What is a maypole dance?
In Canada, maypole dances are sometimes done as part of Victoria Day celebrations which occur in May. In New Westminster, British Columbia, dancing around the may pole and May Day celebrations have been held for 149 years.
Why do we celebrate May Day with tree dancing?
Such dances are survivals of ancient dances around a living tree as part of spring rites to ensure fertility. Typically performed on May Day (May 1), they also occur at midsummer in Scandinavia and at other festivals elsewhere.
What are the traditions of May Day?
Another popular tradition of May Day involves the maypole. While the exact origins of the maypole remain unknown, the annual traditions surrounding it can be traced back to medieval times, and some are still celebrated today.
Where did the May Day ribbon dance originate?
Typically performed on May Day (May 1), they also occur at midsummer in Scandinavia and at other festivals elsewhere. They are widely distributed through Europe—e.g., “Sellenger’s Round” in England, the baile del cordón of Spain—and also are found in India. Similar ribbon dances were performed in pre-Columbian Latin America...
Why was the maypole dance banned?
Describing maypole dancing as 'a heathenish vanity generally abused to superstition and wickedness', legislation was passed which saw the end of village maypoles throughout the country. Dancing did not return to the village greens until the restoration of Charles II.
What does the maypole signify?
The Meaning of the Maypole Originally, the maypole was a living tree. Over time it usually became a tree trunk of the correct height, age, and type (usually pine or birch). Some say that the tree represented masculine energy, and the ribbons and floral garlands that adorned it represented feminine energy.
Where does the maypole dance come from?
Historians have suggested that maypole dancing originated in Germany and traveled to the British Isles courtesy of invading forces. In Great Britain, the dance became part of a fertility ritual held every spring in some areas. By the Middle Ages, most villages had an annual maypole celebration.
Is maypole dancing Pagan?
Historians believe the first maypole dance originated as part of Germanic pagan fertility rituals. Originally, the dancers danced around a living tree. While dancers usually perform this dance in the spring on May 1 or May Day, those in Sweden perform it during their midsummer celebrations.
Is May Day a pagan?
Beltane is a Pagan holiday, and one of the eight Sabbats. It falls about halfway between the spring equinox (Ostara) and the coming summer solstice, Litha. The holiday celebrates spring at its peak, and the coming summer. Beltane also sometimes goes by the name May Day.
What does wrapping the maypole mean?
Then, during the festivities, villagers would dance around the pole, weaving through each other while wrapping the Maypole in ribbon and foliage — those would be the feminine qualities — in the hopes of bringing fertility to the livestock, the land, and the people living off of it.
What are May Day traditions?
Traditions often include gathering wildflowers and green branches, weaving floral garlands, crowning a May Queen (sometimes with a male companion), and setting up a Maypole, May Tree or May Bush, around which people dance. Bonfires are also part of the festival in some regions.
Why do we celebrate May Day?
May Day is the first day of May, traditionally a celebration (or festival) of spring and the resurrection of nature after the winter months. It is normally associated with flowers, dancing and Maypoles, with celebrations sometimes including the crowning of a 'May King', or 'Queen'.
How many ribbons does a maypole have?
How many ribbons are there traditionally on a maypole? There should at least be about 6-8.
How do you do the May pole dance?
In its most simple form, the dancers simply stand in a circle around the maypole and, in time with the music, take 4 steps towards the maypole, 4 steps back and the circle for a count of 8. As they approach the maypole they can raise their arms, and then lower them as they back away.
How long should maypole ribbons be?
Ask each participant to bring their own ribbon; it should be about 20 feet long, by two to three inches wide. Once everyone arrives, attach the ribbons to one end of the pole (if you put a metal eyelet screw in the pole beforehand, it makes it a lot easier because you can just tie each ribbon to the eyelet).
How high is a maypole?
The Maypole It must be secured at the base so that it will remain in place while the dancers tug on the ribbons. In general, the more dancers, the taller the maypole. A 3 to 5 m tall wooden maypole should be at least 40mm diameter.
How many ribbons does a maypole have?
