A town dance in early spring
Every spring the town of Helston, in the west of Cornwall near the Lizard, holds a day of dancing and celebration known as Flora Day. The central event is the Furry Dance, sometimes spelled “Faddy” or “Furry” in older writing, in which couples dance in procession through the streets and in and out of shops, houses and gardens. It takes place on 8 May, though the date is adjusted in some years if that day falls at the start of the week, so check the current year’s arrangements.
The dance is closely associated with Helston, and the town regards it as its own. It is a community occasion, not a staged performance, and many participants come from families who have taken part for generations.
What happens during the day
The day is made up of several parts, each with its own dance. The details can vary a little, but the general pattern is well known.
- Early morning. The day traditionally begins before most visitors have arrived, with a dance and a song called the Hal-an-Tow, which includes a verse about the Spaniards and the legendary figure of Robin Hood. The song is often performed with a procession and costumed singers.
- Morning children’s dance. Local schoolchildren dance in white clothing, a sight much loved by the town.
- Midday dance. This is the most famous, with men in formal morning dress and women in elegant dresses and hats. Couples move through the streets in a line, entering buildings at one door and leaving at another.
- Evening dance. The final dance of the day is held in the same spirit, with participants again in formal clothing.
Throughout, a band plays the Furry Dance tune, one of the best known pieces of Cornish traditional music, which has been recorded in many arrangements. Cornish folk music, much of which also features in Cornwall’s singing culture, includes this tune in a place of honor.
Flowers are central to the look of the day. Lily of the valley is traditionally worn, and greenery decorates doorways and streets. Participants carry or wear flowers, and the town has the appearance of a garden in motion.
The meaning of the name
The name “Furry” has no certain explanation. One suggestion links it to a word for a fair or feast, as in the Cornish “fer”, which could derive from a Latin term for a festival day. Another connects it with “floral” or with the idea of “faring”, meaning to go. A third suggestion draws on an old English word for dancing. Language experts have not settled the question, and it is best treated as open.
Where did it come from?
This is the part where honesty matters most, because several explanations are on offer and none is proven.
- A spring festival. Many writers see the dance as one of a family of spring customs across Britain that welcomed summer with greenery and dancing, comparable to the wider May Day customs. In this view it needs no single origin story.
- A saint’s day story. A local legend connects the town with Saint Michael and a battle with the devil, who is said to have dropped a great stone on the town. Some versions of the tale link it to the Flora Day, but historians generally treat this as a legend rather than as evidence of how the dance began.
- A medieval or later dance. Some scholars have argued that the form we see today owes much to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when town dances in formal dress became fashionable among the local gentry. The costumes of the midday dance reflect this later period.
- Cultural revival. The modern shape of the day, including the Hal-an-Tow song, is partly the result of reshaping in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This does not make it less genuine, but it does mean that it is not a straightforward survival of medieval practice.
A sensible view is that the Furry Dance probably combines older spring customs with later developments, and that the exact mix is unknown.
Relationship to other traditions
The Helston dance sits within a wider pattern of Cornish spring events. At Padstow, the hobby horse tradition marks 1 May with its own songs and parades, and the two events are sometimes mentioned together, although they are quite different in character. The Helston dance is stately and ordered, while the Padstow event is more boisterous. Both appear in the broader overview of Cornish festivals.
Tips for spectators
If you plan to watch, a little preparation helps.
- Check the date and timings. The schedule of dances, and the date if 8 May falls at an awkward point in the week, can change from year to year. Local announcements are the best source.
- Arrive early. The streets can be crowded, especially for the midday dance, and parking is often restricted. Public transport and walking may be easier than driving, and narrow lanes near the town get busy.
- Choose your spot carefully. Dancers pass through buildings and along the route, so keep clear of the path and follow stewards.
- Be respectful. Dancers are taking part in something of personal importance. Ask before taking close photographs, and avoid blocking the route.
- Dress for the weather. Spring weather can be changeable, and you may stand outdoors for hours.
Why it endures
The Furry Dance continues because the town keeps doing it. The musical tune, the flowers, the clothing and the habit of joining in are passed on within families and schools. For visitors, it offers a chance to see a living custom as it is, uncertain origins and all, rather than as a museum piece.