To think that it would be nice if stuff like maypole dancing were done more but that 'wokeness' is probably not the reason that it's done less now?

[Jane3212]

On Facebook today a post popped up about traditional stuff like maypole dancing that's done less now. The person who wrote the post blamed this on 'wokeness erasing English customs'.

Is 'wokeness' really the reason maypole dancing isn't done as much? I think things like that are nice but I'm not convinced 'wokeness' was the reason they've somewhat faded. Overstretched teachers & schools could be one. It's fair to note also that maypole dancing was never something my mother (born 1960s) or grandmother (born 1930s) experienced, probably as they grew up in London.

AIBU?

Having lived in both England and Scotland the difference seems to be that the Scottish are prepared to do things themselves and the English like it laid on for them

Far more likely that people just can't be arsed to organise or take part. Lots of examples locally of people trying to set up various groups and events, including some more traditional things, and giving up due to apathy in the local population, or lack of interest in traditional pastimes.

I think my life happiness peaked 60 years ago when I was doing maypole dancing, it’s been all downhill since then.
I say bring it back it’s such fun.

I do think that wokeness is impacting some things in our life... that said this is a wild take.

Wokeness has absolutely nothing to do with a lack of maypole dancing (or Morris dancing). These are 100% down to kids and younger people having no interest.

I'm 41 and did maypole and country dancing at primary school. My parents are involved in morris and clog dancing, go to folk festivals, Whitby every years, etc. They do all this with friends, that's how they got involved as a young married couple 50 years ago.

There are younger people involved in traditional pastimes like country dancing,, morris etc, but I suppose there are the issues of time (caring for small children, older parents, work), money, and the feeling that's it's all a bit old fashioned and silly maybe.

I think 'Englishness' is a very 'big' or 'widespread' thing . . . it spread all over the world, and governed most of it, at one time.

It probably seems a bit weird or 'beneath it' ?? in terms of how its perceived or how it feels about itself, to go down festy rabbit holes . . . getting ornery about protecting regional foodstuffs, preserving dances, and so on.

That's the sort of thing you'd leave for B-listers or even D-listers. It'd be something for the likes of a Corsican to worry about.

Englishness has a way of being 'local' as well as international, but it probably is not 'that way' if you know what I mean ?

Well, there speaks the delusional cul de sac of post-imperial hubris.

Yeah, possibly that's one way to look at it too.

But would getting all sweaty-palmed about Maypole dancing be the answer ? I doubt it. It's just not quite a satisfactory answer to the dilemma?

I LOVED maypole dancing! I would jump at the chance to do it again now, so much fun!!

I’m sure health and safety is part of the reason they don’t do it anymore. At my school the less coordinated kids had to sit on the bottom of the pole to make sure it didn’t fall over.

Oh I'm all for the wicker man....should be more of it, i say...

We have loads of May Day events here, including maypoles and morris dancing, so many you can't possibly attend them all.
I think its probably down to location rather than wokeness.

It makes me laugh so much when people say things are cancelled because of wokeness. My kids both did maypole dancing at primary school (the last one was two years ago) but it took a lot of resources to teach them and organise it all. And there needs to be an event to attach it to really - we have a May Fair that raises funds for the school and the church so that's why it's still going, as it gets a lot of spectators.

I did maypole dancing and country dancing at school. Thanks to my complete lack of rhythm and coordination I hated them both. I love watching them though, and Morris dancing (had a go at Morris dancing a few years ago. I'm still crap)

There's a May fair here every year with Maypole dancing, so at least one school still does it.

I don't know if the local country dancing competition still happens. None of my kids did it at school though. Which they are probably glad of, as they are like me!

Seems like a shame. I do think various things : class differences, early urbanising, not being ruled by others.etc impact on this..as I said in pp, Welsh, Scots & Irish preserved stuff partly due to nationalist efforts, there wasn't the same impetus here.

Also Puritans damaged stuff like Maypole earlier on which probably didn't help.

Yes, that sounds like a good model. And as resources are shorter it makes it harder to do.

I might be being naive, but does there need to be a special expensive maypole if it's only small children dancing round it? Couldn't some kind of tall stick be found/made and ribbons stuck to it without it costing a lot?

That's a good question! I guess theoretically you could use anything, but it does have to be reasonably tall so kids can duck under the ribbons to create a weave without having to actively crouch, and I imagine it's got to be pretty well weighted for health and safety.

Middle’s school does maypole every year and we’ve been here almost a decade. Heck, I grew up in the States and we had the maypole as kids and it is still done, although I grew up in a german-influenced city.

I'm sure numbers will pick up soon with all these patriots wanting to have more British traditions. They may have to change their black shorts for white trousers and bells though.

My school had a maypole dancing club. I was in it but it's not a common thing really, we were very much "out in the sticks". I often see Morris dancers at fetes and things.... again, we're out in the sticks. I don't think it's "wokeness" (god that's a horrible and tired phrase). I think it's more that society has moved past these things. Maypole and Morris for example were linked to seasons and equinoxes, fertility and crops. It was a community thing and communities aren't structured that way any more. If the younger generations aren't exposed to it or interested then it's not going to carry on. I mean, how many young adults go to tea dances these days? same thing really, discos then nightclubs took over that and it shifted and changed. Society has just changed, moved, adapted that's all.

My children all learned maypole and performed at the village fete and I watched the most recent year six’s performing this summer. I know another local school
does too. Maybe it depends on school size/location?

I've been thinking about the links between traditional forms of dance (maypole, Morris, clog) and"wokeness".
The people who have been the loudest about how "sad/pathetic/ boring" it is as a Hobby, are the ones who are loudest about "boat people" and "keep England English" and so on. They're also the ones who are vocal about this being a Christian country, but never attend church and wouldn't know a bible verse if it smacked them in the face.

The dancers I know OTOH are the most inclusive bunch. Morris dancing used to be only for men. I know of all female sides now. Some that have trans/NB members. And a very small amount of non-white dancers.

Now this isn't a big enough sample to categorically say it's related. But it is interesting.

Re a maypole. My mum made one when she worked in a nursery school. But im not sure that it was for actual dancing around rather than a decoration. Teaching 3-4 year olds to dance seems insane. But then again, I'm not sure what the point of a decorative one would be. Obviously decoration. But would it have been worth the time invested in making it? Wouldn't be that difficult though.

People are lazy! You’re concerned about lack of maypole dancing? Get a group going, volunteer, learn the ‘skill’ teach it, make it fun.
I’m sure there’s reasons that maypole dancing has dropped off but ‘woke’ ain’t it.

My children were at primary school late 90s /00s and they definitely did it then for the school fete.

We did maypole dancing in Year 2 at my infant school, it’s one of my best memories of infant school. I can still remember having to go over and under each person and our ribbons plaiting the pole. We all voted for the May Queen each year. I also remember us having fabulous class Christmas parties and really fun Sports Days, loads of time outside and really interesting topics with passionate teachers, who could pick topics of interest (this shone through). We then did country dancing at junior school during PE.

Thinking back, I do think infant school was much more varied, relaxed fun in the early ‘90s!

“People don’t know do it because of Woke” is just something stupid people say to explain anything they dislike.