May Day in Otley

I realised to my surprise that it's eight years since I last went to the May Day celebration in Otley. This year it was a much warmer day, with a hint of sunshine, so there were a lot more people watching. That meant it was a bit harder to get photos but made for a great atmosphere. 

The event is organised by Otley's Buttercross Belles, a North-West Morris dance side. They are able to use the Otley town maypole. The actual pole they dance round is a newish one, but there has been a maypole on this Cross Green site for upwards of 200 years at least. Maypoles have a rich history in British folklore and celebrations, particularly on May Day, symbolising fertility and spring. It's a lovely tradition to keep alive. 

The first half of the celebration saw the team encouraging children to dance around the maypole, weaving in and out to make simple patterns round the pole with the ribbons. It was predictably chaotic!

The Buttercross Belles then did a couple of dances. They use handkerchiefs and textile bobbins in their dances, a reminder of their tradition's origins in our mills. 

They were supported by Kitchen Taps, a local Appalachian dance side: 

and The Flash Company, also Otley-based, who have taken traditional Morris a step further, dancing to more modern music designed to appeal to a new audience. They were all having lots of fun.  Morris dance is impossible to watch without wanting to jig about! 

Each Morris side has its own musicians but much of the music for the Maypole dances themselves was supplied by the band that accompanies Wayzgoose, the Border Morris side based in Otley, who were also there dancing.