How many ribbons are there traditionally on a maypole? There should at least be about 6-8.
Is the maypole communist?
The maypole seems to be used most often in Germany and nearby, mostly European countries and by socialist and communist nations. Raising the Maypole includes an evergreen tree in Germany, Czech Republic, and nearby nations.
Where did May Day start?
May Day in America was born out of the 8-hour workday movement in 19th-century Chicago. At the time, as the capitalist system gained a foothold in industrial-era America, working-class conditions had worsened. A 16-hour shift wasn't unusual for workers at the time.
How tall are May poles?
The Maypole It must be secured at the base so that it will remain in place while the dancers tug on the ribbons. In general, the more dancers, the taller the maypole. A 3 to 5 m tall wooden maypole should be at least 40mm diameter.
What is the Maypole dance?
Traditionally, the Maypole Dance is a dance performed in celebration of May Day, the first day of May. This article is an overview of how to perform this dance.
How long does a maypole dance last?
However, these dances can go on for up to 10 minutes depending on how tall the maypole is, so there is exercise involved that can help improve fitness. Thanks!
How to make a Maypole?
Unless you have access to a Maypole that has already been made for the purpose, you will need to make your own. Find a tall pole and attach ribbons or strong streamers at the top of the pole. These ribbons will need to be an even number, the same number of ribbons as there are dancers.
What is a revolving maypole?
A "revolving maypole" would either unwind the ribbons of dancers going the same direction as the direction of revolution, or pull the ribbons out of the dancers' hands going the opposite direction, either way spoiling the dance.
How to do a dance in a circle?
2. Divide the dancers into two groups. For example, you might have them count off one, two, one, two, one, two around the circle, or A, B, A, B, etc. The A's can go clockwise and the B's go counterclockwise. The dancers go alternately right and left of the dancers going in the opposite direction. ...
What does "over" mean in dance?
On the count of "over", the dancer raises his ribbon slightly so the dancer coming in the opposite direction can duck under his ribbon. On the count of "under" the dancer ducks under the ribbon of the dancer coming in the opposite direction.
What to do with the top of a Maypole?
It is traditional to decorate the top of the Maypole. Use wreaths and decorative ribbons as wished.
What is Maypole Dance?
Updated June 25, 2019. The maypole dance is a spring ritual long known to Western Europeans. Usually performed on May 1 (May Day), the folk custom is done around a pole garnished with flowers and ribbon to symbolize a tree. Practiced for generations in countries such as Germany and England, the maypole tradition dates back to ...
Where did Maypole dance originate?
Historians have suggested that maypole dancing originated in Germany and traveled to the British Isles courtesy of invading forces. In Great Britain, the dance became part of a fertility ritual held every spring in some areas. By the Middle Ages, most villages had an annual maypole celebration.
What was the Maypole tree decorated with?
James discusses the Maypole's connection to Roman traditions in his 1962 article " The Influence of Folklore on the History of Religion ." James suggests that trees were stripped of their leaves and limbs, and then decorated with garlands of ivy, vines, and flowers as part of the Roman spring celebration. This may have been part of the festival of Floralia, which began on April 28. Other theories include that the trees, or poles, were wrapped in violets as an homage to the mythological couple Attis and Cybele .
When did the Maypole celebration regain popularity?
A Revival of the Tradition. In England and the U.S., the Puritans managed to quash the maypole celebration for roughly two centuries. But by the late 19th century, the custom regained popularity as the British people took an interest in their country’s rural traditions.
Who was the leader of Plymouth in the Maypole celebration?
His neighbors were appalled, and Plymouth leader Myles Standish himself came along to break up the sinful festivities. Morton later shared the bawdy song that accompanied his Maypole revelry, which included the lines, "Drink and be merry, merry, merry, boys, Let all your delight be in Hymen's joys.
Is Maypole dance still practiced?
Today, the dance is still practiced and holds special significance to pagans, including Wiccans, who have made a point to take part in the same customs their ancestors did. But people both new and old to the tradition may not know the complicated roots of this simple ritual. The history of the maypole dance reveals that a variety of events gave rise to the custom.
