Victory Morrismen - made up dances

This page gives details of dances that have been adapted or made up by the side. (click on the plus symbols)

Restless Sprite - A Fieldtown dance with nine sticks. Stick throwing across the corners.

1993

Style

Can be almost any tradition. We have used Fieldtown, Bledington and Ilmington.

Variation

The chorus is invented. It has no known influence except for the throwing of sticks across the corners.

Music

Danced to the tune of ‘I’m like a skiff on the ocean tossed’? from the Beggar’s Opera – A,AB,AB,AB,AB

Links

The music (PDF). The music (ABC). Video.

Description

The sequence is OY FU DF HG DF BB DF WH DF (For Fieldtown).

Halfway through and at the end of each characteristic figure and distinctive figure (i.e. at each ftj) dancers with two sticks strike them together high, dancers with one stick present it high and horizontal, held at both ends.

At the start the dancers in positions 1, 4 and 5 have two long sticks (one in each hand) and dancers in positions 2, 3 and 6 have one stick (held in the right hand).

All but the final DFs are as follows:-

Bar 1 – First corners (the dancers standing in the first corner positions) throw – the person with two sticks throws one of them across the set to the opposite corner. Remain facing opposite corner.

Bar 2 – Second corners throw – as above.

Bar 3 – Middles throw – as above.

Bar 4 – |ftj| facing the middle of the set.

Bars 5 to 8 – Perform half of a HR ending up one place round the set facing across.

Final DF (known as the ‘sticky end’) is as follows:

Bars 1 to 4 – As above.

Bars 5 to 7 – Sticks are thrown in the usual order but twice as fast and twice over.

Bar 8 – Finish with |ftj|, all facing up.

Because there is no striking of the partner’s stick the set can be as spread out as desired.

Young Collins - A Sherborne stick dance.

1984

Style

Sherborne

Music

The same music as the Sherborne handkerchief dance of the same name. A.(AB 2 ) 5

Description

Stick dance (two short sticks). Sequence is OY;FU;DF:Set;DF;FF;DF;BB;DF;HR;DF.

DF

Bar 1 – Hit own left stick with own right stick 2 times whilst walking towards partner then hit partner’s right stick with own right stick at eye level.

Bar 2 – As bar 1 but hit with left stick (standing still)

Bar 3 – Hit backhand with right stick the stick of the diagonally opposite dancer on the right (or the air), hit backhand with left stick the stick of the diagonally opposite dancer on the left (or the air), hit partner, forehand, with right stick.

Bar 4 – As bar 3 but starting with the left hand and diagonally left-hand opposite partner

Bars 5 to 8 – Half hey (galley out into a wide set).

Bars 9 to 16 – Repeat of bars 1 to 8.

Keep the set wide, except in the sticking. Victory omit the HR and the 5th DF.

Room for Victory - Stick version of Room for the Cuckolds Bucknell

1981

Style

Bucknell

Music

The same music as Room for the Cuckolds (Bucknell). A.(AB) 3 A

Links

The music (PDF). The music (ABC).

Description

Stick dance. Dancers hold one stick – in the right hand.

DF

Bars 1 and 2 – Top couple – both throw sticks across the set, right hand to right hand: strike tips on ground in front to left: strike tips on ground in front to right: strike tips with partner.

Middle couple – strike tips on ground in front: both throw sticks across the set: strike tips on ground in front: strike tips with partner.

Bottom couple – strike tips on ground in front left: strike tips on ground in front right: both throw sticks across the set: strike tips with partner.

Bars 3 and 4 – Same as bars 1 and 2.

Bars 5 to 8 – Half hey

Bars 9 to 16 – Repeat

The overall effect is of a wave of flying sticks passing down the set.

The Ninth - A Fieldtown stick dance with slows.

