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May Pole Celebration
by Marsha Johnson
The following is from a
post by Marsha Johnson on her Yahoo Discussion group
Waldorf Home Educators.
I can personally tell you
that we once did a May Pole for my daughter's birthday and it was wonderful! All
the girls were dressed in their best dresses, I made fresh flower halos for each
girl. My husband spent a week building the May Pole (and we still have it). It
was a wonderful for celebration of my daughter's birthday (and May Day). So I
can highly recommend Marsha's celebration below! |
| Songs/Verses for The May Pole Dance Here We Go
Here we go round the May Pole High!
May pole high! May pole high!
Here we go round the May Pole High!
Let Colored Ribbons fly! Let Colored Ribbons fly!
Laddies and lassies go skipping by
Skipping by, skipping by
Laddies and lassies go skipping by
Let Colored Ribbons fly! Let colored ribbons fly! |
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Fairy Branch
Here's a branch of snowy May!
A branch the Fairies gave me!
Who would like to dance today
With the branch the fairies gave me?Dance away dance away
Holding high the branch of May!
Dance away dance away
Holding high the branch of May!
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Mairie's Wedding
Step we gaily on we go
Heel for heel and toe for toe
Arm in arm and row on row
All for Mairie's Wedding
Past the Sheilings in the town
Myrtle green and bracken brown
Over hillways up and down
All for Mairie's Wedding! |
The Celebration Preparation
 Dress
is WHITE.....as much as possible....feet are bare if the weather
permits......heads covered in flower garlands.....or ivy wreaths......Ribbons
sail from the trees nearby, flower bouquets abound, green grass, live musicians,
tables groaning with potluck foods, covered with light cloth, ready for eating
after the dancing......littles go first, then middles, then big ones....dancing
is great fun and everyone should try to participate...good for spring crops, the
spirits, the world, and more, as we circle under the skies, so circle the
planets and stars above us.....It should be held on May 1 if at all possible,
despite schedules......take time off work to gather at 10 and create the space
for this festival from time out of mind.....braid the hair, have a few spring
craft activities, a pony ride, and CONNECT with one another and the earth
again....
To Dance
All stand round the pole, holding a ribbon in a hand! Generally someone might
read a little poem or saying, then we all address the pole (bow to the pole!)
and then the dancing and music begin....at the end of the dance, be sure to
address the pole again! Bow to the pole or curtsey.....Ideally, nearby sits the
May Day Queen, dressed in a beautiful gown and covered with flowers on her head,
with her attendees in flowers, too!
Preschool and Kindergarten children often simply walk or softly skip
round the pole one way, and then the other!
Grades 1-2-3 Often the grades will start with a circle, then back to the
starting point, then a basket weave, simple looping dances that create a pretty
paten of ribbons on the pole! Then they have to un- weave, which takes practice
for sure!
Middle and Upper grades do more complicated dancing, alternate standing
and moving, weaving a pattern on the pole or in the air. You can begin to
imagine these dances when you take 8 or 10 or 12 dancers and form them into
geometric movements.......this is quite fun!
Adults--All sorts of variations here........sky is the limit and can
start with simple and work up to figure eights and more.... |
