A Wassailing Phoenix Morris Did Go!
This ancient tradition seems to have made a comeback all over England this year so Apple crops should be plentiful.
Phoenix performed at 2 Wassails this January. Our local Wassail was an evening event at Croxley Green on the 17th. It was our best yet & very popular with the locals. Phoenix lit9 up the sky with Our Star Wars Dance which made its debut and attracted the crowds.
As Guests of OBJ along with Mayflower Morris we Wassailed at lunchtime in Wokingham on Sunday 19th.
The weather was kind to us for both events. We danced to entertain the public followed by the Ceremony then into the pub for some music and fun.
A special appearance for the Special Sailors
A great attendance by Phoenix Morris to perform at the Colne Valley Special Sailors Xmas gathering on the 18th December 2019 (A charity we have supported for many years). We were pleased to donate a charity cheque to them from our 2019 collections.
Phoenix gave an enthusiastic entertaining performance and were well received. We had a great response from our audience to participate in a dance and both those on foot and those in wheel chairs did well. It was rewarding to see how much this group enjoyed our presence.
A lovely way to finish up before Christmas.
Winding down for Winter
Despite the cold and damp of Friday 29th November, Phoenix met to dance in the streets and add to the fun of Rickmansworth Winter Fair.
The streets were lined with stalls selling Christmas goods, food and drink.
Phoenix musicians valiantly played on as the dancers contributed to the festive atmosphere near Nero’s Coffee House dancing continuously for an hour!
We later moved along the High Street to entertain more stall holders, finally retiring to the pub to warm up…
A fun evening and a nice final dance out for the year!
Phoenix at the Tower
The ravens weren’t the only birds at the Tower of London yesterday as Phoenix joined Pump House Clog to celebrate their 40th birthday.
They organized a fun day with perfect weather! Wicket Brood, Whitethorne and Hemlock Morris also joined the fun and together we creatled a lovely contrast of different types of Morris and costumes with a scenic background!
We particularly enjoyed a mass monkey with our fellow guest sides.
So many photo opportunities, our photos must end up all over the world as the tourists lap it up.
We finished the day with well earned cuppa and cake then homeward bound. As usual we did our normal dancing and playing on the tube – It had to be done!
Happy 40th Pump House!
Another stunning swanage
After a summer off, Phoenix gathered once again for a weekend at Swanage folk festival.
Weather for Swanage can be a bit unpredictable but this year was ideal morris conditions – no rain and not too hot!
Phoenix put on a lively show as always at a variety of spots around town including a great performance of our dance Batchworth Stick at the Rowing Club.
On Saturday our day of dancing ended with the procession where the dancers were joined by their youngest member who at 7 months old was probably the youngest participant in this years procession and the only one to sleep through the whole thing!
On Sunday, phoenix ended the day by joining the ‘mass monkey’ then kicking off their shoes for the traditional dance in the sea which ended in chaos as our Foreman took a tumble, closely followed by the dancer who tried to help her up!
Overall a lovely weekend. Thanks to Basingclog, Marling morris, Exmoor morris and Rattan Hill who shared our spots and to the organisers for another great festival.
Meet the side…
Name: Mike
Role: Squire
How I joined: My wife, Sue, and I lived on a narrow boat for the first 14 years of our married life and quite early on, 1977 or 8, we were at a boat rally on the Slough Arm of the Grand Union Canal. This is where I saw Grand Union Morris.
I thought “I would like to try that”.
I went along to their practice hall in Uxbridge and soon got the hang of the different dances, got my kit and started dancing out.
My wife said “you will never catch me doing that” but it was not long before she joined Lord Pagets Morris who also practiced in Uxbridge.
A few years passed and, for a number of reasons, I left Grand Union and joined Phoenix Morris. Our Bagman (Secretary) had to give up so I took on that role. A few years later our Squire (Chairman) had to give up for health reasons and recomended to the Side that I take his place,
With a short break of about six months I have been Squire of Phoenix ever since.
First dance out: My first dance out with both Grand Union and Phoenix was so long ago I am unable to remember either of them!
I do remember our first dance out which resulted in Phoenix going mixxed. We had set up a seperate girls Side and on May morning in 1987 we danced out at 4am on Chorleywood Common. Only five girls made it and Denise, the Squire, came to speak to Pat, our Squire, and said “can we dance with you?”. We decided that, as there was no one watching, it would be OK. We have danced as a mixed Side ever since.
Favourite Morris memory: My favourite Morris memory could be one of many but I think our trip to France to dance at a village fete being organised by Brits living in the village.It was a great weekend.
Rochester Sweeps Festival 2016
Favourite dance: Again difficult. I think Muskets in the style of Bleddington taught to us by the Minisota Morris Men on a tour of England in exchange for us teaching them one of ours.
