The Chinewrde Morris Miners (Kenilworth Carnival, 2016)

A group of Morris dancing Miners, after a busy early morning mining for Maurice’s made their weary way to the Kenilworth Carnival procession.

So - this year, how did the Chinewrde Carnival Collective do it?

Step 1:
As usual, we got a group of silly people together (and 1 bossy one)

Step 2:
We met up, had some tea and biscuits and started to come up with some ideas, and then…


…2 of us got confused and misinterpreted each other while the rest of the group were talking about ideas.

Louise thought that Jac was talking about Miners who were Morris dancing, and Jac thought Louise was talking about Morris Miners (the cars) or was it the other way around? Anyway, we started laughing and the idea was born…

The Chinewrde Morris Miners – preparations were under way! 

Step 3:
We downloaded a form from http://www.kenilworthcarnival.org.uk/carnival-day-events/

And filled it in, and conducted a risk assessment


Step 4:
We had a few meetings / socials / ‘rehearsals’ (a-hem – one rehearsal, oops!) and we had lots of FUN

Step 5:
We collected outfits, builder’s hats, and made some props and costumes

(oh and had more FUN)

Step 6:

We prepared for walking – well we thought about preparing (oops)

Step 7:
Friday evening – we finished our costumes, finished our props and had our chippy tea 

Step 8:
THE DAY

We got up ridiculously early

Had our bacon sandwiches!

The whole time, feeling as though we have all the time in the world… oooh I want ketchup on mine!!

Some of the group attached the dead canaries to the car, and worked on getting the sound system in place.

Then it was all hands to the decks as we realised that we were not at all ready, haven’t rehearsed our dance routine for the judging and OMG we had to move it!

So, we got into our costumes, had our make-up applied and then…

…everybody ran around screaming at each other in a blind panic because we didn’t think we would get to the Brays in time – AAAARRRRGH! It’s far too early!

Why can’t it be 2pm like it used to be!!!!!

And then, calmly we got to the Brays performing as we ‘danced’ past the judges in all our glory….

A-hem, the judges were late so that was a wasted routine!

Then the judges Came round to us and we performed effortlessly and perfectly and then it started to dawn on us that we probably should have rehearsed a bit more because actually Morris dancing is a lot harder than it looks – oops! (Luckily, since we are professionals I don’t think it showed!

FOR IT was CARNIVAL DAY, CARNIVAL DAY C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C- CARNIVAL DAY!!

Oh, yeah – we won the cup too!