Dance Notes and other info
Being a Morris side of currently limited number, Granta Blue has adapted some of the dances we perform to 3 or 4 dancers from the original 6 or 8.
Below are the cribs for some of the dances in our current repertoire. They are a rough map of how each dance goes.
It is worth referring to a video or 'A Handbook of Morris Dances' by Lionel Bacon (aka The Black Book) as published by The Morris Ring if more information is required.
Fieldtown
Balance the Straw
4 or 6 man hankerchief dance
Sticking behind, in front (on ground), R L (with partner), behind, in front, R RR (with partner)
Balance the Straw
4 or 6 man hankerchief dance
- Stepping:
- 2 Double steps, 2 cross backs (/ galley for foot up), jump
- Formation:
Set
Chorus:
- Sticking
- Half hey (with ghost couple in 4 man)
- Repeat
Sequence:
- Foot up - outside foot to start
- Ch
- Half gyp
- Ch
- Back to back
- Ch
- Rounds
- Ch (4 capers to finish)
Adderbury
Blue Bells of Scotland
3, 4 or 6 man stick dance
Sticking - Odds x 2, Evens x 2, Odds x 2, Evens x 2, Odd, Even, Odd, Even, Clash. Then repeat.
Blue Bells of Scotland
3, 4 or 6 man stick dance
- Stepping:
- Standard Adderbury (double step x2, single step x2, feet together jump and clash)
- Formation:
3 as triangle, 4/6 as set
Chorus:
- Sticking - Odds x 2, Evens x 2, Odds x 2, Evens x 2, Odd, Even, Odd, Even, Clash. Then repeat.
- For 3 dancers the chorus is done clockwise round the triangle.
- For 4 dancers the chorus is done alternatively across the set and up/down.
- For 6 dancers the chorus is done across the set, then 1/3 2/4 5/6, then 1/2 3/5 4/6
Sequence:
- Walk round singing
- Foot up (dance up and back x2)
- Ch
- Half hands (across the set passing right shoulders, back, left shoulder, back)
- Ch
- Process down (top couple down, back, top two couples down, back)
- Ch
- Hands around (give right hands go round, pull back, repeat with left hands)
- Ch
- Process up (bottom couple down, back, bottom two couples down, back)
- Ch
- Hey (3 man - back in turn right, 4 man - form line and turn right and do 4 man hey, 6 man - along sides)
- Ch
Bampton
Bonny Green Garters
N person handkerchief dance
Chorusless dance
Bonny Green Garters
N person handkerchief dance
- Stepping:
- Standard Bampton stepping and hand movements
- Formation:
Normal set
Chorus:
None
Sequence:
- Foot up (up and back, turn RIGHT 180, down and back)
- Half gyp (across set, pass right shoulders and back, repeat left)
- Whole gyp (spiral around partner right shoulders, repeat spiralling left moving inward and then swagger back)
- Rounds (circle round stepping, swagger and turn, spring caper, stepping, swagger without turning, spring caper)
- Sidesteps (round circle)
- Spring capers (round circle)
TBC
Constant Billy
4 person two little stick dance
Step and galley twists
Constant Billy
4 person two little stick dance
- Stepping:
- Double step x2, step (long twist), galley
- Formation:
Set
Chorus:
- Corners in turn:
- Jump in, stick R, own, L own, R, L, both (odd strike out/evens in)
- Cross
Sequence:
- Foot up + down (inside foot to start)
- Ch
- Half gyp (turn away fom partner in twist)
- Ch
- Back to back (turn towards partner in twist)
- Ch
- Rounds
- Ch
- Ch (everyone, 1st corner high/2nd low, swapping, finish all out)
Bampton
Country Gardens
4 or 6 man handkerchief corner dance
Corners Half/Full through 4 plain capers
Country Gardens
4 or 6 man handkerchief corner dance
- Stepping:
- Normal Bampton stepping and hand movements
- Formation:
Chorus:
- 1st corners, 2nd corners, 3rd corners (if they exist)
- Half through - Corners approach and turn away to own places in 6 bars of sidestep (with shows), then ALL caper L R L R
