The Duns Tew Morris ``Tradition''

The village of Duns Tew lies in Oxfordshire roughly in the middle of the triangle formed by Adderbury, Bucknell, and Kirtlington.

It is known that a traditional morris side performed in Duns Tew. It is not known whether the morris was indigenous to the town or visiting from nearby. In 1985 or 1986, Tim Radford of the Adderbury Morris Men taught a workshop at Sidmouth. He began the week by teaching the known traditions of the 3 surrounding towns. He and his class then proceeded to reconstruct by interpolation what the Duns Tew tradition might have been.

While Jocelyn Reynolds was visiting England doing research for her master's degree, she encountered 5 people who wanted to demonstrate Duns Tew. After volunteering to be the 6th member of the side and performing, she was given the complete set of workshop notes on Duns Tew. She now teaches this tradition in the U.S., and a side known as Dead Ringers performs it near Halloween during most years. Jocelyn might like to form a women's side in the San Francisco area which dances this tradition.

The tradition is marked by its very energetic and jiggy stepping which involves lots of bouncing, very crisp hanky motions, and W-shaped hand positions during hockle-backs. The sidesteps and heys are unique.

Jocelyn is not responsible for any flaws in the history above. If you wish to contact her, I will attempt to put you in touch.

Steve Allen <sla@ucolick.org>