Guise dancing
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Guise dancing (sometimes known as goose or geese dancing) is a folk practice celebrated between Christmas Day and Twelfth Night (traditionally also Plough Monday, and some parish feasts) in Cornwall, UK. One of the principal activity associated with the guise dancing was the performance of a 'traditional' Christmas (or other) play with the players were dressed in a disguise to hide their identity allowing them to perform in an outlandish or mischievous manner in the hope of receiving payment of food or money. [1]
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[edit] Description
Guise dancing was observed in the late 19th century by Cornish antiquarian M.A. Courtney who reported that the practice had been largely eliminated by 1890 in Penzance, but continued to be observed in St Ives and the villages around Penzance until the 1970's.
William Bottrell in his book "Traditions and Hearthside stories of West Cornwall describes in detail the guise dancers in Penzance ,
| “ | "During the early part of the last century the costume of the guise dancers often consisted of such antique finery as would now raise envy in the heart of a collector..The Chief glory of the men lay in their cocked hats which were surmounted with plumes and decked with streamers and ribbons, The girls were no less magnificently attired with steeple crowned hats, stiff bodied gowns, bag skirts or trains and ruffles hanging from their elbows ." | ” |
[edit] BBC recording
It is believed that in 1936, the BBC made a recording of the plays and music associated with Guise dancing however this recording has subsequently been lost. Performances associated with this practice include 'St George and the Turkish Knight' and 'Duffy and Devil.' Each performance allegedly ended with the 'Turkey Rhubarb' dance, the origins of the name of this dance are not known but may relate to the herb of the same name.
Furthermore, there is considerable continuity between guise dancing and the Hal an Tow celebrated in Helston during the Furry Dance. Guise dancing is practised as part of the St Ives feast celebrations by local group the St Ives Guisers and forms part of the Montol Festival in Penzance.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Semmens, Jason, "Guising, Ritual and Revival: The Hobby Horse in Cornwall." Old Cornwall 13, No. 6 (2005) pp. 39–46
[edit] External links
- Description of the Turkey Rhubarb dance
- Guise dance play from 1826
- Description of Christmas in St Ives at the turn of the 19th Century - Includes detailed description of Guise dancing
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