Areas of Expertise
Folklore; dancing; Morris, sword, and clog dancing; English ballads
About Professor Barrand
Dr. Anthony Barrand has retired from the faculty of Boston University where he taught folklore of dance and song and psychological approaches to the arts. His collection of films and videos of Morris, sword, and clog dancing are incorporated in the Archive of American Folk Culture at the Library of Congress.
Prof. Barrand has sung and recorded with John Roberts, his partner of almost 40 years. More information about and recordings of their performances are available online and on Facebook. They are widely acclaimed interpreters of English ballads and songs, perhaps best known for the popular annual Christmas pageant, “Nowell Sing We Clear.” Among the many recordings of their duet singing is Naulakha Redux, a collection of musical settings of Rudyard Kipling poems, which they first performed at the re-opening of Kipling’s “Naulakha” in 1996. Prof. Barrand’s research interests and publications have ranged from Morris and clog dancing to shape note singing. In 2003 Prof. Barrand was invited to deposit his fieldwork collection of Morris Sword and Clog Dancing videos and film to the Archive of Folk Culture at the Library of Congress.
Media Coverage
- Prof. Barrand interviewed by BU Today: “Who Was St. Patrick Anyway?”
- Prof. Barrand interviewed by BU Today: “Thanksgiving: The Making of an American Holiday”