1982

Style

Fieldtown

Music

This is the well known bit of Beethoven’s ninth symphony. A.(AB) 2 .(AC) 2

Description

A stick dance with slows. The sequence is OY FU DF HG DF BB DF HR DF

DF

The stick striking is like ‘fencing’. Sticks are held at the end and tips are struck alternately high then low. The high strike is forehand, directly in front of the body above head height. The low strike is backhand, directly in front of the body just above the ground. During the stick clashing the tip of the stick describes four vertical, anti-clockwise circles in front of the dancer. All then dance across the set (right foot start) and galley. Repeat back to place. Strike partner’s stick in the ftj.

1 st time – |high, low||high, low ||high, low ||high, low ||4||4||G||ftj|

|high, low||high, low ||high, low ||high, low ||4||4||G||ftj||

2 nd time – as 1 st , but cross with 4 PC.

3 rd time – as 1 st , but cross with 2 FC.

2 nd time – as 1 st , but cross with 2 UC

Nelson's Praise - A progressive Morris on

1996

Style

Ilmington, but could easily be adapted.

Music

Nelson’s Praise (Ilmington). A.(AB) 3 .

Links

The music (PDF). The music (ABC).

Description

This is a Morris On. The sequence is OY;corners cross;SSS;corners cross;SSS;corners cross;SSS. The OY is performed by first corner couple only.

The dance starts with the six dancers well dispersed. Roughly in their right positions but off the dancing area (preferably mingling amongst the crowd, apparently taking no part in proceedings until it’s their turn).

The corners cross –

Bars 1 to 4 – |4| (approaching each other at speed, head on across the dance area), |ftj| facing corner partner (with a shout), |4| (passing partner and then on to the opposite corner |4| (turning 180 degrees to face opposite corner partner.

Bars 5 to 8 – |4||4||hop, hop||ftj| crossing back to position and finish facing partner.

The SSS –

|oss(lt)||oss(lt)||oss(rt)||oss(rt)| (around an imaginary circle facing partner all the time across the circle.)

|4| (across the circle to change places with partner.)

|4| (turning on the spot to face partner.)

|x x x -||x x x -| (as in the jig).

|4||4| (across the circle to place)

Hop, hop, (turning on the spot to face partner) |ftj| (stay in a circle)

The dancers join in the dance in pairs (first corner, second corner, middles).

First corner do corners cross and SSS on their own.

Second corner do corners cross on their own and are then joined by the first couple for SSS (all crossing the circle together, but first corner couple go first)

Third corner do corners cross on their own and then all do SSS.

Finish facing up to the music in the shape of a set.

Loosely based on the Ilmington jig of the same name.

Country Gardens - Slightly complicated Sherborne stick dance

1997

Style

Sherborne

Music

A.(AB) 4

Description

The sequence is OY;FU;DF:Set;DF;FF;DF;BB;DF.

DFs are as follows:

The stick striking starts with the middles standing back to back in the middle of the set facing up and down and the corner dancers face diagonally to face the nearest middle dancer. Middles get into this position by stepping forward, passing their partner right shoulders and turning to the left in the first half of the DF or passing left shoulders and turning right in the second half of the DF.

Bars 1 to 4 – corner dancers strike their own stick (right against left), strike right towards middle, right with partner, left towards middle. All strikes are forehand. Sometimes the middle dancer is there to return the strike; sometimes not. In the latter case the dancer strikes the air.

Meanwhile in bars 1 to 4 the middle dancers do the following: (the sequence will be described for the middle dancer who starts facing up; the other middle dancer does the same but strikes different dancers)

In all four bars middles strike own stick (right onto left), strike right, strike own stick (right on left), strike left. All strikes are forehand.

Bar1 – strike own, strike number 1, own, number 2, turn 90 degrees clockwise on the spot (now shoulder to shoulder with partner).

Bar 2 – strike own, number 2, own, partner, turn 90 degrees clockwise on the spot (now facing partner).

Bar 3 – strike own, partner, own, partner, turn 90 degrees clockwise on the spot (now shoulder to shoulder with partner).

