by Harriet Robinson

Dancing around with colourful ribbons,
vibrant flowers and jingling bells seems like a fairytale.

But will the people of Kent be
supporting Morris dancers this May Day?

Morris dancing is one of the oldest
British traditions and some types are more than 600 years old. The
first record of Morris dancing in Kent was in Lydd in the
1300s.

But according to Rodger Bryan from East Kent Morris Men, people are simply not interested in the custom.

He said: "Sadly for many people Morris
dancing is a bit of a joke. I think most people are quite happy to
see it maintained - however we get a much better reception abroad
than in Britain. We are the butt of many jokes. But we all enjoy
it.

"I think the younger generation
tolerate us but it’s only the older generation that really want to
see it continued."

But if dancers stop joining the clubs,
Rodger fears, it could signal the end for Morris Men.

How will you mark
May Day today? We went out onto the streets of Strood to see what
folks will be doing on the day

"Now I think Morris dancing is having
a decline. But the idea of a young person getting dressed up in
bells and ribbons is not very appealing."

To see the standard of Morris dancers in the county, many people will be attending Rochester Sweeps festival this weekend.

It runs from today until Monday, 3 May 2010, and marks the
annual sweeps' holiday.

This was traditionally on May 1 each year. Locally, they
used to mark the occasion by staging a procession through the
streets of Rochester.

May Day facts

• May Day is the time of seasonal transition from winter to summer.
• It's also the day recognised as the world International Workers Day or Labour day.
• On May day, young girls would wash their faces in the May dew to make themselves beautiful for the whole of the year.
• Traditonally the maypole marks the coming of summer. However, single men and women would dance around and hope their ribbons would become entwined with a new love.
• May Day also marks the month of fertility. In the past villagers would gather in woods for illicit encounters as they believed it increased their chances of becoming pregnant.