- Through - As half through but instead of turning back to place pass left shoulders
Sequence:
- Foot up (Bampton style)
- Ch (half through version)
- Half gyp
- Ch (through version)
- Whole gyp
- Ch (through version)
- Half rounds (i.e. normal Bampton stepping rounds, turn around half way through)
Brackley
Haste to the Wedding
4 or 6 man hankerchief dance
Corner dance with folded hankies
Haste to the Wedding
4 or 6 man hankerchief dance
- Stepping:
- 12 single steps, 2 cross backs, in out in (da-doom-doom)
- Formation:
Set
Chorus:
- Corners in turn:
- 4 side steps to cross and turn
- spring caper into middle
- 2 single steps
- 2 cross backs and da-doom-doom
Sequence:
- Foot up and down (stationary)
- Ch
- Line - evens turn first
- Ch
- Aeroplanes and motorboats – LH first, cross over & back, stand on spot
- Ch
- Foot down and up (stationary)
- Ch
Bampton
Highland Mary
3 or 6 man handkerchief dance
Chicken Chasers
Highland Mary
3 or 6 man handkerchief dance
- Stepping:
- Normal Bampton stepping and hand movements
- Formation:
3 in line (as half set), 6 set
Chorus:
Chicken chasers, half hey (3 man along line, 6 man along sides)
Sequence:
- Foot Up (Bampton style)
- Ch
- Half Gyp
- Ch
- Whole Gyp
- Ch
- Half Rounds (normal stepped rounds, turning round half way through)
- Ch
3 man version (stepping and hands as normal, chorus as for half a 6 man set):
- Foot Up: start in long line facing up, do as normal
- Half Gyp: All face Right side, middle stay still, top dance forward, bottom dance back (diagonal lines), on caper turn around and repeat in other direction
- Whole Gyp: Middle does half of whole gyp with top person, other half with bottom person, person not gypping turns round in correct direction on spot
- Half Rounds: drop into a triangle for rounds - top forward, middle back, bottom remain
Lichfield
Jenny Lind
4, 6 or 8 person stick and a half dance
Stick and a half
Jenny Lind
4, 6 or 8 person stick and a half dance
- Stepping:
- Single step
- Formation:
Set
Chorus:
- LH (ground x2)
- LH (partner x2)
- RH (RH on LH tip x2)
- RH (partner x2)
- RH (RH on LH tipp x2)
- RH (partner x2)
- RH (RH on LH tipp x2)
- RH (partner x2)
- LH (ground x2)
- LH (partner x2)
- RH (RH on LH tipp x2)
- RH (partner x2)
- RH (RH on LH: tipp butt tipp butt)
- RH (partner x3)
- Repeat for good measure.
Sequence:
Left hand = big stick, Right hand = half stick
- Swagger Round (lines swagger in opposite directions round the circle, odds clockwise, evens anti-clockwise, odds pass outside at top, inside at bottom)
- Ch
- Heading Up (4/6 into single line 8 man into two lines, lowers going outside highers)
- Ch (slow, all single hits)
- Heading Down
- Ch (double taps on own stick)
- Back to back (both right shoulder then left shoulder)
- Ch
- Lichfield Hey
- 4 man - 1st corners cross (R), 2nd corner cross (R), pause, partner cross (L), repeat x4 (4x capers last time)
- 6 man - Always pass right shoulder, first corners cross, then, tops change side while sides cross over heading up or down, repeat until dancers back in position, 3x A music)
- 8 man - 1st corners cross (R), 2nd corner cross (R), pause, middles sides/ends partners cross (L), repeat x4 (4x capers last time)
- Ch
- Ch (double time)
Adderbury
Lads a Buncham
4 or 6 man stick dance
Sticking - Odd x3, Even x3, Odd, Even, Odd, Even, Odd, Even, Clash. Then repeat.
Lads a Buncham
4 or 6 man stick dance
- Stepping:
- Standard Adderbury (double step x2, single step x2, feet together jump and clash)
- Formation:
4/6 as set
Chorus:
- Sticking - Odd x3, Even x3, Odd, Even, Odd, Even, Odd, Even, Clash. Then repeat.