Bar 4 – strike own, partner, own, number 1.

Bars 5 to 8 – Half hey. Middles follow the dancer they struck last in bar 4.

Bars 9 to 16 – repeat, except middles start the sticking facing a different way, as mentioned above.

In practice, the 90 degree turns are smoothed out and the sticking is less awkward than it otherwise would be. In the hey, middles go in different directions so that number 6 has to dance the hey as a top couple dancer and number 2 as a bottom couple dancer. Middles, as a matter of course, swap sides in each chorus.

The dance came about as a bit of a challenge for the more experienced members. It is quite difficult to master the sticking in the chorus.

The Neck - A 10 bar Fieldtown dance

1998

Style

Fieldtown, but it will fit many others.

Music

A.(AB) 4

Description

The tune is that of a song of the same name composed by John Bartlett. It has 10 bars in both the A and B music.

The sequence is OY, FU, DF, HG, DF, BB, DF, WH, DF

A characteristic movement is a ‘sweep’. This is an open sidestep, moving sideways. In the case of a sweep left the leading hand (the left hand) is swept from the right shoulder, down and up to head height in the direction of movement; a big arm movement.

The figures are danced as normal but, to accommoh2 the extra two bars, two additional steps are added at the end. These are a ‘sweep’ up to the music and ‘sweep’ down. So a half gyp, for example, would consist of 2 double steps, 2 hops, ftj, 2 double steps, 2 hops, ftj, sweep up, sweep down.

All but the last chorus is as follows:

Bar 1 – |4| backwards with whichever foot is convenient, radially away from the centre of the set to form a large circle facing across it. Arms held high above the head and hands perform two flicks forward.

Bar 2 – ftj on the spot, still facing across the circle.

Bar 3 – Still facing across the circle, ‘sweep’ to the right (anti-clockwise round the circle)

Bar 4 – Still facing across the circle repeat the step and hand movements in Bar 1, on the spot. (all should be on the left foot).

Bars 5 and 6 – |4||4| around the large circle (anti-clockwise) to get to a position halfway round the circle from bar 2.

Bar 7 – Sweep (leading with the left foot) back into a set shape having moved halfway round the set from the start of the chorus.

Bar 8 – ftj facing partner.

Bars 9 and 10 – Sweep up, sweep down.

The final chorus is as follows:

Bars 1 and 2 – Same as above.

Bars 3 to 8 – 6 double steps (starting right foot), anti-clockwise around the circle gradually spiralling into the middle forming a tight circle. It’s best not to form the tight circle too early or there are an awful lot of mincing steps.

Bar 9 – Sweep out from the middle of the circle.

Bar 10 – Jump, double footed, back into a tight circle with a shout.

The song, from which the tune is taken, and the title refer to the last armful of corn cut in the field at harvest time. In many cases the corn was cut starting at the perimeter of the field, spiralling into the middle until the neck is left. It was a tradition, in some parts, to give vent to a ritualistic shout as the neck was cut.

The dance is, in some small way, symbolic of this practice. An attractive young lady could be symbolic of the neck of corn (introduced into the middle of the set during the hey).

Cuckoo's Nest - Oddington column dance with slows and double galleys

2003

Style

Oddington

Music

A.(AB) 4

Description

The tune is a normal Cuckoo’s Nest tune. The B music has four bars of slows followed by four normal bars – repeated.

The sequence is OY, FU, DF, HG, DF, BB, DF, WG, DF

This is a column dance. Turn to face up on the last beat of each figure.

The DF is as follows:

Starts all facing up.

Bar 1 – top couple does a slow movement (FC in the first two DFs and UC in the last two) facing up and finishing facing up.

Bar 2 – middle couple do same as in bar 1.

Bar 3 – bottom couple do same as bar 1 but face across on the last beat.

