This is a list of our dances, giving only factual information about music and origin. The tales we tell about each dance vary from time to time, like all good myths and legends, and change depending on who is telling them! Our Squire, Deputy Squire (Squirrel) and Forman all have different stories so that the audiences won’t get to hear the same story every time!
Tinners Rabbit
A dance in threes. Our first dance and one that we can get the audience to join in with. Almost all Border Morris sides can dance a version of this! Danced to No Man’s Jig and originally developed by Grimspound Border Morris.
BearDown Man
A dance in fours introduced in our 2023 season. Danced to Berendans (Bear Dance) and originally developed by BawdringOn Morris
September 4th
A dance for any even number of dancers introduced in our 2023 season. Danced to The Chameleon and originally developed by Datchet Border Morris in 1995 and tweaked to suit our side.
Upton-on-Severn
A dance in sixes introduced in our 2023 season. Danced to the tune Upton-on-Severn. A traditional dance recorded by Maud Karpeles from a Mr William Griffen in 1925.
Cuckoo’s Nest
A dance in pairs introduced in our 2023 season danced to the tune of Cuckoo’s Nest.
Bonnie so Blue
A dance in sixes introduced in our 2024 season. Danced to Bonnet So Blue and developed by Bawdering On Morris.
Cider Stomp
A dance in fours unique to Boscastle Border Morris and introduced in our 2023 season. To a tune by Neal Jolly, our Head of Music, called Apple Picking. Dance developed by Lara Pollard-Jones, our Foreman.
Boscastle Breakdown
A dance in fours unique to Boscastle Border Morris and introduced in our 2023 season. Developed by Lara Pollard-Jones, our Foreman, to a traditional tune, Boscastle Breakdown, which was originally a scoot or barrel dance.
Harbourside
A dance in fives to the traditional tune of Quay Fair. Unique to Boscastle Border Morris this was introduced in the 2024 season and developed by Lara Pollard-Jones, our Foreman.
Lovers’ Green
A dance in sixes. Unique to Boscastle Border Morris, introduced in 2023 as a “gift” to one of our members on the occasion of her marriage and first danced at their reception outside the Wellington Hotel in Boscastle. Dance developed by Lara Pollard-Jones, our Foreman. Danced to Off She Goes.
‘Ow TEvi’
We introduced this feature into our 2024 season to coincide with the arrival of our Green Man and Selkie. It is based on the idea of a Maori haka and calls us to dance at the start of a set. Developed by our deputy foreman Claire Hewlett and our bag Sarah Guy. Ow Tevi translates (variously) from the Cornish as a “Gathering or massing of troops” – that’s us!
Dance information derived from discussions with Boscastle Border Morris officers, experienced dancers, dance originators and the Morris Database.