Gallery: Molly Dancers bring touch of colour to towns and villages
A TROUPE of Molly Dancers brought a welcome touch of colour to towns and villages around the district this week as they marked the traditional Plough Monday festivities with a day of dance and merriment. A dozen mollies danced, jigged and yelped their way
A TROUPE of Molly Dancers brought a welcome touch of colour to towns and villages around the district this week as they marked the traditional Plough Monday festivities with a day of dance and merriment.
A dozen mollies danced, jigged and yelped their way through Stretham, Haddenham, Ely and Chatteris before bringing a fun-filled day to an end at the Three Pickerals pub in Mepal.
The dancers also demonstrated their art in local schools around the district with hundreds of children invited to join in with dancing and singing.
The garishly attired dancers came together to mark Plough Monday, a tradition stretching back decades that has its roots in the mischievous acts of farm workers.
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Traditionally farm hands would disguise themselves with blackened faces and bright clothing in order to play pranks on wealthy landowners.
Michael Day a member of the Mepal Mollies, said: "The day went really very well. It's the first snow and ice we have had on Plough Monday for many many years but everyone had a good time and there was a good turnout,
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"We also visited schools this year and that always proves popular, especially as we managed to get some teachers involved this year."
The Mepal Mollies will be heading to the Straw Bear Festival at Whittlesey this weekend along with troupes of dancers from all over the eastern region.
