So who or what is 'Chancs'? Its short for Chanctonbury Ring Morris (Men) - a ‘cotswold’ Morris ‘side’ (handkerchiefs and sticks) based in central Sussex, and which celebrated its 70th Anniversary in 2023.
As a member of the ‘men only’ Morris Ring in 1953, when that national organisation changed policy in 2023, it allowed Chancs to accept anyone, so Chancs dropped ‘Men’ from its name. Our dances are traditional from the Cotswold area, and we even have a ‘Mummers’ team at Christmas! During the summer we dance out mainly at pubs on Wednesday nights, and at events on the occasional weekend.
Like many local clubs, ‘Chancs’ is looking for more members to come and join the team. There’s no age limit but between 16 and 60 is ideal! If you are interested in giving Morris dancing a try, you can come along to any practice session in the winter (no strings (or bells) attached!), although it’s best to check with the Bagman in advance via our website or bagman@crmm.org.uk
We practise from 8pm - 10pm on Wednesdays from October to April, usually followed by a couple of pints at the ‘local’. To see our winter practise location, visit our website.
Of course, we also welcome musicians to join us too; and men from any other Morris sides who fancy a change, or who have moved to the area.