Who brewed the Maypole?
When the British settled in the U.S., they brought the maypole tradition with them. In Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1627, a man named Thomas Morton erected a giant maypole in his field, brewed a batch of hearty mead, and invited village lasses to come frolic with him.
What is the May Day tradition?
Given that May Day celebrations are all about expressive dancing and celebrating, the Puritans in 16th and 17th century New England labeled the rituals bacchanalian, which naturally led to fewer celebrations during that time.
Where is May Day celebrated?
You can find today’s most dedicated revelers in Scotland and Ireland, where they recognize Beltane or Gaelic May Day, or the United Kingdom and Bavaria in Germany, where the maypole is painted in their region’s white and blue and adorned with representations of the local craftspeople and trades.
What is a maypole dance?
Either way, the maypole itself is a splendid reminder that spring has sprung and rebirth has begun.
How do you celebrate May?
Every year, you can celebrate the first day of May by watching dancers weave ribbons around a maypole. This tradition dates back centuries and is as woven in origin theories as the ribbons themselves.
What does the Maypole represent?
Over time it usually became a tree trunk of the correct height, age, and type ( usually pine or birch ). Some say that the tree represented masculine energy, and the ribbons and floral garlands that adorned it represented feminine energy.
What is the significance of May Day?
I n the modern United States, May Day traditions of dancing around a maypole are seen as the height of innocence. If the first of May has any controversial implications, it’s for the date’s association with labor movements, socialism and communism.
Who was the first person to visit New England on May Day?
According to the New England Historical Society, it all started when a man named Thomas Morton arrived in the New England colony from England in 1624.
What is the Maypole dance?
Maypole dance, ceremonial folk dance performed around a tall pole garlanded with greenery or flowers and often hung with ribbons that are woven into complex patterns by the dancers. Such dances are survivals of ancient dances around a living tree as part of spring rites to ensure fertility. Typically performed on May Day (May 1), they also occur ...
Where are ribbon dances performed?
Similar ribbon dances were performed in pre-Columbian Latin America and were later integrated into ritual dances of Hispanic origin.
Overview
May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May, around halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Festivities may also be held the night before, known as May Eve. Traditions often include gathering wildflowers and green branches, weaving floral garlands, crowning a May Queen (sometimes with a male companion), and setting up a Maypole, May Tree or May Bush, around which people dance.
Origins and celebrations
The earliest known May celebrations appeared with the Floralia, festival of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers, held from 27 April – 3 May during the Roman Republic era, and the Maiouma or Maiuma, a festival celebrating Dionysus and Aphrodite held every three years during the month of May. The Floralia opened with theatrical performances. In the Floralia, Ovid says that hares and goats were released as part of the festivities. Persius writes that crowds were pelted with vetches,
Europe
Locally known as 'Labour day' (Dutch: Dag van de arbeid, French: Fête du Travail), Belgium has celebrated May Day as a public holiday since 1948.
On May Day, Bulgarians celebrate Irminden (or Yeremiya, Eremiya, Irima, Zamski den). The holiday is associated with snakes and lizards and rituals are made in order to protect people from them. The name of the holiday comes from the pr…
North America
May Day is celebrated in some parts of the provinces of British Columbia, Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario.
Toronto
In Toronto, on the morning of 1 May, various Morris Dancing troops from Toronto and Hamilton gather on the road by Grenadier Cafe, in High Park to "d…
See also
• Flores de Mayo
• Beltane, the Gaelic May Day festival
• Fiesta de las Cruces, a holiday celebrated 3 May in many parts of Spain and Hispanic America
• List of films set around May Day
External links
• "Meet Thomas Morton of Merrymount". Extensive visual, textual and musical studies of American May Day customs since the first Maypole Revels were held at the Ma-Re Mount or Merrymount plantation on Massachusetts Bay in May 1627, hosted by Englishman Thomas Morton; and, last year the state of Massachusetts' Governor Deval Patrick proclaimed May 1 as Thomas Morton Day