What is the Great Caper?

The Great Caper is a collective group, based in Bristol, bringing traditional English Morris dance and seasonal customs back into everyday life.

What people have said:

2011:

 

'I like your website. It's nice to see kids dancing. Wish I could help.'

Jim Morgan, Pittsburgh

'Thank you for 2 wonderful, lively workshops this morning at Oak Field. We have some good pictures and video clips. You did such a good varied programme challenging the students but also making it fun. I loved the procession with the hobby horses and also the students having a go at the step dancing following Tasha. Staff and students were delighted'

 Anna Bourke, Organiser MUNDI Global Voices 2011

 

2010:

‘It was great to see the project in action and to get a taste of Great Caper in action. The children seemed to be making real progress and I look forward to seeing the representatives from the schools later in the year in Weymouth’. 

Annaliese Slader, Arts Council attending school practice session for Dinosaurs Not Allowed.

'Dinosaurs Not Allowed is a positive opportunity for young people to engage with our cultural heritage and to share and celebrate this with their peers and the wider community'.

 

Annaliese Slader, Arts Council South West Dance Officer 08/12/2010.

‘It was really great coming along Monday and yesterday to learn about Morris dancing and also meeting yourself and the other members of your groups. It was exactly as I had envisaged: a very friendly group of people with a nice atmosphere.'


New member at Fitness and Fun class

2009:

 'It allowed all our children, no matter their ethnicity, to gain first hand experience of a certain kind of English country dance from the Cotswolds. Morris dancing is alive and kicking in St Mary's and we hope to demonstrate this at our community cohesion event.'  

Clare-Marie Burchall, Headteacher, St Mary's School Swindon
(Swindon Advertiser)

'I found the dances hard but fun'

Moses Fernandes aged 9

'It brings the old back to the new'.

Jake Jones aged 10

2008:

 

'Thank you so much for teaching me the Mumming Play.  The dances were great and the star was amazing…. I hope I see you again’

 

‘I loved Saturday.  At first I was really nervous but when I performed it in the square I felt fine.  The costumes were great and I thought your Morris dancers were excellent’

 

‘Thank you for teaching me this amazing play.  I loved acting out the play on Saturday.  My best bit was the fighting’

From the young people who took part in the 'Christmas on the Hill Mumming project ‘

 

‘I really like Morris dancing not only did I learn how to dance I also learnt to tie my lases!’ ‘We will miss you on Tusdays so I am going to tech all of my frends the danse’

From the young people who took part in the Small Schools’ Morris project

2007:

 

On behalf of all of us at Staple Hill we would like to say a very big thank you for all you did to produce such a professional enjoyable performance’

Liz Chaplin, Head, Staple Hill Primary School, South Glos

‘The Chair of Governors indicated that he was most impressed’.

Cllr Shirley Potts, South Glos

'I just wanted to thank you for such a fantastic day.  I will never look at Morris dancing in the same way again.’

Wendy Antram, Primary School Teacher, Bournemouth
Creating the Leaders workshop.

2006:

'I wish there could be a Caper West project every year'.

Jenny Cornell, Teacher, Fonthill Primary School, Bristol

Contact: Kim Woodward greatcapermorris@aol.com or Tel: 07813 346819 or 0117 940-1566