Maypole Dance - The School in Rose Valley (SRV)
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- čas přidán 27. 07. 2024
- SRV students have been dancing the Maypole at the school's annual May Fair since 1929, and they've been dancing it more or less in its current form since the early 1970s, when Nancy Ewald re-choreographed the dance to Ralph Vaughan Williams's "Seventeen Come Sunday", the first movement of his English Folk Song Suite.
SRV alumni often report still getting goosebumps or lumps in their throats watching the dance decades after they performed it themselves. The Maypole Dance draws former students back to the May Fair year after year to remember their roots. It's a tradition binding generations of students in celebration of their community.
This video was recorded by Linda Goss in 2015. Heidi Hammel provided the history.
00:00 The dancers enter
00:56 Gathering of the ribbons
03:01 Basketweave finale
Thats the kind of thing I remember. Holding the ribbon, weaving in and out of other kids, dancing to music I'd never heard of before. Happy times
In 3rd grade we did that for culture day we were mayan
We would do it in elementary school back in the late 80s. It's funny, at the time I remember thinking it was sorta neat cause I liked how the weave looked but overall I was more annoyed that I had to do it. Now looking back I realize how fun it really was, how much I miss doing things like that & the importance of passing down traditions lol
Indeed 😊👍🏽
Love the choreography here, seeing how you can "do" and then "undo" different things, how you can perform so many different dance moves while holding the ribbon besides just the "braiding" which starts at 3:00.... I was born in '53 and my California elementary school also had a May Day celebration with multiple maypole dances going on at once. A very happy memory...spring was here, summer vacation close at hand and the world seemed a good place.
My primary school were doing this in the early 90s! I hope the tradition long continues!
I think Vaughan Williams himself would adore this beyond any concert performance of his work. Truly wonderful.
This brings back wonderful memories. As a child growing up in San Diego, we enjoyed dancing the "Maypole Dance" each year. My best friend Artemis and I would leave small flower bouquets on our neighbors doorsteps, ring the bell, and run away... I'm so grateful for such cherished memories... Love you Artemis!
Mayday baskets :)
I've to teach a maypole dance (my first time!) this year, and THIS is INSPIRATIONAL!!!! I actually teared up watching them!
I hope it went well. Thank you for keeping this tradition alive
A simply enchanting celebration of the old ways ! Magic, sheer magic in the revelry of joyous spring !🧚♀️🧚♂️🧚🏻💫✨
This is joyous! Well done to the dancers and teachers, a lot of hard work has gone into this. A wonderful May tradition that need to keep going. Love it!
Excellent performance a lot more of that is needed in today's society
The music so appropriate! Ralph Vaughn Williams March Seventeen Come Sunday! Loved this!
It was an excellent choice, I agree
So nice to see this is still being done. We did it in my 6th grade class in 1966.
1975 for me!
Watching this on
Mother's Day!!!
Beautiful!!
🌈🌦️🍰💐🌷🏵️🌺
❤️🧡💛💙💙💜🧡
We did this at Old Buckenham Primary in the 1970s. Every Wednesday we had country dancing with Mrs. Whitehand at the piano. Loved it!❤
I had a grade school teacher in Pgh @ Phillip Murray Elementary who taught us a song when we did this every May 1st. I'm 65 & still remember the song!!
What amazing and beautiful dancing. What talent the youngsters have shown us.
Yes we had the Maypole dance every May to bring in Spring and celebrate the newness of the rebrith of life.These are great dancers thank you for sharing
I remember having to do this, although I can't quite remember what appalling costumes we were made to wear. The end aim seemed to be a neat pattern of the ribbons and not too many children tied to the pole :)
That's amazing!!! Looks so much fun. What a good teacher they must have.
I am 80 years old. We did Maypole dancing in 5th and 6th grade at Mission Beach Elementary school 1955.
God I remember doing this it was so exciting getting to perform I wish more schools did this
What a wonderful way to welcome the month of May.
We did a very different skip with a little hop and I can still do it after all these years!!!! Our weaving the ribbon was done and the we skipped in reverse to undo it and all to a different tune. Will never forget those happy days !
