SOMPTING Village Morris danced in the summer with traditional May Day festivities.
Click on the green play button to watch a video of the morning's festivities and click on the View Gallery link to see photographs.
Dancers from both the men and women's teams started their celebrations at 6.30am today (Thursday, May 1) by performing on Worthing Prom.
They went on, with boughs in hand, following the Green Man through Steyne Gardens to dance in Warwick Street.
Martin Frost, dressed as the hobby horse, described the origins of dances and teased members of the public who were passing by or had gathered to watch.
The finale at the bandstand in Montague Street was the crowning of May Queen, 14-year-old Maya Farmelo who received her honour from Worthing mayor Heather Mercer assisted by youth mayor Peter Fullilove.
After the crowning the Morris group sang spontaneously.
May SongChorus:
Hail, hail, the first of May-o,
For it is the first summer's day-o,
Cast your cares and fears away,
Sing to the old horse on the first of May.
Winter time has gone and past-o,
Summer time is here at last-o.
We will sing and dance the day,
And follow the hobby horse to bring the May.
Bluebells they have started to ring-o
And true love it is the thing-o,
Love on any other day
Is never the same as on the first of May.
Never let it come to pass-o
We should fail to raise a glass-o,
Unto those who've gone away
And left us the hobby horse to bring the May.
Winter time has gone and past-o,
Summer time is here at last-o,
We will sing and dance the day,
And follow the hobby horse to bring the May.
After an hour and a half of performance dancers, musicians and dignitaries gathered for a full English breakfast with May wine and beer at Beechwood Hall in Richmond Road.
Sompting Village Morris are due to perform a May bough procession in Tarring High Street on Monday, May 5 at 10am, and on Wednesday, May 7, at 7.30pm outside the Warwick Arms in Worthing.
To find out more about Sompting Village Morris visit the website
www.s-v-m.moonfruit.comClick here to order copies of photographs.-------------------------------------
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