Learnt from a combination of Borderline, Freaks in the Peaks, Powerderkegs and a couple of others. They all have slightly different versions, this is the combination that works for us.
Instructions
Single step throughout. (There are no occasions when you aren’t stepping.)
The dancers are arranged in a square with number 5 in the centre. Number the dancers in the square clockwise, 1,2,3,4. 1 and 2 are closest to the band.
The easiest positions in the dance are numbers 2 and 4.
Twiglet differs from most Anonymous Morris dances in having a lot of left turns. Just warning you. They're all there for good reasons, either to make the footwork easier in the chorus, or to allow for forehand stick strikes after the turn.
| Figure | Music |
|---|---|
| Diagonal Cross | A |
| Chorus | B |
| Hey | A |
| Chorus | B |
| Circles | AA |
| Chorus | B |
| Bow Tie | A |
| Chorus | B |
| Surreel | A |
| Aardvark, Round and Off | BAB |
Diagonal Cross (A) |
|
|---|---|
| Count | Moves |
| 1-4 | Each dancer in a corner changes places with the dancer diagonally opposite. Move so as to pass right shoulder with number 5 in the middle, and do a half turn left on the count of 3, so that your back passes close to number 5 and you arrive at the opposite side facing back into the dance. Everyone moves at the same time, so there will be a point when four dancers are in a close group in the centre, all with their back to number 5. Meanwhile, Dancer 5 completes 2 right turns on the spot taking the whole 16 beats. |
| 5-16 | Repeat 1-4 three more times, finishing with each dancer in their home place. |
Chorus (B) |
|
|---|---|
| This is easiest to describe in the following manner | |
| For the corner dancers, there is a sequence of actions that each dancer carries out, in the same order. Each dancer starts at a different point in the sequence (dancer 1 starts with action 1, dancer 2 starts with action 2, etc). Action 1 - strike the tip of the stick on the ground on the first beat, then perform two quick forehand clashes with dancer 5 on the second beat. Action 2 - strike the tip of the stick on the ground on the first beat, then flourish the stick in the air on the second beat. Action 3 - strike the tip of the stick on the ground on the first beat, then perform a single forhand clash with the person to your left on the second beat. Action 4 - strike the tip of the stick on the ground on the first beat, then perform a single forehand clash with the person to your right on the second beat. Each dancer will do eight actions, going twice through the sequence from their own starting point. The actions are 2 beats long each, for a total count of 16. |
|
| Meanwhile, dancer 5 dances on the spot throughout the 16 beats, turning left to clash forehand with the corner dancers on the appropriate beats in the order 1, 4, 3, 2, 1, 4, 3, 2. On the odd numbered beats, 5 strikes the ground with the tip of their stick. On the even numbered beats, number 5 clashes twice forehand with the appropriate dancer then turns a quarter left for the next groundstrike. |
Hey (A) |
Everyone steps all the time, even when they are staying on the spot. |
|---|---|
| Count | Moves |
| 1-8 | Dancers 1, 5 and 3 dance a hey, with 1 and 5 passing right shoulder to start. End back in place. |
| 9-16 | Dancers 2, 5 and 4 dance a hey, with 2 and 5 passing right shoulder to start. End back in place. |
Chorus (B)
Circles (AA) |
|
|---|---|
| This figure involves a line of three dancers (1, 5 and 3) doing a 'follow the leader' figure of 8 around the other two dancers (2 and 4). Dancers 2 and 4 can stand still for this figure. | |
| Count | Moves |
| 1-8 | Number 1 leads 5 and 3 in a circle around 4 into a figure of eight pattern between dancers 4 and 2. |
| 9-16 | When 1 reaches the centre of the set for the first time, they cast off elft into a small circle to rejoin at the back of line of three moving dancers (behind number 3). Do not pass behind number 4 ... Meanwhile, dancer 5 takes over the lead and dances around number 2. |
| 17-26 | When 5 reaches the centre of the set, cast off into a small circle left to rejoin the back of the line behind dancer 1. Dancer 3 takes over the lead of the figure of eight pattern and dances around number 4. |
