Squash Beetle Morris came into existence in the Summer of 1994. The name Squash Beetle Morris was inspired both by the famous Fieldtown caper known as a beetle squasher, and by all the Japanese beetles that were eating Judy and Andy's raspberry plants.
A quote from Cecil Sharp's "The Morris Book", 1907: "As we have told already, the Morris dance is a bodily manifestation of vigour and rude health, and not at all of sinuous grace or dreaminess."
Our Fore is Bryce Carlberg.
Our Squire is Judy Goldsmith.
Our Bag is Bill Penn (fiddle).
Our musicians are Bill Penn (fiddle) and John Forbes.
We do our own morris tradition, Lexington-in-the-Bluegrass except in winter when we do Border Morris.
Practices are 7-9 PM, Monday evenings at Arts Place, 161 North Mill St., Lexington. Please join us. Beginners are welcome.
Here's a photo of us dancing at Halloween 2012
Upcoming Gigs:
September 16, 2012: Midway Fall Festival
Recent Gigs:
April 9, 2005: John Ramsay's 75th Birthday
May 1st, Sunrise, UK Arboretum, 2005 - Morris and May pole dancing
May 7, 2005: Governor's Derby Day Breakfast, Frankfort, KY
May 15, 2005: Mayfest, Gratz park, Lexington
May 27--30, 2005: Midwest Morris Ale, Ann Arbor, Michigan
July 9--10, 2005: Emily Hendren's wedding
October 31, 2005: Sundown, all around Lexington
November 12, 2005: Lexington Farmer's Market
February 3, 4 5, 2006: Legends of the Great Hall, Frankfort, KY
February 11, 2006: Workshop, LEXARTS Showcase Weekend
May 1, 2006: Sunrise, UK Arboretum - Morris and May pole dancing
May 13--14, 2006: May Fest, Gratz Park, Lexington
May 26--29, 2006: Midwest Morris Ale, Madison, Wisconsin
June 10, 2006: Maypole Dancing Workshop, Dance Trance Contra Weekend, Lexington
August 4--6, 2006: Dog Days Ale, Ithaca, NY
September 9, 2006: Lexington Farmer's Market
April 28, 2007: Hands Four Dance Weekend - morris workshop, Berea, KY
May 1, 2007: Sunrise, UK Arboretum - Morris and May pole dancing
May 5, 2006: Derby Day, Frankfort, KY
May 12, 2007: May Fest, Gratz Park, Lexington
May 19-20, 2006: Berea International Festival
May 25--28, 2007: Midwest Morris Ale, St. Louis, Missouri
Summer, 2007: Highland Renaissance Festival, Eminence, KY
September 21--23, 2007: Kentucky Folk Life Festival, Frankfort, KY
January 18, 2008: Swing Shift Contra Dance Weekend, Lexington, KY
March 2008: Lexington Havurah Purim Festival
May 1, 2008: Sunrise, UK Arboretum - Morris and May pole dancing
May 10,11, 2008: May Fest, Gratz Park, Lexington
May 10,11, 2008: Berea International Festival
May 23--26, 2008: Midwest Morris Ale, Omaha, Nebraska
June 7, 2008: Movable Feast BBQ
June 20--22, 2008: Dog Days Ale, Trumansburg, NY
June 28, 2008: Lexington Gay Pride Festival
July 5, 2008: Kentucky Rennaiscance Festival
September 21, 2008: Midway Fall Festival
March 10, 2009: Lexington Havurah Purim Festival
April 21, 2009: Northpoint Nursing Home
May 1, 2008: Sunrise, UK Arboretum - Morris and May pole dancing
May 9--10, 2009: Mayfest
May 22--25, 2009: Midwest Morris Ale, Minneapolis
June 30, 2009: Northpoint Nursing Home
July 4, 2009: Kentucky Rennaiscance Festival
May 12, 13, 2012: Mayfest
May 25-28, 2012: Hosted the Midwest Morris Ale
August 25, 2012: Lexington Farmers Market
We are available for country fairs, weddings, bar mitzvahs, brisses, garden parties, mall openings, May fairs, school assemblies and workshops...
For contact information, E-mail: klapper at cs.uky.edu
or call (859) 269-7218 and talk to Andy or Judy.
Here are some pictures of us dancing at the Governor's Breakfast on Derby Day, 2002.
And here is a video of us doing Lass of Richmond Hill (Duns Tew) in Bloomington, Indiana (Warning: huge file - 110 meg).
A recently found description of Morris dancing in 1652.
Information about other Morris teams can be found at Morris Teams on the Web.
