A Morris dancer who wears blackface has defended the act from claims of racism, believing it’s a ‘disguise’ which predates racial connotations.
John Ellis is part of a group who have performed Border Morris dancing in Hampshire since 1991, a type of Morris dancing which originates from English villages along the Wales-England border and is largely defined by its use of blackface.
Katie Kedward, who has afro-Caribbean heritage, was particularly shocked when she stumbled into the folk tradition during a walking weekend away, and recounted on ITV’s This Morning how she was left uncomfortable by the experience. Read more