At some point after doing the slow movement and before the end of bar 3, the top four dancers face across

Bar 4 – All dancers step forward towards the centre line of the set in a galley left. Turn on this galley to face in the correct direction for a hey (1, 2, 3 and 4 turn to face up; 5 and 6 turn to face down). Some dancers will make a quarter of a turn; others will make three-quarters of a turn. Dancers will be shoulder to shoulder at this point. Then hook on the spot without turning. The galley and the hook are performed to one bar of ‘slow’ music.

Bars 5 to 8 – Half hey. Finish facing up.

Bars 9 to 16 – Repeat the above with the couple closest to the music going first. Finish facing across.

Wreck of the Victory - Lichfield stick dance with two choruses

2001

Style

Lichfield

Music

A.(AB) 6

Links

The music (PDF). The music (ABC). Video.

Description

The tune is ‘The Lady in the Boat’.

The sequence is OY, WR, DF, HU, DF, BB, DF, HD, DF, DU, DF, LH, DF.

There are two DFs and they alternate.

First DF is as follows:

All face across.

Sticks are held at one end with both hands and all striking is ‘forehand’.

Bar 1 – strike partner twice.

Bar 2 – Strike dancer diagonally to the left; strike dancer diagonally to the right.

Bar 3 – Strike partner twice.

Bar 4 – Strike dancer diagonally to the right; strike dancer diagonally to the left.

Bars 5 to 8 – same as bars 1 to 4 except the last strike (in bar 8) is to partner.

Second DF is as follows:

Face as if to go into a Lichfield hey. I.e. two groups of four with each dancer facing the centre of his group.

Sticks are held at one end with one hand.

The sticking will be described for the top group of four. The bottom group does the same.

Bar 1 – Numbers 1 and 4 strike each other twice, backhand above head height. Numbers 2 and 3 strike each other twice, forehand, low.

Bar 2 – Numbers 2 and 3 present their sticks horizontally at waist height in front first slightly to the right and then slightly to the left. Numbers 1 and 4 strike down firstly on the stick of the dancer to their left and then on the dancer to their right.

Bar 3 – Numbers 2 and 3 strike each other twice, backhand above head height. Numbers 1 and 4 strike each other twice, forehand, low.

Bar 4 – Numbers 1 and 4 present their sticks horizontally at waist height in front first slightly to the right and then slightly to the left. Numbers 2 and 3 strike down firstly on the stick of the dancer to their left and then on the dancer to their right.

Bars 5 to 8 – Same as bars 1 to 4.

Victory always dance this with twelve men. This give three groups of four in the second DF, three rows in HU and HD, ‘triples up’ instead of DU and a longer hey.

Eventide - Oddington dance with changing places in the set

2005

Style

Oddington

Music

A.(AAB) 3

Links

The music (PDF). The music (ABC).

Description

The tune is that of a song of the same name composed by John Bartlett

The sequence is OY, FU, HG, DF, FU, BB, DF, FU, WG, DF

The DF is as follows:

All face across.

Bars 1 to 4 – The normal closed sidestep sequence as found in Brighton Camp Oddington is performed except that in the first bar everyone moves half a space left so that 3 and 5 are opposite 2 and 4. Remain in this offset position in bars 2 to 4. Bar 4 is a hook right on the spot, facing across.

Bars 5 to 8 – Dancers 1 and 6 dance clockwise in a big circle around the other four (who are stationary) to join onto the other end of the line they started from using the normal stepping for half a figure (back into place) i.e. 1 ends up at 5’s position and 6 ends up at 2’s position.

Meanwhile 3 and 4 face each other diagonally and 2 and 5 face each other diagonally and perform the following single handed sticking:

Bar 5 – Numbers 3 and 4 strike each other twice, backhand above head height. Numbers 2 and 5 strike each other twice, forehand, low.

Bar 6 – Numbers 2 and 5 present their sticks horizontally at waist height in front first slightly to the right and then slightly to the left. Numbers 3 and 4 strike down firstly on the stick of the dancer to their left and then on the dancer to their right.

