stick sort but I don’t think the stick group nearish to me are going to accept me rocking up to have a go.*

It's the middle of the night - I can't bloody sleep and this has made me giggle like a loon

@MyHairNeedsASnip

One time, I lived in a house where there was a green space across the road. A minibus pulled up on the main road and about 12 Morris Men climbed out in full regalia and did a jig in a circle for a couple of minutes, then climbed back in and drove off. I still frown when I remember it.

😂😂😂😂😂

@MyHairNeedsASnip

One time, I lived in a house where there was a green space across the road. A minibus pulled up on the main road and about 12 Morris Men climbed out in full regalia and did a jig in a circle for a couple of minutes, then climbed back in and drove off. I still frown when I remember it.

They were probably testing the grass for some event

The fuckers spent all night roaming the boat , swigging beer and jangling.

OMG!! Laughing so much I'll never get back to sleep

My DF did Morris and Folk dancing until he could do it no more. He gave up Morris at 80 because he couldn't manage the leaps any more, but carried on Folk dancing until his 90s and died at 99. I conclude from this that all that dancing kept him very fit and healthy. It may look odd but it has its benefits.

@MorganKitten
It's not offensive, it's a tradition and its staying