| 27-32 | As before, the figure of eight pattern continues, this time with dancer 3 leading 1 and 5 around number 4. When 3 reaches the centre, cast off into a small circle left to rejoin the back of the line behind dancer 5. Dancer 1 takes over the lead of the figure of eight pattern and dances around number 2, and back into place. |
Chorus (B)
Bow Tie (A) |
|
|---|---|
| This figure is similar to the opening figure "Diagonal Cross", but with an added move to change the danced shape into that of a bow tie. | |
| Count | Moves |
| 1-4 | As beats 1-4 of Diagonal cross. Each dancer in a corner changes places with the dancer diagonally opposite. Move so as to pass right your shoulder with number 5 in the middle, and do a half turn on beat 3, so that your back passes close to number 5 and you arrive at the opposite side facing back into the dance. Everyone moves at the same time, so there will be a point when four dancers are in a close group in the centre, all with their back to number 5. Meanwhile, Dancer 5 completes 2 right turns on the spot taking the whole 16 beats. |
| 5-8 | The corner dancers pass right shoulder on the side of the set (1 swapping with 4 while 2 swaps with 3). |
| 9-12 | Perform the same movements as in beats 1-4 to cross the set diagonally to the opposite postion. |
| 13-16 | Corner dancers pass right shoulder on the side of the set again, returning everyone to place. |
Chorus (B)
Surreal (A) |
|
|---|---|
| Count | Moves |
| 1-4 | Dancers 2 and 4 swap stick to their left hand. The corner dancers then pair up across the set in shoulder hold (1 with 2, 3 with 4) facing towards dancer 5. |
| 5-16 | Dancer 5 starts a three person hey right shoulder with the 1+2 pair. As the dancers return to their starting place for the hey, form up into a straight line up and down, in the order 1, 2, 5, 4, 3. Dancers 1 and 2 will find they have to do an extra half turn at the end of the hey to finish this way around. |
Aardvark, Rounds and Off (BAB) |
|
|---|---|
| This figure is danced in a straight line up and down, with the line cycling as the top person dances to the bottom during each 4 beat section. When dancer 1 peels off the top the second time, they start circling around the outside. When everyone has fallen into this circle, the set dances off. | |
| Count | Moves |
| 1-4 | Dancer 1 continues in the direction faced after 'surreal', and dances in a semi-circle anti-clockwise to the other end of the set. Meanwhile, the others strike sticks in pairs (2 with 5 and 4 with 3). There is a single clash on each beat alternating forehand and backhand. The central line will want to slowly drift towards the top of the set over the four beats to stop the centre of the set moving too far. |
| 5-8 | As dancer 1 rejoins the line at the bottom end, the other dancers in the line perform a sharp half turn left. This means 5 is now facing 4 and 3 is now facing 1. The sharp turn left leads into a forehand strike and the sticking continues as before, 4 strikes alternating forehand and backhand. Dancer 2 has dropped off the top end of the set, and spends these four beats dancing in a half circle anti-clockwise to the bottom of the set. |
| 9-20 | This pattern is repeated 3 more times, with each of the remaining dancers taking turns to peel off the top of the line (5, then 4 and finally 3). |
| 21-24 | As dancer 1 drops off the line for the second time, they turn 3/4 anticlockwise on the spot and starts a very slow circle around the line of dancers. This is an ideal opportunity for stick flourishes and extra spins, if so inclined. |
| 25-28 | Dancer 2 drops off the line for the second time, turns 3/4 anticlockwise on the spot, and follows dancer 1 in the slow circle. Note, dancer 3 will have no-one to stick with as dancer 1 will not have rejoined the other end of the line. |
| 29-32 | Dancer 5 drops off the line as before into the slow circle, 4 and 3 complete the final sticking in the centre of the set. |
| 33-48 | The remaining dancers join the circle, which can now speed up slightly. After a while circling, dancer 1 splits off and leads the dancers off in a line. |