Bar 7 – Numbers 2 and 5 strike each other twice, backhand above head height. Numbers 3 and 4 strike each other twice, forehand, low.

Bar 8 – Numbers 3 and 4 present their sticks horizontally at waist height in front first slightly to the right and then slightly to the left. Numbers 2 and 5 strike down firstly on the stick of the dancer to their left and then on the dancer to their right.

Bars 9 to 12 – Same as bars 1 to 4 forming a proper set shape.

Sticks are now held at one end with both hands and all striking is ‘forehand’.

Bar 13 – Strike new partner twice.

Bar 14 – Strike dancer diagonally to the left; strike dancer diagonally to the right.

Bar 15 – Strike partner twice.

Bar 16 – Strike dancer diagonally to the right; strike partner.

The pattern for the DF is based on position not on person. Dancers change position but the pattern remains the same. After three DFs everyone is back in their original positions.

The final DF is normal but the final two bars of music are repeated during which dancers galley and hook up.

Highland Mary - Oddington stick dance

Style

Oddington

Music

A.(AAB) 3

Links

The music (PDF). The music (ABC).

Description

Each dancer has two sticks.

The tune is as published.

The sequence is OY, FU, HG, DF, FU, BB, DF, FU, WG, DF

The DF is as follows:

All face across.

Bars 1 to 2 – Righthand butts on the ground, lefthand butts on the ground, right forehand with partner, left forehand with partner.

Bars 3 to 4 – Repeat first two bars.

Bars 5 to 8 – Backhand with the righthand diagonally opposite dancer, backhand with the lefthand diagonally opposite dancer; forehand right with partner, forehand left with partner; backhand with the righthand diagonally opposite dancer, backhand with the lefthand diagonally opposite dancer; strike own stick (right on left) three times above the head whilst turing to face up.

In the last DF the last two bars are replaced with double galley to face up.

In the places where sticks are normally struck with partner, dancers strike their own stick (right on left) overhead.

The dance can be done with any even number of dancers.

Bluff King Hal - Somewhat complicated handkerchief dance with lots of diagonal crossing

2006

Style

Oddington

Music

A.(A 2 (BC) 2 ) 3

Links

The music (PDF). The music (ABC).

Description

The tune is that of the Bidford dance

The sequence is OY, FU, HG, DF, FU, BB, DF, FU, WG, DF

The DF is as follows:

All face across. There is a sequence of pairs of dancers changing places (with a single left footed double step) interspersed with half heys. Each change of place is preceeded (where possible) and followed by, the dancers concerned, performing a hook on the right foot.

Bar 1 – dancers in positions 1 and 4 change places.

Bar 2 – dancers in positions 3 and 6 change places.

Bar 3 – dancers in positions 2 and 3 change places.

Bar 4 – dancers in positions 4 and 5 change places.

Bars 5 to 8 – Half hey with middles going up to the music.

Bar 9 – dancers in positions 2 and 3 change places.

Bar 10 – dancers in positions 4 and 5 change places.

Bar 11 – dancers in positions 1 and 4 change places.

Bar 12 – dancers in positions 3 and 6 change places.

Bars 13 to 16 – Half hey with middles going away from the music.

The pattern for the DF is based on position not on person. Dancers change position but the pattern remains the same.

In each half of the DF one dancer will change places twice.

After three DFs everyone is back in their original positions.

It helps (enormously) if the caller calls “First corners” for bars 1 to 4, “Hey up” for the first half hey, “Second corners” for bars 9 to 12 and “Hey down” for the second half hey.

Roger the Cat - An Ilmington dance with lots of movement

2007

Style

Ilmington

Music

A (AB) 4 A

Links

The music (PDF). The music (ABC). Video.