- First and fourth chorus stick held with both hands, second/fifth held in right hand, third/sixth held overhead
- The chorus is done across the set
Sequence:
- Walk round singing
- Foot up (dance up and back x2)
- Ch (double)
- Half hands (across the set passing right shoulders, back, left shoulder, back)
- Ch (single)
- Process down (top couple down, back, top two couples down, back)
- Ch (overhead)
- Hands around (give right hands go round, pull back, repeat with left hands)
- Ch (double)
- Process up (bottom couple down, back, bottom two couples down, back)
- Ch (single)
- Hey (4 man - form line and turn right and do 4 man hey, 6 man - along sides)
- Ch (overhead)
Headington
Laudnum Bunches
3 person hankerchielf dance
Bunchy corner dance
Laudnum Bunches
3 person hankerchielf dance
- Stepping:
- Double step, cross backs + plain caper x2 to end phrase
- Formation:
Triangle
Chorus:
- 2x double step (1 into tight, 1 stationary)
- Explode and loop back in
- Repeat
Sequence:
- Foot up
- Ch (double step explodes)
- Hey (3rd into middle turn right to start)
- Ch (double step explodes)
- Half gyp
- Ch (slow explode - two footed jumps)
- Back to back
- Ch (slow explode - hoppy)
Sherborne
Monk's March
3 person hankerchief dance
Hoppy dance
Monk's March
3 person hankerchief dance
- Stepping:
- Bouncing with heel tap, stamp x3 to end phrase
- Formation:
Horizontal line
Chorus:
- Action in turn + all together (salute / slow galley / stamp+brush / split capers)
- Half hey
- Repeat
Sequence:
- Foot up + down
- Ch
- Face to face (middle + top, then middle + bottom)
- Ch
- Back to back (middle + top, then middle + bottom)
- Ch
- Hey
- Ch
Bledington
Morning Star
3 person hankerchief dance
Hooklegs and Helicopters
Morning Star
3 person hankerchief dance
- Stepping:
- Double step x2, Hookleg, Foot together jump
- Formation:
Horizontal line
Chorus:
- Long side step R
- Short side step L
- Spring caper into half hey
- Repeat
Sequence:
- Foot up + back
- Ch
- Explode gyp (middle to bottom, ends out)
- Ch
- Satellites (middle stationary, ends round clockwise half way and back)
- Ch
- Rounds
- Ch
Bampton
Nutting Girl
1 or 2 man jig, no sticks or handkercheifs
Jig with sidesteps
Nutting Girl
1 or 2 man jig, no sticks or handkercheifs
- Stepping:
- Normal Bampton stepping and hand movements
- Formation:
Jig, single or double taking turns
Chorus:
Close sidestep: R L R L R L R hop L R L R L R L hop Open sidestep R L R hop L R L hop - 2 spring capers
- Foot up x 2
Sequence:
- Foot up (normal Bampton stepping and hands)
- Ch
- Upright capers (squats - hop hop squat, hop hop squat etc. until music tells you to do a foot up and back)
- Ch
- Spring capers (spring until music tells you to do a foot up and back)
- Ch
- Extra Ch (if 2 man)
Bampton
Princess Royal
1 or 2 man jig, no sticks or handkercheifs
Jig with foot crossing
Princess Royal
1 or 2 man jig, no sticks or handkercheifs
- Stepping:
- Normal Bampton stepping and hand movements
- Formation:
Jig, single or double taking turns
Chorus:
Sidestep: R L R L R L R hop L R L R L R L hop Cross/uncross free foot in this rhythm (follows the music): (right foot) x x x x x x x - (left foot) x x x - (right foot) x x x - - Foot up x 2
Sequence:
- Foot up (normal Bampton stepping and hands)
- Ch
- Upright capers (squats - hop hop squat, hop hop squat etc. until music tells you to do a foot up and back)
- Ch
- Spring capers (spring until music tells you to do a foot up and back)
- Ch
- Extra Ch (if 2 man)
Raglan
Rattlin' Bog
3 person hankerchief dance
Raglan satellites
Rattlin' Bog
3 person hankerchief dance
- Stepping:
- Single, double, 2x caper to end phrase
- Formation:
In line (as if one side of set)
Chorus:
- Top face down, others face up
- Middle stays in place, end cross passing middle right shoulder
- Pause, move to center, pause, move to end.
Sequence:
- Rounds
- Ch
- Foot up
- Ch
- Half gyp (middle and bottom as if one passing right, middle and top as if one passing left)
- Ch
- Back to back (top pass R with middle, L with bottom, reversed when reversing)
- Ch
- Raglan hey (into side facing triangle, 1st corner, 2nd corner, pause, cross, repeat, finishing in line).
Lichfield
Ring of Bells
4 person stick dance
Two stick bell ringing
Ring of Bells
4 person stick dance
- Stepping:
- Single step, plain capers x3 to end phrase
- Formation:
Chorus:
- Stick R to R corner, L to partner, R to L corner, L to partner. Repeat.
