Roy Dommett’s research into the morris started in the late 1950s when he consulted all the surviving collectors and spoke to all the surviving Cotswold dancers. He built up a vast collection of dance material which has been freely shared, and he did much to double the available repertoire of Cotswold dances and, what is now largely forgotten, to introduce to the morris world for the first time many of the other English regional dance traditions. Roy started his unique weekend instructionals at Halsway Manor from the mid 1960s, workshops for the Morris Federation from mid 1970s, and a series of weekends from the mid 1980s which have settled at Wantage. The material and the direct experience made available over the years (and reproduced on this site) has been very influential.
This page lists some of Roy’s later talks and presentations.
Roy Dommett “Morris life & times” (October 2012) [Youtube video]. Delivered as part of the Broadclyst Instructional weekend, 2012.
Clowning in the Morris (Roy Dommett, October 2011) [Youtube video]. Slides (tba); partial transcript; notes: Characters & the Cotswold Morris, The Roots of Clowning (file link below). Delivered as part of the 2011 Unconvention of the Illustrious Order of Fools and Beasts, held in Henley.