Description

The tune is “The Matelot”

The sequence is OY, FU, DF, HHnds, DF, BB, DF, CT, DF, WR

The DF is as follows:

Bars 1 to 4 – |4||4||4|ftj|. Start facing across the set. All dancers move forward passing opposites by the right shoulder. After paasing, each line of three should wheel around to the right so that the line rotates clockwise by 90 degrees. At the same time the lines should shift slightly so that the lines end up opposite each other in the shape of a set. This should take 3 double steps. These are followed by feet together jump on the spot facing partner. At this point the set is a mirror image of itself at 90 degrees to its original position.

Bars 5 to 8 – Half hey. The set now has everyone back in their proper position and it’s as if it has turned 90 degrees anticlockwise from its original position.

Four DFs brings the set back to its starting orientation.

Trodney - A corner dance with three corners cross in the space of two.

2008

Style

Ilmington

Music

AB 4 A

Links

The music (PDF). The music (ABC).

Description

The tune is that of the song “Summer it has Come” composed by Rod Smith and arranged by Dickie Hambridge

The sequence is OY, FU, DF, HHnds, DF, BB, DF, CT, DF, WR

A characteristic movement is a ‘sweep’. This is an open sidestep, moving sideways. In the case of a sweep left the leading hand (the left hand) is swept from the right shoulder, down and up to head height in the direction of movement; a big arm movement.

The figures are danced as normal but, to accommodate the extra two bars, two additional steps are added at the end. These are a ‘sweep’ up to the music and ‘sweep’ down.

The corners cross is as follows:

It is a corner dance. Each corner couple dances the following sequence:

Bars i and ii – Facing corner partner, each dancer ‘sweeps’ to right and then to left, finishing where they started, facing corner partner.

Bars iii and iv – |4||ftj|. Dance into the middle of the set and clash sticks* (forehand) on the jump.

Bars v to viii – Clash high (forehand), low (backhand) for two bars while rotating as a pair 180 degrees clockwise (walking). Then, holding the stick at both ends, strike the middle of the sticks together twice (Sticks are held diagonally to strike – right hand high for the first strike; left hand high for the second). In bar 8 step back a little, jump and strike* (forehand).

Bars ix and x – Hop backwards to opposite corner from whch the dancer started and jump, striking the air.

However, rather than each corner couple doing the corner cross in turn, the corner crossing sequences for couples overlap, occupying two lots of B music instead of the normal three. This is described below.

The DF is as follows:

Bars 1 and 2 – 1st couple do i and ii (as described above).

Bars 3 and 4 – 1st couple do iii and iv.

Bars 5 to 8 – 1st couple do v to viii and 2nd couple i to iv (in bar 8, all four dancers clash together*).

Bars 9 and 10 – 1st couple do ix and x and second couple do v and vi and 3rd couple do i and ii.

Bars 1 and 2 (second B music) – 2nd couple do vii and viii and 3rd couple do iii and iv (all four dancers clash together*)

Bars 3 and 4 – 2nd couple do ix and x and 3rd couple do v and vi.

Bar 5 – 3rd couple do vii.

Bars 6 to 8 – All dancers do vii twice and then |ftj|.

Bars 9 and 10 – All dancers sweep up then down.

To clarify bars 2 to 8 – Middles do two strikes of the cross stick hitting on their own then the corners join in so that everyone does four more cross stick stikes then all ftj.

* At two points in the chorus, four dancers clash in the middle. This looks best if the following rule is adopted. Dancers just arriving in the middle clash to the left with dancers who are about to leave the middle and dancers who are about to leave the middle clash to the right with dancers who are just arriving.

The dance ends with six capers.

The Weaver - An Ilmington stick dance with a different chorus

2007

Style

Ilmington

Music

A (AB) 4 A

Description

The tune is “The Weaver”

The sequence is OY, FU, DF, HHnds, DF, BB, DF, CT, DF, WR

The DF is as follows:

Bars 1 to 4 – Start facing across the set. Hit butts on the ground in front, strike backhand butts with partner (stay low); Strike forehand to lefthand diagonal dancer, backhand to partner; butts on the ground in front, strike forehand butts with partner (stay low); Strike backhand to righthand diagonal dancer, forehand to partner twice in quick sucession

Bars 5 to 8 – Half hey.

