Photographer Hollie Fernando has captured a striking portrait of the all-female Morris dancing group Boss Morris, celebrating the reinvention of this traditional form of dance. The image, taken on Rodborough Common in Stroud during a summer solstice practice evening, features the group in unique costumes with floral face decorations and a mysterious goat named Caprihorn in the background.
The Evolution of Morris Dancing
Morris dancing was historically male-dominated, but the creation of the Morris Federation in 1975 allowed women to join sides. The older Morris Ring did not permit female-inclusive teams until 2018. Today, women make up over half of Britain's Morris dancers. Fernando was inspired to photograph Boss Morris after seeing them perform at the Brit Awards with the band Wet Leg.
A Collaborative Creative Process
Fernando collaborated with the group to create a unique look for the shoot. She borrowed Victorian-style nightgowns and bloomers from a friend, while a stylist friend of Boss Morris assembled the outfits on the day. Emma, a florist in the group, brought flowers for facial decorations, and founder Alex Merry wore a moss face attached with eyelash glue. This moss face later inspired a fable called The Mossy Babber by member Rhia, illustrating how folklore evolves.
The Shoot and Its Significance
The shoot documented the group rehearsing on a flat area of the common, followed by portraits on a hill where Fernando posed them in a staggered formation. The goat Caprihorn, based on a medieval manuscript of mummers in animal masks, is one of Boss Morris's beast characters. Fernando, who shoots on medium-format film for its unique green tones, aims to promote strength and powerful themes around women through her work.
After the shoot, the group took Fernando to a pub where she tried a snack of pickled egg mashed in crisps, describing it as entering a magical world. She named the project 'Hoydenish', an old word for boisterous, untameable women, and now hopes to start a new female Morris side in Brighton.
