Female Morris dancers gathered on a hill in East Sussex at the crack of dawn to take part in the traditional May Day celebration. <br /><br />Video captured on May 1 shows the Shalesbrook Ladies Morris team dressed in brightly-coloured outfits along with bells and large sticks performing the ancient ritual.<br /><br />The dance is performed on the first day of summer and various actions carry symbolic meanings. <br /><br />Dancers wave hankies as a way to ward off evil spirits and shake sticks to wake the earth from its winter slumber.<br /><br />But cold conditions left many wondering if summer really was around the corner. <br /><br />One dancer said: "In theory, it's the beginning of summer, but I got the frost off my car this morning.<br /><br />"We've danced in snow, we've danced in good sunshine."
