A morris dance is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. For further information about Morris Dancing refer to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_dance or http://www.morris.org.au/mainpages/about.html

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For specific history of the Perth Morris Men refer to http://perthmorrismen.org/?page_id=955

Quotes

From John Kirkpatrick (Ref Web site http://www.johnkirkpatrick.co.uk/)

Energy. Everyone agrees that what we are dealing with is the relic of an ancient fertility rite. It is supposed to bring luck. Its performance should thrill and excite both dancers and audience. There should be a sense of urgency and vitality in the air, an electric atmosphere. It should be an uplifting and entrancing experience. At the last Ring Meeting I attended (as an onlooker) the amount of energy expended was more appropriate to the bowling green than the village green. There was no passion, no fire, no communication of joy or lust for living. Young men are given to excess. Any team I taught would have to be far more ferocious and flamboyant than this mincing middle-aged antiquated eye-wash.

Speed. I have always felt that much of the potential grandeur of the individual movements in Cotswold Morris is denied because the speed of dancing is too fast, Snatched dancing may impress the uninitiated but it often conceals lack of ability, and indicates a coarseness of approach and a failure to grasp the essence of the medium. The more time each step and flourish is allowed, the greater the heights of exhilaration to which an expansive dancer may soar. And the greater the individual freedom to interpret according to the whim of the moment. Spontaneity must be an acceptable ingredient in a definition of folk music