Wow. This brings back memories. Go back to 1980 to Gunnison, Utah. As a fourth grade class we learned the maypole dance as part of an annual Mayday celebration. What fun. If only we could go back in time!
I remember the schools in our area on the East Coast of Trinidad having Maypole Dancing Festivals in the 1980's sadly that has disappeared. Some teachers like myself are seeking to revive it. Thanks for this wonderful piece of traditional music.
It reminds me of being back at school in the eighties at the tender age of 12, rehearsing for the summer fete at my old school Montpelier, in Ealing!! Happpy days!!!
All the April showers have gone away Finally in the month of May kids play Around a May pole first day of May They laugh with joy together all day Around an round a May pole in May
I love this song - my school used it when we did our maypole dance. That being said, this video is the only other place I can find this version. Anyone know the name of the song or how to find it?
Your clip and this lovely melody inspired me to make a maypole and introduce it to a kindergarten class. The children loved it and the other classes and teachers were watching from their classrooms. Thank you.
Wonderful! Would you know someone I could contact on how to dance to this, but the Hawai'i version. The May Day pole reached Hawai'i in the 1920's and instead of colored ribbons we had streams of flowers. To your knowledge, was there a Hawai'i May Day pole dance like this one you've posted? Thank you :)
We just completed our maypole dancing. The children were totally engaged. A lot of senior citizens visit this school and were delighted to see maypole dancing after so many years. One query: what material do you use for ribbons? I bought mine from a craft shop, 30mm in width and I made them 4 metres in length. I think it may be too long. I had problems with the breeze at times and with the exuberance of the students the ribbons became frustratingly entangled. Any advice greatly appreciated.
I have called back to let you know that I am at another school: Islington Public School. It is a composite class of years 2,3 & 4. The class puts the D into diversity. They don't know it yet but they will soon be maypole dancing. I will send you a report anon.
Kathy Bryan Hampton I think it’s just called “Maypole Dance”. I don’t remember it having any other name when it was in the Festival of Song songbook from the University of Michigan in the 1960s.
It sounds like it is adapted from Don Giovanni. I don't think this was originally intended as Maypole music and that is why it is so difficult to find. I agree it is marvelous.
In fact this tune is a major key version of the ancient song, "The Staines Morris, " which appears in Playford's "The English Dancing Master," ca. 1650, though there is evidence it was already old at that time. Thus it is much older than Herr Mozart's tune. I don't know when the major key version was created, but such a transformation is common among English folk songs, particularly Morris Dance tines. One can find the minor key version here on youtube by searching on the name. Finally, it is indeed appropriate for a Maypole Dance given its origins.
@theartsychica593 I am from Brasil , I'd like to have a May Pole song to play in a wedding. Can you send me by email this song or tell me where I can find? Thanks Tanya
I was traditional to do the Spring Maypole dance in spring at elementary schools in the USA in the 1950's and early 1960's-after that, John F. Kennedy ushered in mandatory physical education, and athletic exhibitions(to copy the Russians) were held instead---first wiping out of Western Culture
Wow. This brings back memories. Go back to 1980 to Gunnison, Utah. As a fourth grade class we learned the maypole dance as part of an annual Mayday celebration. What fun. If only we could go back in time!
In first grade we did.the Maypole 1st. 2nd 3rd. Grades great memories
I remember the schools in our area on the East Coast of Trinidad having Maypole Dancing Festivals in the 1980's sadly that has disappeared. Some teachers like myself are seeking to revive it. Thanks for this wonderful piece of traditional music.
It reminds me of being back at school in the eighties at the tender age of 12, rehearsing for the summer fete at my old school Montpelier, in Ealing!! Happpy days!!!
All the April showers have gone away
Finally in the month of May kids play
Around a May pole first day of May
They laugh with joy together all day
Around an round a May pole in May
I love this song - my school used it when we did our maypole dance. That being said, this video is the only other place I can find this version. Anyone know the name of the song or how to find it?
Your clip and this lovely melody inspired me to make a maypole and introduce it to a kindergarten class. The children loved it and the other classes and teachers were watching from their classrooms. Thank you.
What a great tune. Thanks for sharing.
We did this when I was little in the Berkshires in Massachusetts.
The 5th graders did this as part of my elementary school dance festivals.
I also did the dance in elementary school
Wonderful! Would you know someone I could contact on how to dance to this, but the Hawai'i version. The May Day pole reached Hawai'i in the 1920's and instead of colored ribbons we had streams of flowers. To your knowledge, was there a Hawai'i May Day pole dance like this one you've posted? Thank you :)
Lovely post.
We just completed our maypole dancing. The children were totally engaged. A lot of senior citizens visit this school and were delighted to see maypole dancing after so many years. One query: what material do you use for ribbons? I bought mine from a craft shop, 30mm in width and I made them 4 metres in length. I think it may be too long. I had problems with the breeze at times and with the exuberance of the students the ribbons became frustratingly entangled. Any advice greatly appreciated.
I have called back to let you know that I am at another school: Islington Public School. It is a composite class of years 2,3 & 4. The class puts the D into diversity. They don't know it yet but they will soon be maypole dancing. I will send you a report anon.
i am a maypole dancer
Does anyone know the name of this tune? I grew up in the 60's with it playing each May Day at school.
Kathy Bryan Hampton I think it’s just called “Maypole Dance”. I don’t remember it having any other name when it was in the Festival of Song songbook from the University of Michigan in the 1960s.
It sounds like it is adapted from Don Giovanni. I don't think this was originally intended as Maypole music and that is why it is so difficult to find. I agree it is
marvelous.
In fact this tune is a major key version of the ancient song, "The Staines Morris, " which appears in Playford's "The English Dancing Master," ca. 1650, though there is evidence it was already old at that time. Thus it is much older than Herr Mozart's tune. I don't know when the major key version was created, but such a transformation is common among English folk songs, particularly Morris Dance tines. One can find the minor key version here on youtube by searching on the name. Finally, it is indeed appropriate for a Maypole Dance given its origins.
@@annamariaisland1960 Goodness! This is wonderful information, thank you for letting me/us know!!!
@theartsychica593
I am from Brasil , I'd like to have a May Pole song to play in a wedding. Can you send me by email this song or tell me where I can find?
Thanks Tanya
I was traditional to do the Spring Maypole dance in spring at elementary schools in the USA in the 1950's and early 1960's-after that, John F. Kennedy ushered in mandatory physical education, and athletic exhibitions(to copy the Russians) were held instead---first wiping out of Western Culture