Suzanne McKey, age 15, of Columbia, Tenn., for her question:

WHAT IS A MORRIS DANCE?

A morris dance is a traditional English ceremonial dance for men. Morris dances from the Cotswold villages of central England are performed by a side, or team, of six dancers decked with ribbons, rosettes and flowers, with jingles strapped to their legs.

From opposing lines of three each, the dancers execute various figures with an upward jumping step, often swinging handkerchiefs or clashing thick wooden sticks.

A few solo Cotswold morris dances, "termed jigs," exist.

Northwest England industrial towns have a different style with teams of eight or more, sometimes wearing wooden clogs and often swinging brightly colored cotton slings.

The morris dance reached the height of its development in the 15th and 16th Centuries.