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History TVMM was conceived in 1952, when the original side got together to provide morris dancing at the Claygate Flower Show. Although they did not call themselves Thames Valley at that time, the name was definitely in use by the time they danced again at the Flower Show in Coronation year (1953), so it can be assumed that the name was adopted sometime between the two events. The original side was composed of ex-members of Curfew Morris (a Chertsey-based side which had last danced in the 1930's), and local members of the English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS). The side became part of the Morris Ring in 1955 and is still a member. TVMM and Roy Dommett re-created the Oddington tradition in 1959 and, after many evenings in Jim Brook's cellar, studying the notes, they danced it for the first time on Hocktide in Kingston in 1961. Later in the 1960's, as a mark of respect, TVMM proposed Roy Dommett as Squire of the Ring. TVMM like to think that we are a relaxed side with a reasonably wide spread of ages, not out to prove much, but with an interest in dancing well. There are 8 or 10 dancers out on a typical tour, about 25 active dancers in all (depending on your definition of 'active') and a total of 50 or so on the Mailing list. KitTVMM dance in white shirt and trousers, with medium blue baldricks edged with yellow piping and blue and yellow rosettes. Most wear straw hats, decked with blue and yellow ribbon. Bellpads are made from blue canvas with blue and yellow trim on the edge. A distinguishing feature of the side is that full members, those who have danced a jig in public (more or less), make themselves a waistcoat with an embroidered 'tree of life' on the back. Each is different and brings in signs of the dancers interests, enthusiasms and style of dance. TraditionsTVMM generally dance in the style noramlly associated with the tradition, sometimes as notated by Lionel Bacon, but also as developed by the older members of the side over the last 50 years. The main traditions danced by Thames Valley are from the villages of Bampton, Oddington, Fieldtown and Sherbourne. Other traditions danced include Headington,Ilmington, Ascot, Adderbury, Bledington,Ducklington and Upton upon Servern with odd dances from Brackley, Moulton and Bucknell. Some new dances include Horsham, John Glaister's Glaister's Gambol and Tim Langston's Over the Hills or the the Gaye Dance, both in style of Bampton. This last year we have particularly enjoyed a new dance from Roy Dommett in the Oddington style to the tune of the Lord of the Dance. TVMM is probably a traditional 'Morris Ring' side in its style of dance, generally brisk and low with the capers slow and high in contrast. It's a mixed age side so the height achieved depends on the age of dancers, the good dancers look as if they are dancing high. The Oddington TraditionCurrently, there are two different styles of Oddington, so different from each other that they might be different dances. The Thames Valley style, dating from 1959 when the original notes were studied and turned into a dance with Roy Dommett, is a brisk, vigorous style, left footed, and danced with subdued aggression. The arm movements are forceful, the hand being driven from the hip to the front of the face with a punchy movement. Characters and AnimalsTVMM have a wide range of animals, beasts, characters and fools. Normally one is out dancing at one time, but occasionally there are two or three characters joining (and distracting) the side. How the characters behave (or not) depends on who is in them. In TVMM a character or beast does not 'belong' to one dancer - the beasts at least are moveable beasts. The Characters:
The Animals:
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