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[workshops] |
Workshop at Coombe Bissett
Andy Anderson 11.02.96
The idea was to introduce people to some varieties of border morris of which people who had already done a little might not be aware.
Stepping
The high knee single step and the doubestep combination as done by Shropshire Bedlams and Ironmen is not really 'traditional'. The most likely step to have really been used is a variant of the folk-dance double-step, with a step-close-step close to the ground and the fourth beat used to raise the knee of the trailing foot so that the thigh is about horizontal. This matches descriptions from a couple of Roy Dommett's informants and could also have been the step that the Upton dancers were trying to do when they demonstrated the dances to Maud Karpeles.
However, this step needs rather more room than is available in the hall because it makes the dances much larger than we're used to seeing. So, for today, unless you are in a set all from one side who do something else, we'll do the stepping which Stags use, a low single-step with the emphasis on the 'down' and the shuffle.
Take care not to land directly on the heels, and use the calf muscles to absorb as much of the energy as you can. Like everything else, it takes practice.
Ella Leather's 1909 Leominster Notation
This is a version of the 'standard' material normally classified as 'Leominster/Weobley/Dilwyn'. Ella Leather published a book on Shropshire Folklore at the turn of the century, including this dance and a 'standard' broom dance. She taught the dance to a set of schoolchildren and Sharp saw them perform it in 1909. Most of the versions around, including this one, are derivations of Leather's notes and Sharp's descriptions of the schoolchilden dancing. Sharp's field note book for this part of 1909 is missing, so the main source of Sharp's notes now available is Roy Dommett's transcription of the original.
Set
Set of Eight, four facing four. This formation appears in a number of dances and may originally have been the standard for this area. Figures are in two sets of four, except large rounds, so this could also have later given rise to the later four-person dances or might just have been two four-person sets together to make it look more effective.
Sticks
Short sticks, forehand sticking, X-X-XXX-
Figures
Many four-man figures can be used, including the following, which were recorded in the area: Stars, Small Rounds, Figure Eights, Cross Over, Out and Swing.
Cross Over is four steps across the set and turn, four back into a line in the middle, then repeat back to place.
Out and Swing is four across and turn, place the stick into the other hand four back to face partner, and then eight steps in a tight swing, arms round waists, either one-and-a-half or two-and-a-half turns.
It's likely that the team actually just used figures from the local country dances.
Begin and end with rounds to get on and off if this is a single performance, or with sticking in place as part of a sequence of dances.
Not-For-Joeing
This style of dance really was orchestrated so that it could last exactly as long as the audience was still watching and paying. This version is in the style of the Vale of Evesham, derived from material researched by the late Dave Jones.
Sticks
Short stick forehand, XXX-XXX-
Set - eight people
1 2
3 4
5 6
7 8
Distinctive Figure ("Chorus")
Squire's position (1) peels off left, dances round the set to the opposite position at the bottom (8). Whilsta the same time, starting with number eight, eight moves to seven and 'bounces' seven out of the way (two single steps or one double for the move) at which point number 7 starts moving. Clash once with the person you're 'bouncing' on the fourth beat.. Seven moves diagonally forward to number six position and so on. As each couple is made up (that is, when number one gets to the last position, when six and five have both been bounced, etc...) then start sticking in threes if this is to be used as the chorus, or just clash on every fourth beat if you're going to do a sticking afterwards.
Tread Water
This is absolutely genuine. Stepping in place and making the set up again. The professional way of getting back together if it has all fallen apart. When pairs are made up, start clashing on the last beat. This makes a good contrast if you follow it with normal sticking at the end of eight bars, so the sticking goes from ---X---X to XXX-XXX-. However, this only works if everyone changes at the same time.
Pairs Figures
Cross and Turn,
Out and Swing,
Back to Back,
Belly to Belly (Gypsy)
The original teams from the area also used single and double heys.