A Morris dance is a type of English folk dance normally performed along music. The idea of a folk song lets one think about rural setting. This dance form makes use of things from village community like the swords, sticks, tobacco pipes etc. The dance form is characterized by a rhythmic stepping along with some choreographed figures performed by a group of dancers.

The evolution of Morris dance remains a mystery. The oldest records suggest "Morys" in a court setting. Here people of both sexes are shown dancing. Then some time ahead the performances are seen in the Lord Mayors' Processions performed in London. Very late the dance is mentioned being performed in the parishes. Therefore, it is popularly known to be associated with pre-Christian fertility or luck bringing ceremonies.

As the time passed, these pagan dances were imbibed by the church resulting in the performance of Morris on May Day, Easter, and other parish feasts to get some charity for the church during 1500s. Along with the church performances, the Morris dance was performed during spring fall planting ensuring a good crop, or on crucial times throughout the planting cycle.

Talking about the origin of the term, one would get confused, as there are controversies associated with the origin of the word “Morris”. People have consented on the belief that originally the term was "moorish dance," "moreška" (in Croatia), "morisques" (in France), "moriskentanz" (in Germany), and "moresco" (in Italy) and "morisca" (in Spain), which finally got accepted as Morris Dance.

Nowadays, although there are around 150 morris sides (or teams) in the United States, Morris has been associated with the England. The dance is performed in England on Easter, Plough Monday, and at the start of spring. British exiles have taken Morris with them to the lands of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Hong Kong. However, just like some dances which have not changed in over hundred years, Morris too, like a living tradition is same as it was practised when it got evolved.