Repeat bars 1 to 8.

Dickie's Anorack - A Lichfield stick dance for 12.

2011

Style

Lichfield

Music

A (AB) 4

Links

The music (PDF). The music (ABC).

Description

The tune is an adaptation of “Bonnets so Blue”

The sequence is OY, FU, DF, BB, DF, CO, DF, R4, DF, Head up and square

The DF is as follows:

All striking is double handed, forehand then backhand all at head height.

Bars 1 to 4 – Do half a triples up (same as doubles up) to finish in four longways lines of three (and four crossways rows of four) facing up or down.

Bar 5 – Turn left one quarter of a turn with two stamps of the feet on the spot (to face another dancer). Let this other dancing be known as “partner”.

Bars 6 to 11

Dancers 1, 7, 6, 12 strike with “partner”; strike with adjacent dancer; strike with “partner”; Repeat previous 3 bars.

Dancers 2, 8, 5, 11 strike with “partner”; strike with “partner”; strike with adjacent dancer; Repeat previous 3 bars

Dancers 3 and 10 strike with “partner”; turn anti-clockwise (quarter turn) and stike adjacent dancer; turn anticlockwise (half a turn) and strike adjacent dancer; Repeat previous 3 bars.

Dancers 4 and 9 strike with “partner”; Then walk around the inside of the “square” of dancers visiting and striking with each one (except the corners) in a clockwise order.

Bar 12 – Turn, with two stamps of the feet, to face in the right direction for the second half of the triples up.

Bars 13 to 16 – Do the second half of the triples up (to get back to place).

The head up and square:

Bars 1 to 4 – Head up (with 2 double steps) and huckle back. Finish facing up.

Bars 5 to 8 – Take two double steps to form a hollow, four by four square as follows. Second, third, fourth and fifth couples move apart sideways; first and sixth couples move to between second and fifth couples respectively. Everyone turns the easy way and then moves forward to place except the first couple who double step backwards. All dancers should finish these two bars facing out of the square and the corner people should face out at 45 degrees. Finish with 2 capers then strike tips on the ground then “fire”, still facing out.

Weary Winter - A Lichfield stick throwing dance

2016

Style

Lichfield

Music

The tune “The Rushcart Song” by John Conolly

The music (pdf). The music (ABC). The music (MIDI)

A (AB) 4

Links

Video

Description

The sequence is OY, DR, DF, HU, DF, BB, DF, HD, DF, DU, DF

The DR is the same as for Step Round in Ring o’ Bells but with double stepping.

At the start of the dance numbers 1, 4, 5 and 8 have two long sticks and the other four have one. Sticks are held as normal in Lichfield

The DF is as follows:

Bar 1 – 1 throws a stick to 6 and 8 throws a stick to 3 at the same time

Bar 2 – 4 throws a stick to 7 and 5 throws a stick to 2 at the same time

Bar 3 – 3 throws a stick to 4 and 6 throws a stick to 1 at the same time

Bar 4 – Ftj

Or, to describe it positionally, first diagonal pairs (1, 3, 6, 8) throw; second diagonal pairs (2, 4, 5, 7) throw; middle pairs (3, 4, 5, 6) throw.

The stick throwing is related to position rather than dancer number.

Bars 5 to 8 – A quarter of a Lichfield hey. During the “change”;, as the middle couples pass, the dancer with two sticks passes one of them to the other.

For the final chorus, the quarter hey is replaced with a cascade of stick throwing as follows: (One throw per bar) 1 to 2, 4 to 3, 5 to 6, 8 to 7, 6 to 5, 3 to 4, 2 to 1, all up.