We did this in 2nd grade in elementary school...dancing around the Maypole..with ribbons of crepe paper is pastel shades of pink..blue..green and lilac...I felt it was really a special moment in my life..was so much fun too..🤗💕💯💐
These kids are great. No way could my school buddies have handled this. We would have wrapped up and on the ground. Nice work!
That would of added to the funny memories all the class falling over each other and messing about 🤣
great video! thanks for sharing
Remember doing this as a Bairn in the Sixties,Lovely if it is being carried on.So many of the joys of life are disappearing.
Beautiful choreographed 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼🥰🥰🥰
We did this in grade school 75 yrs ago
This is beautiful!
I wish things like this were in my childhood, but it still brings me a smile to see them now and know they were in others.
Watched this video from six years ago to day (2022) n it was awesome. Happy May Day Everyone. 🇺🇲
Did this in Elementary school in Louisville, Ky in '69. One of my happiest childhood memories!
This looks really fun!
This brought back a flood of memories. 💕 I was too young to be a dancer, but I did get to wear beautiful wildflowers in my hair. Then we moved away.
BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO!!! As a pagan who does this EVERY year! BRAVO!!!!
I remember doing Maypole Dance in 6th grade at Flint Hill Elementary School in Vienna, VA in 1971. Mom was upset with me when I volunteered her to iron all of the sashes. This is when I learned to iron. . . .
I remember doing this in school in the late 50's
I had to do this when I was a kid, I wish schools still did this dance.
A lovely tradition:)
Beautiful art
Its been years since I have danced the maypole. Thanks for the memories
Back in the 50's the North end of Vancouver Island in Camp Woss they a really big Mayday celebration. There was a May Queen, Maypole was a big hit It was a logging camp so there was a big logging show with the usual competitions axe cutting and throwing Chainsaw cutting There was a large outdoor pool and they had log riding competitions where the loggers wore corked boots and 2 on a log rolling it back and forth till one fell off...
They had the race up and down the massively huge Spar tree up to the top with climbing spurs ring the bell then legs just a flyin everywhere ...that was incredible ...yeah I loved the 50's
I'd go back in a heartbeat ...lol...
We did this in the first grade...(H.V. Bear elementary, Miamisburg, Ohio) our teacher played the piano as we danced around the maypole, each of us grabbing a pastel colored long ribbon, until they all wound tight with no more to hold onto our little hands. We all felt so happy & joyous. Our teacher (who looked exactly like a young karen carpenter...) smiled so much and looked at us as we danced. Fond memory. Great video. Later in life, my friend who was a Pagan, I was raised Lutheran - I was afraid due to my up bringing about even talking about Paganism ect..My friend went "Oooooh. you know you participated in a Pagan tradition, right"? she's right. And many more holidays the Christians took from the Pagans. Wild.
Wonderful way to celebrate Beltane, they did a great job too.
We used to do this in middle school during the earth day celebration, good times! It wasn’t as elaborate/complex as this, but we would skip and dance around the pole for the bit in our way out, assume our ribbons and start the loop de loop around the pole based according to the color. We had four colors: pink, purple, yellow and blue for spring.
May The Force Be With Thee.
I loved learning this routine when we performed it :)
I love this
I remember both dancing and playing for the dance at my school. I still remember some of this old tunes and dances, but I really wish I remembered more.
That was so beautiful!!
Always wondered what Maypole dancing was; celebrate the coming of May. Great vid! Love it!
"Maypole"
All the April showers have gone away
Finally in the month of May kids play
Around a Maypole first day of May
They dance with joy together all day
Around an round a Maypole in May
Awesome!
Memories of a bygone era. Fun time that was, unless you mucked up!!
wow...i have to do this for school. IN SPAIN
I loved this! Thanks so much!
So much Powerful ❤🎉
Well done.
Wow it's my first time knowing this type of dance
My mom use to say something about the May pole dance. She was 86 years old last year. Interesting 🤔
What happened to this tradition. We were doing this in 1962 but I think they stopped a few years later. It is a beautiful tradition. As I recall they changed May day to Labour day. Tut tut
It didn't change. They run along side. International Labour day began in 1890. We can celebrate both proudly.
