HyperBelle, opening the portal via the Musica Universalis @bellesoflondoncity.bsky.social

and the Belles, oh my goodness

May morning, Primrose Hill. Such scenes! Felt very London and very pagan, all at the same time. Huge privilege to see it.

May morning, Primrose Hill (right at this moment)

Turns out my small daughter is obsessed with Morris dancing. Have been watching for 1hr 50min so far with no sign of enthusiasm abating. The genre has moved on since I last saw it - there’s all women sides and young people and everything. #OxfordFolkFestival

Interesting afternoon out on Sunday at the Crossbones Graveyard in Southark for a book launch with various Morris people celebrating the launch of Max Crow Reeve's book "Morris". What an interesting backstory Crossbones has, and I never knew...

The beneficial nature of going morris dancing. ueajournalism.com/2025/02/06/m... - footage of me and @kempsmenofnorwich.bsky.social

We’re very excited to be joining our friends Black Swan Border, Blackhorse & Standard, and Brixton Tatterjacks to celebrate the official launch of Max Crow Reeves’s book Morris - an amazing photographic record of the vibrant morris community we get to be part of. Sunday 23 March, 3-6pm.

With love from us to you: look at this AMAZING lineup we get to be part of on 30 April. Ticket bundle here: dice.fm/bundles/a-sa...

It’s kit season! Belles flower crowns getting ready to adorn some heads, before the summer dancing season begins…

Exciting news! Our winter 2024 newsletter is out - where we’ve been, where we’re going, and the latest shenanigans updates (well… those we’re willing to commit to print, at least) www.bellesoflondoncity.co.uk/News.php

Big thank you to Douglas Treamer for capturing this taster of our lovely wassail event with @brunelmuseum.bsky.social yesterday. Wassail! youtu.be/FllgbozRWXk?...

"WASSAIL:The Belles are the focus of the Brunel Museum's wassail, performing both on the museum's piazza and in the tunnel shaft. It's not often you get to watch Morris dancing taking place underground, and if you like what you see, there's a chance to learn a few of the steps yourself. 1.30pm-3pm”

A few lovely moments out on the frozen fens this morning for the very very special burning of the bear - in the company of lovely dancers from White Rose Morris, Peterborough Morris, Danegeld Morris & Black Swan

A little snapshot of some of the things the Belles saw at yesterday’s Whittlesea Straw Bear celebrations! We’re so thrilled to have been invited to dance here this year - and now we’ve all thawed our toes out overnight, look out for us at the burning of the bear today…

We’re counting down the days til Whittlesea Straw Bear now (and packing our thermals) We’ll be in the company of an amazingly long list of wonderful dance sides! The Straw Bear team are coordinating a lot of dancers across a lot of different dance spots, so this schedule is subject to change >

During 2025 the Morris Federation is celebrating its 50th anniversary. It's therefore appropriate to publish 50 short videos of 50 sides throughout the year to celebrate the #MorrisFed50 anniversary! Feel free to share - especially on social networks used by *potential* dancers #MorrisDancing

We’ve had an incredible year - thank you so much to all the friends old and new that we’ve danced, sung, and generally nonsensed with this year. We hope you all have a wonderful midwinter break, full of whatever most refreshes you, and we’ll see you for more dancing in 2025 ❤️🤍❤️🤍❤️

I was in a mummers’ play at one minute’s notice. The main antagonistic force was the spirit of ankles.

Last night in London 🙂

We're pleased to announce that @uclofficial.bsky.social will be offering a fully-funded PhD studentship (with stipend), in partnership with the English Folk Dance and Song Society. For further description, specific candidate requirements and how to apply, go to: bit.ly/3ZKMggt

Extremely relatable Belles content (if you think we’re all a bit obsessed with each other, we are)

The Westminster Xmas outing in central London with the Belles on Wednesday.

Belles rang out across the Square @bellesoflondoncity.bsky.social

Tonight! London friends, come and join Westminster Morris & us & @thaxtedmorrismen.bsky.social for some festive dancing around central London. We can neither confirm nor deny rumours of mince pies and Santa hats.