- Caper x4 turn single
- Point L stick horizontally at person to left, clash x3 R stick to stick pointing at you
- Repeat all for good measure
Sequence:
- Swagger Round (lines swagger in opposite directions round the circle, odds clockwise, evens anti-clockwise, odds pass outside at top, inside at bottom)
- Ch
- Back to back (both right shoulder then left shoulder)
- Ch
- Lichfield Hey
- 4 man - 1st corners cross (R), 2nd corner cross (R), pause, partner cross (L), repeat x4 (4x capers last time)
- Ch
- Heading Up and heading out (up into single line facing up, diagonally out to finish)
Bampton
Saturday Night
N person handkerchief dance
Accumalting dance
Saturday Night
N person handkerchief dance
- Stepping:
- Normal Bampton stepping and hand movements
- Formation:
- If N is even - 2 people start facing each other, others join on from opposite end of the dance space, making an ever lengthening line
- If N is odd - 1 person starts, others join in pairs from on one side of dance space, making an ever expanding polygon
Chorus:
- Sidestep right, sidestep left, 4 plain capers
- Sidestep right, sidestep left, 2 spring capers
- (N even) past dancer onto the next
- (N odd) over shoulder turning away from people joining
Sequence:
- Normal Bampton stepping and hands
- Ch
- Repeat until everyone is dancing
- On final chorus time do 2 spring capers past dancer turning right past them into circle.
- Half Rounds
In 4 man version optionally do whole hey before final chorus
Lichfield
Sheriff's Ride
2 or 4 person hankerchief
Sheriff's Ride
2 or 4 person hankerchief
- Stepping:
- Single step
- Formation:
2 person as if bottom couple of 8 man, 4 person as if end couples
Chorus:
- Rise up, float down x2
- Back onto R, forward onto L
- Hookleg
- Repeat for good measure.
Sequence:
For 4 person all done as if two separate sets.
- Swagger Round (swagger in opposite directions round the circle, odds clockwise, evens anti-clockwise, odds pass outside at top, inside at bottom)
- Ch
- Heading Out (pass right shoulder, turn right to do swishes, hockleback passing left shoulder)
- Ch
- 3 Gypsys (gypsy one and a half times round, face out, swish and hockleback)
- Ch
- Back to back (both right shoulder then left shoulder)
- Ch
- Lichfield Hey
- As 8 man with lots of ghosts - 1st corners cross (R), 2nd corner cross (R), pause, middles sides/ends partners cross (L), repeat x4 (4x capers last time)
- Ch
Adderbury
Shooting (Beaux of London City)
3, 4 or 6 man stick dance
Shooting (Beaux of London City)
3, 4 or 6 man stick dance
- Stepping:
- Adderbury single step with three plain capers (and clash) at the end of each phrase.
- Formation:
3 as triangle, 4/6 as set
Chorus:
- Butt on ground, tip on ground, action (1st/4th chorus - clash, 2nd/5th - shoot, 3rd/6th - into air “rooks”). Then repeat.
- For 3 dancers the chorus is done clockwise (4th repeat everyone, shoot choruses aim clockwise then anticlockwise on repeat.)
- For 4 dancers the chorus is done 1st corners, 2nd corners, on the sides, partners.
- For 6 dancers the chorus is done 1st corners, 2nd corners, middles, partners.
Sequence:
- Walk round, first half beating, second half under arm
- Foot up (dance up and back x2)
- Ch (clash)
- Half hands (across the set passing right shoulders, back, left shoulder, back)
- Ch (shoot)
- Process down (top couple down, back, top two couples down, back)
- Ch (rooks)
- Hands around (give right hands go round, pull back, repeat with left hands)
- Ch (clash)
- Process up (bottom couple down, back, bottom two couples down, back)
- Ch (shoot)
- Hey (3 man - back in turn right, 4 man - form line and turn right and do 4 man hey, 6 man - along sides)
- Ch (rooks)
Bampton
Simon’s Fancy
4 man corner handkerchief dance
Sidestep corner dance with caper/salutes
Simon’s Fancy
4 man corner handkerchief dance
- Stepping:
- Normal Bampton stepping and hand movements
- Formation:
Set
Chorus:
- Side step right (with show), side step left (with show), action (salute / 2x caper), 2 side steps to go around person on right, swagger and caper (normal bampton) back to place
- 1st corner, 2nd corner, everyone
Sequence:
- Foot Up (Bampton style)
- Ch (salute)
- Half Gyp
- Ch (caper)
- Whole Gyp
- Ch (caper)
- Half Rounds (normal stepped rounds, turning round half way through)
- Ch (salute)
Adderbury
Sweet Jenny Jones
3 man stick dance
Walking, stick passing dance
Sweet Jenny Jones
