Kingsessing Morris Men
1977
& 46 Years Dancingncing

 

If you're interested in learning morris dance with Kingsessing
you should contact us
As of Sept. 19th, '22 the team will be practicing weekly
Joe Passante Bill Quern Jan Alter

Schedule
  
The team will be dancing at these events
April 14


You Bet Your Garden
Bethlehem, PA



 

TERHUNE ORCHARDS 2023
Jan 29, 2023

The team's pilgrimage toTerhune Orchards, in Princeton, NJ, to dance for the Wassailing of the apple trees has
become an annual event. Not only does it help for good apple crops it motivates the Eagles to win
their football games.

Watch Curtis Hoberman teach a morris dance to the crowd here at Terhune Orchards

Watch the morris men dance here at Terhune Orchards.

 

 

 

 

 

MUMMERS PARADE 2023

 

Since morris dancing is English in origin the K-men thought it appropriate to honor Queen Elizabeth II's
many years on the throne with both a tribute and a dance in her memory. The team marched and danced
on Broad Street to the enthusiastic applause of thousands. No kidding or exaggeration here.

Click here to watch

 

 

 

 

DANCING AT THE FIREBIRD FESTIVAL '22

Finding a spot with good lighting in Phoenixville can be somewhat problematic. However, the K-men settled
on a parking lot in the center of town which was already being used by Santa to meet with children.
Fortunately Santa was willing to share.
You can watch the dance here.

 

DICKENS FESTIVAL 2022
NARBERTH, PA
Dec. 4

 

 

Almost feels just like old times

Curtis teaching morris to everyone at the Dickens Festival

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bryn Mawr May Day Celebration
April 30, '22

 

 

Morris Men Make History on
May Day

 

 

The records show that George Washington and Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette had tea at the
Grange Estate in Havertown, PA. On May Day 2022 Kingsessing danced there as well.

 

 

 

DANCING FOR

'YOU BET YOUR GARDEN'
April 13, 2022

The team was invited to dance and be interviewed, for the long running garden show You Bet Your Garden,
hosted by Mike McGrath, in Bethlehem, PA, for the show's April 30th airing
at 10 am on TV channel 39 and FM 91.3
Watch the entire interview (S3 Ep. 34) by clicking below
CLICK ME



 

Joe Passante and Ed Stivender were interviewed by Mike McGrath for the show and articulated both
the history and importance of morris dancing. For the rest of the team, watching them
being interviewed was memorable.

 

 

 

 

DANCING ON THE FARM IN 2022

IN THE SNOW

 

Handsome Molly Dancers and Kingsessing Morris Men

Dancing at Terhune Orchards, in NJ, in the snow, to continue a long tradition of
'Wassailing the Apple Trees' in 24° weather
can be somewhat of a challenge. However, a couple of small bonfires, sugared doughnuts,
and hot cider makes it a little easier to overcome.

Monday Night Morris Practice '21

No, the team is not in line waiting for dinner. The men are dancing outside for safety
in the covid environment.
Adaptation and pragmatism are a key element to continued existence.

 

 

 

DANCING AT BRYN MAWR COLLEGE
IN THE SPRING

 

Ed Stivender captures the enthusiasm of the moment to teach a few hundred Bryn Mawr
students a morris dance. Along with Rik Bourne's and Bill
Quern's music everyone was on a cloud of enjoyment

 

You can watch the team dancing at Bryn Mawr by clicking

here

 

MAY DAY 2021

Dawning masks at dawn at Belmont Plateau, in Fairmount Park, to welcome the sun.

 

Some of the great treasures of Kingsessing are its musicians.
The quality and sensitivity of their playing continually energizes
the dancers to give their best.

 

 

1st Place WINNERS
in the 2020 MUMMERS DAY PARADE


Interestingly enough there are morris teams in England that wear flowered hats all the time.
Kingsessing won 1st place with their 1 minute dance out of 19 entries. You can watch them
dancing by clicking on the word
link

 

CHESTNUT HILL HOME AND GARDEN FESTIVAL
2019

May 19, 2019

 

Lots of folks came out for the festival and Kingsessing put out for them with a nice variety of dances.
A zumba and modern dance group shared the trolley track stage with the K-men and made the event
that much more interesting and enjoyable to watch

 

 

DANCING AT THE FARM
after the deep freeze
Feb 2, 2019

The K-men danced at Terhune Orchards, in Princeton, NJ,on Ground Hog Day, for the
farm's annual Wassailing to the Apple Trees event along with Handsome Molly, and
Green River Tap & Die, from New England. It was fine event and a nice opportunity to finally
enjoy the outdoors in moderate winter temperatures compared to the polar vortex ones
that had to be endured only a few days previously.

 

 

 

KINGSESSING WINS 3rd PLACE
at the
MUMMERS DAY PARADE 2019

 

 

 

Watch the team dancing in the Parade by

Clicking Here

 

FIREBIRD FESTIVAL 2018
PHOENIXVILLE, PA



Dancing at the field where the Phoenix will be fired. This picture seems to show plenty of light
but it was actually half as bright giving the dancers a lot more thought to both carefully
clashing their sticks to each other and dancing.

 

 

The Kingsessing Morris Men dancing at Bryn Mawr College's
May Day celebration about 15 years ago.

 

 

Listen to an Interview with Kingsessing, and Mike McGrath
just before May Day, about 15 years ago on
You Bet Your Garden

on WHYY radio

 

 

 

Mummers Day Parade 2016

The Kmen's thematic dance in 2016 paired the destruction of the worldly traveling Hitchbot when it
came to Philadelphia during the summer and the Pope's good will visit to the city later in early fall.
Both visits were intended as something positive to benefit humanity and that was something
Kingsessing wanted to celebrate a little more.

 

Click below for more
    About morris dancing


 

Morris dancing originated in England about 800 years ago, before Christianity took a solid hold on the countryside. The dancing was done at springtime by the farmers to celebrate the planting season and the "rebirth" of life. The spirits of the sun, rain, and earth were called upon to be plentiful to the folk who worshipped them.
Kingsessing Morris Men springs from Philadelphia and the surrounding areas from where it began in 1977. The team's dancing was originally done in the springtime with vigor, in the hopes that the planting season will be bountiful, and that those who view the dance will have good fortune. Bells are worn on the knees to wake the ground. Through the years the dancing has evolved into a year long tradition, dancing for any festive occasion that could bring enjoyment 		Traditionally handkerchiefs beckon the sun to shine, and the sticks chase the evil spirits from below to awaken the earth. The team dances primarily in the spring touring to parks, schools and the city; but also performs during the other seasons too at various festivities such as fairs, weddings, and get-togethers. The team dances regularly in the Philadelphia Mummers Day Parade, and lately in the Phoenixville, PA, Firebird Festival in early December.
The team is currently accepting new members who will be instructed n the styles of Bleddington, Ducklington, and Fieldtown traditions. Practice is on Monday nights from September through May near Ardmore, Pa.

 

Videos of the Team

Contact Us

Joe Passante

Bill Quern

Jan Alter

This is back in 2001, when the team danced at a public school in Philadelphia on May Day. Folks often ask why members of the team dance morris. Reasons vary but for just about everyone who does it the common theme is they're having fun.

 

Kingsessing History
May 1979

The team's first kit (uniform) sported knickers and suspenders. This was May Day
at Bryn Mawr College, as the team began their second year performing.