Bledington Dances

Stick Dances

  1. Young Collins: Chorus: Tap ground 3 times, tap butts across 3 times (bent over), tap ground 3 times, tap tips across 3 times (standing up), half hey, repeat.

  2. Black Joke: Chorus: clash right, left, twice across (forehand, backhand), right, left, twice across, half hey, repeat. All phrases end with clash across while capering (tips, butts, tips, butts, tips).

  3. Three Musketeers: Chorus: Dueling -- roundhouse, tips, butts; tips, butts; tips, butts, tips, tips (backhand on last tips). First time 1&6, 2&4, 3&5; Second time 2&5, 1&3, 4&6; third time with partner. Half hey, repeat. Sticks in scabbard position during double steps.

  4. Billy Boy: Chorus: odds strike middle of evens’ sticks, with evens’ sticks held crosswise with hands on the ends. Reverse roles, then clash across tips, butts, tips, butts (backhand with butts). 4 capers while clashing across. Half hey, repeat.

  5. Donkey Riding: Chorus: Roundhouse clashes -- (high on last beat of preceding measure) low, high, low,step back on right throwing stick hand and stick behind; quarter staffs, 3 taps with right hand high, 3 with left hand high; half gyp; repeat.

  6. Old Peculiar: Chorus: hook from figure into a circle facing in. Clash neighbor and toss to diagonal opposite, around the set twice.

  7. Steamfitters: Chorus: cross set tapping ground, striking behind with partner on 4th tap. Feet together on 7th tap, turn into set on 8th. Then clashing around the set in roundhouse (figure 8) swings. First two choruses: singles; third chorus: doubles; fourth chorus: triples.

 

Handkerchief Dances

  1. Morningstar: Chorus: sidestep right, double step, sidestep left and hook to half hey. Repeat. Idbury Hill is the same dance, different music.

  2. Cuckoo’s Nest: Chorus: Caper in columns -- 1&2 caper, 3&4 caper, 5&6 caper, facing up, half hey, repeat with capers facing down. Capers are salutes, forays, toe-backs, splitters. Start on right foot first half of chorus, left foot second half.

  3. William and Nancy: Same as Cuckoo’s nest, but capers are done by facing diagonals, i.e. 1&6 face each other, 2&5, 3&4.

  4. Trunkles: Chorus: challenges and crossing on diagonals. (1&6, 2&5, 3&4). Challenges are double step to middle, foray caper, and hook leg back to place. Crossings are 4 capers each crossing. First chorus side steps; 2nd chorus forays; 3rd chorus toe backs; 4th chorus splitters. always start on right foot on challenges and crossings.

  5. Glorishear: Chorus is like Morningstar. Figures are replaced by walk around with capers at the head of the set. Capers are: 1st, bows; 2nd toe backs; 3rd splitters; 4th capers are leap frogs, in a circle (not at head). Leaping pattern is 1/2; 5/3; 4/6; 2/1; 3/5; 6/4. If the person in front of you ducks, then you leap. If the person in front of you leaps, then you duck next.

  6. Saturday Night: "Calling on" dance. Dancers enter one at a time. Pattern is: double step, double step, skoochback; double step, double step, skoochback; sidestep right, double step, sidestep left, double step; foray caper, foray caper; four plain capers. Next dancer comes on in the plain capers, with previous dancers moving up. (positions are: 1; then 2 1; then 31 2; then 4 1 3 2; then 5 1 4 2 3; then 6 1 5 2 4 3; dancers always face alternate directions in the column). Last time, instead of four plain capers, hook left into a set. Caller calls a series of figures, ending with a hey.

  7. Lynn and Nat: Chorus: waltz time. Modified 3 beat capers, done in a horseshoe starting with #1. Everyone does waves to finish. Repeat starting with #2. Capers are waves; forays; toe backs; splitters. Waves are up the middle and down, out to the sides.

  8. Hook, Line, and Sinker: 4 dancers. Double step facing in and hook into a line facing up and down the set. Two caper, then 4 person hey, double stepping. Two capers, hook leg ftj to place. Capers are forays, toe backs, splitters, and waves. Last chorus, hey is a leapfrog hey. Everything in the chorus starts on the right.

  9. Valentine: Chorus: crossing is side step L, side step R, two capers, in place. Then two double steps, passing by the right, and continuing to turn completing 360° (should be facing partner from opposite side after 180° ). Hook leg, ftj to oppposite's place. Capers are waves, forays, toebacks, splitters