Molly dance facts for kids
Molly dancing is a special type of Morris dance from England. It was traditionally performed by young farm workers, called ploughboys, who didn't have work during the cold winter months in the 1800s. They would dance to earn a little money.
History of Molly Dancing
Molly dancing was once popular in many parts of the English Midlands and East Anglia. It slowly faded away in the early 1930s. The last known dancers were seen in Little Downham near Ely, Cambridgeshire, in 1933. During this last performance, they even danced a tango! One of the male dancers dressed up as a woman.
The name molly was used because one of the dancers, usually a man, would dress up as a woman. This dancer was known as "the Molly."
Most of what we know about old Molly dances comes from two villages near Cambridge: Comberton and Girton. Researchers Russell Wortley and Cyril Papworth studied these dances. We also have some of the music that was played for the dancers. For example, a tune called "George Green's College Hornpipe" was collected from a melodeon player in Little Downham. George Green was known for a special "broom dance" he performed to this tune.
In 1976, some of the original ploughboys shared their knowledge with Cambridge Morris men. They met at a pub in Little Downham and showed three dances. They also whistled the tunes and explained the strict rules. These rules included how they dressed, their dancing style, and that they only danced in winter. They also said they never practiced!
Because of this meeting, a group called the Mepal Molly Men was formed. The original dancers even watched them for years to make sure they followed the old traditions. To this day, the Mepal Molly Men only perform on Plough Monday, at the Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival, and at the Ouse Washes Molly Dancers' day of dance. They still only do those three original dances.
Molly dancing also happened in north Manchester and Salford. This was around May Day, with the last record in Salford around c. 1963. By this time, it wasn't really dancing. Instead, children would dress up (boys often dressed as girls and wore makeup). They would then go from house to house asking for small amounts of money. This tradition was written about by the Opies, who saw many children doing this in Manchester in the 1950s. The tradition mostly disappeared in the late 1950s as communities changed.
Molly Dancing Traditions
Molly dancing is most connected to Plough Monday. This is the first Monday after Epiphany, which is in early January. The tradition was that ploughboys would visit landowners in their village. They offered to dance for money. If a landowner refused to pay, the dancers might play a trick on them. This could include ploughing a line across the landowner's lawn! It was a bit like a "Trick or treat" for farmers.
The dancers wanted to hide who they were. This was because they hoped to get work from these same landowners later. So, they would blacken their faces with soot. They also dressed up their best Sunday clothes. They often added colorful scarves and other fancy decorations. Originally, only men took part in Molly dancing. But one of the men, "the Molly," would always dress up as a woman.
Modern Molly Dancing
Molly dancing was brought back to life by the Cambridge Morris Men in 1977. This happened at the same time as the revival of the Balsham Ploughboys. The Cambridge Men still perform Molly dances on Plough Monday. The revival of Morris dance in the 1970s led to many new dance groups. Today, these groups usually include both men and women.
In recent years, Molly dancing has become popular again in East Anglia and the East Midlands. One well-known group is the Ouse Washes Molly Dancers. The biggest gathering of Molly dancers happens every January at the Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival. This festival started in 1980 and is held in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire.
Modern Molly dancing shows how traditions can be both remembered and changed. Some groups try to dance exactly as it was done in the past. Other groups create new ways of dancing inspired by the old style. For example, the Seven Champions Molly Dancers were one of the first modern Molly dance groups. They used military-style formations, which was new but very effective. Many other teams, like Ouse Washes and Gog Magog, were inspired by them. Other groups, like Norwich Kit Witches and Pig Dyke Molly, have taken Molly dancing in completely new directions.
Today, the Deptford Fowlers' Troop still performs Molly dances. They also parade a "Jack in the Green" figure. Their name comes from a photograph from 1906 that shows a similar troop from a century ago.