It's been connected to workers struggles for centuries. Mayday is a time of rebirth. Of cultural inversion, of shifting roles, of the ladies pursuing their boy loves, and the merriment and feasting of the common people who usually eat modestly, of abundance and sharing, and the world turned upside down. It is this reason why workers organise on that day.
Well done!! Makes me happy to see this!
I remember this :)
amazing dance! loved it!
THANK YOU! I was not able to make the 1000 mile journey to the Fair but it was lovely to see the Maypole Dance!
Did this as a dance for a show few years ago, in my ballet class... took a while to learn
Beautiful Indeed.
We did this in elementary school but the year we finally got to dance I was a Princess of the court.
Wow... it is beautiful!
So enjoying this - our theater group is using it as a tutorial! Captains of Orange Street beware!! Thank you for sharing!!
Fabulous is all respects.
Wonderful choice of music and balance of dance. Who ever coordinated it did an amazing job.
Marvillous!
awesome
great job guys!!!! :)
Very interesting to see American students doing this. I teach in Social Studies in Texas, but come from Norwich, England. Just searching something to show my 6th graders on May 1st.
Oh, Norwich! I graduated from UEA. I miss the lakes, the swans, the castle, and watching the sunset from the top floor of the library. How magical it was to sleep in the ziggurat and open the curtains in the morning to see what the lake looked like outside of those huge windows. Good luck in Texas!
We are having the same dance at school
Omg we did this in school growing up. Tortola, BVI ❤️🔥
I think the pagans were smart to apply all the energy of such a potent day to dancing, celebration. and making wishes for the new season. Throughout the years I have been surprised to observe how many people are absent from work due to personal emergencies and the elevated level of police activity which occurs on Beltane. Unlike the solstices and equinoxes, it isn't really anticipated or marked out on the calendars. So it usually isn't until I say, 'What IS going on today?' and look at the calendar that I realize it is May 1.
Wish the US did this, definitely gonna teach my son about this!
We did it in school in the 1980s and 90s
Wow good job
Man that was highly satisfying.
Teaching this routine to my 3rd grade class. How long do the ribbons need to be in comparison to the pole? Did you use ribbon or yards of fabric? Thanks!
Hi Dana, I uploaded this as an alum, and I don't have any current direct involvement with the school, so I don't have that answer for you, but here's SRV's contact page: www.theschoolinrosevalley.org/contact/
Good luck!
Did you find out how long the fabric needs to be?
I did this in primary, it was fun for a bit but my friends and I would always try to get out of it. It was all girls one boy. Fun fun fun.
Yo this music! English folk dance, was it chapter 2? Love it
It's very nice
I came into this video from Jonathan Haidt’s book The Righteous Mind , mentioning maypole as a metaphor for the work of religion and God in society, and I find it amazingly lovely and true.
💜🙏🏽🕊️
We had to do that
Went to P.S.104 in Manhattan. They would march us up to Central Park on May 1 to do the Maypole Dance. The whole of the park was filled with children from all the public schools in New York City participating in this event. Wonder if it's still done?
I am doing it this year
What is the name of the piece that you used?
It's Ralph Vaughan Williams's "Seventeen Come Sunday", the first movement of his English Folk Song Suite.
Could this be descended from the Ashera poles spoken of in the ancient days of the Israelites? No harm intended. Just wondering...
No.
Wow👍
O hie thee forth o'er golden mead
Yon is the maypole set
Aribbon to wind thy soul
And to bind love to thy breast!
From flesh removed our chalk footfall
Tempers this holy ground
Where timeless spirits meet
Round the heart of Pottsfield Town!
Happy Harvest!
What kind of Ribbons are on the pole? Making one this year and struggling to find this information. Thank you.
We did this in school
what time of year is the maypole dance?
Usually May Day is celebrated on May 1st.
If you want to be even more accurate it lands directly between the spring equinox & summer solstice.
Where can I join in? I MUST KNOW! ;-)
It is good. Anyway how did the learn this dance?
In the woods there grew a tree
And a fine fine tree was he
stupendo