3 man stick dance
- Stepping:
- L R L Heel/toe/heel, L R L Pause
- Formation:
3 as triangle
Chorus:
- Sticking clockwise around the circle
- 1st x1, 2nd x2, 2nd x1, 3rd x2, 3rd x1 1st x2
- Repeat
- 1st x1, 2nd x1, 2nd x1, All
- Foot up
Sequence:
- Foot up x2 (sung)
- Ch
- Half hands (across the set passing right shoulders, back, left shoulder, back)
- Ch
- Process down (3rd down, back, all down, back)
- Ch
- Hands around (right hand star go round, pull back, repeat with left hands)
- Ch
- Process up (1st+2nd down, back, all down, back)
- Ch
- Hey (3 man - 3rd in turn right, 1st + 2nd join in on second phrase)
- Ch
Upton On Severn
Upton On Severn Stick Dance
4 or 6 man stick dance
Border-ish
Upton On Severn Stick Dance
4 or 6 man stick dance
- Stepping:
- Double step (hop with bent knee), stomp stomp to end phrase
- Formation:
Set
Chorus:
- 8 clashes (tipps+butts/staves/fence)
- Clash, dance in small individual circle, repeat
Sequence:
- Morris round (all sticks in the middle)
- Ch (tipps and butts)
- Horizontal hey (4 man - 1st corners turn over left shoulder, 2nd corners pass right shoulder to start)
- Ch (staves (fighting))
- Allemand right (2 on spot, 1 to cross, 1 on spot, 1 to side right, 1 on spot, 1 to reverse back, 1 fudge)
- Ch (fencing)
- Cross and turn (2 on spot, 1 to cross, 1 to turn right, 1 to turn 180 left, 1 to turn 270 left, 1 to cross, 1 fudge)
- Ch (tipps and butts)
- Allemand left
- Ch (staves)
- Normal hey (4 man into middle turn right into hey, 6 man on sides)
- Ch (fencing)
- Morris round (all sticks in middle)
Fieldtown
Valentine
4 man hankerchief dance
Sidestep corner dance
Valentine
4 man hankerchief dance
- Stepping:
- 2 Double steps, 2 cross backs (/ galley for foot up), jump
- Formation:
Set
Chorus:
- Corners in turn:
- Closed sidesteps
- Action (1: Bow/Courtsey, 2. Galleys, 3. Beetle Crushers, 4. Foot behinds)
- Cross (Standard stepping to end)
Sequence:
- Foot up - outside foot to start
- Ch
- Half gyp
- Ch
- Back to back
- Ch
- Rounds
- Ch
Lichfield
Vandals of Hammerwich
3, 4, 6 or 8 person stick dance
Stick and a half
Vandals of Hammerwich
3, 4, 6 or 8 person stick dance
- Stepping:
- 6 double steps, 2 single steps back (R hop, L hop), 2 plain capers, end feet apart with stick up
- Formation:
3 staggered set, 4/6/8 Set
Chorus:
- Stick Diag R - (if no-one on diagonals then hit the floor)
- Stick Diag L -
- Stick With partner R L R - (3 man diag R diag L diag R)
- Double step right, double step left, 2 plain capers, end feet apart with stick up
- Repeat
Sequence:
- Swagger Round (lines swagger in opposite directions round the circle, odds clockwise, evens anti-clockwise, odds pass outside at top, inside at bottom)
- Ch
- Heading Up (3/4/6 into single line 8 man into two lines, lowers going outside highers)
- Ch
- Heading Down
- Ch
- Back to back (right shoulder then left shoulder - 3 man round person/ghost to right/left)
- Ch
- 3 man ends here
- Lichfield Hey
- 4 man - 1st corners cross (R), 2nd corner cross (R), pause, partner cross (L), repeat x4 (4x capers last time)
- 6 man - Always pass right shoulder, first corners cross, then, tops change side while sides cross over heading up or down, repeat until dancers back in position, 3x A music)
- 8 man - 1st corners cross (R), 2nd corner cross (R), pause, middles sides/ends partners cross (L), repeat x4 (4x capers last time)
- Ch
Bampton
Webley Twizzle
3 or 6 man handkerchief dance
Sidesteps, twizzle, half hey
Webley Twizzle
3 or 6 man handkerchief dance
- Stepping:
- Normal Bampton stepping and hand movements
- Formation:
3 in line (as half set), 6 set
Chorus:
- Sidestep right, sidestep left
- Twizzle - spring caper turning immediately into start of hey
- Half hey (two single swagger steps and spring caper)
- Repeat back
- N.B. is shorter than expected
Sequence:
- Foot Up (Bampton style)
- Ch
- Half Gyp
- Ch
- Whole Gyp
- Ch
- Half Rounds (normal stepped rounds, turning round half way through)
- Ch
3 man version (stepping and hands as normal, chorus as for half a 6 man set):
- Foot Up: start in long line facing up, do as normal
- Half Gyp: All face Right side, middle goes backwards, ends dance forward, on caper turn around and repeat in other direction
- Whole Gyp: Satellites (ends circle half way around middle, spring caper, and back same way)
- Half Rounds: drop into a triangle for rounds - top forward, middle back, bottom remain