Did you know we have a newsletter? You probably didn’t, because we put one out in the summer and didn’t tell you… but we’re starting to think about a December one, so you can catch up on the first half of our year before we write the next! www.bellesoflondoncity.com/News.php

Another date for your diary, before all our brains shut down for Christmas. On 25 Jan we'll be dancing at @brunelmuseum.bsky.social - and not only that, we'll be teaching dances down in the Tunnel Shaft itself! Come & drink mulled things with us - tickets up now: thebrunelmuseum.com/events/event...

A brief survey of the first 21 Morris Federation sides we have found who use Bluesky - and some suggestions on best practices (which are still developing!) www.morrisfed.org.uk/resources/it...

Btw - although we are only posting new content here, if you want to see the rest of our #MeetTheBelles series you’ll find them highlighted on our Insta profile 🫶

It’s time to meet another one of the Belles! This time it’s the turn of lovely Alex, who you might also spot in the VWML if you keep your eyes peeled. 🤍❤️ How long have you been dancing with the Belles? I’ve been dancing with the Belles for just over a year and my first dance out was on May Day. >

Soon we’re going to put out our proper programme for 2025… but for now, we have a few events in January we don’t want you to miss. We’re delighted to be dancing at Whittlesea Straw Bear this year - a first-time appearance by the Belles! Wrap up warm and come join us.

Continuing the tradition of a lifetime (well, alright, last year) the Belles had SO much fun at the @thaxtedmorrismen.bsky.social Ale at the weekend that we took almost no photos. But Betley managed to make it all the way there too (he must have galloped all the way up past the M25).

Fun fact of the day … following extensive research … out of Bellowhead and The Longest Johns … Bellowhead actually has the longest Jon.

The other day, rummaging through the archives at csh

Another from the archive. The Fools & Beasts Unconvention, London 2019... @peterboroughmorris.bsky.social @bellesoflondoncity.bsky.social

😉

My list of #MorrisFed sides on Bluesky - so we can see how it is being used by morris, sword and related groups. #MorrisDance #MorrisDancing #RapperSword #RapperSwordDancing go.bsky.app/Gh3qNUe

Hi new followers (and old ones too). We run an online Zoom singaround every Saturday evening UK time – officially shanties and sea songs, but really anything you like. Drop us a DM if you'd like to know more

Drawings from @cjtoddy.bsky.social are consistently so full of character and charm and capture such lovely moments from events ❤️🤍❤️🤍❤️

Open to all! Zoom Workshop on morris recruitment, this Sunday! Please Register here www.morrisfed.org.uk/event/jmo-wo... The JMO is hosting a panel to share their tips and experiences of what has worked well for their side RE: recruitment. Each speaker will speak for 10-15 mins . Q&A in-between.

It's delightful to see so many morris sides turning up in our follower list - if you're one of them, reply with a picture of your dance side (especially if you've got one showing off your musicians) for a re-post.

Remembering a time not so long ago in Birmingham... @annabelnorwell.bsky.social @kokijig.bsky.social

Lovely memories of a great day! @bellesoflondoncity.bsky.social Thanks @pixelsonapage.bsky.social

Hello Hobgoblin! We couldn’t pick just one. The first is by David Holbrook, and also features friends from London Pride, Cambridge, Dacre and more - the second appears to have gained a @thaxtedmorrismen.bsky.social interloper - and the last one is by Livvi Grant ❤️🤍❤️🤍❤️

@bellesoflondoncity.bsky.social Here's Betley at the Brighton Unconvention of Fools & Beasts...

Another dip into the archive... Belles of London at the #lymemorris Day of Dance earlier this year...

Not sure how much I'll post here but here's a picture of me being Morris Dancer Barbie at the Belles of London City Morris ale #morrisdancing #cotswoldmorris

Speak of the devil and she will appear… please follow our ‘urban sisters’ @bellesoflondoncity.bsky.social