A traditional Border dance from Upton upon Severn, collected by Maud Karpeles from the Griffen family in 1925 and subsequently published in the 1933 journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society.
The Music
Instructions
We've tried to stay reasonably true to the dance as was collected, although some minor alterations have been made to suit our needs. The only significant change being in the chorus, where we lengthen the left turn/circle to cut down on some stepping on the spot.
Things to note:
- This dance routinely breaks our right first rule (except right foot first).
- Double stepping is used throughout. A double step takes one full bar of music and is two counts in the notation below.
- On the hop step, the free foot crosses over the other leg.
- Sticks to be held vertically in the middle through most of the dance.
Dance for six dancers, three facing three.
| Figure | Music |
|---|---|
| Rounds | A |
| Chorus | BB |
| Back to Back Right | A |
| Chorus | BB |
| Back to Back Left | A |
| Chorus | BB |
| Top Hey | A |
| Chorus | BB |
| Mirror Hey | A |
| Chorus | BB |
| Rounds and Dance Off | A |
Rounds (A) |
|
|---|---|
| Count | Moves |
| 1 | Clash sticks forehand with partner on 1. |
| 2-16 | Turn left into rounds, returning to place on 16. |
Chorus (BB) |
|
|---|---|
| Count | Moves |
| 1-4 | Tips and butts. Tips on 1, butts on 3. The stick strike is always on the first move of the double step - tips two three hop, butts two three hop. |
| 5-16 | Repeat 1-4 three more times. |
| 17-24 | Clash sticks forehand with partner on 17.
Using the momentum, turn left and step out into individual anti-clockwise circles. End up in place. |
| 25-32 | Four double steps on the spot. |
Back to Back Right (A) |
|
|---|---|
| Count | Moves |
| 1-2 | Clash sticks forehand with partner on 1 and take one double step back. |
| 3-4 | One double step forward, passing right shoulders with partner. |
| 5-6 | One double step right. |
| 7-8 | One double step back passing left shoulders, ending in place. |
| 9-16 | Four double steps on the spot. |
Chorus (BB)
Back to Back Left (A) |
|
|---|---|
| Count | Moves |
| 1-2 | Clash sticks forehand with partner on 1 and take one double step back. |
| 3-4 | One double step forward, passing left shoulders with partner. |
| 5-6 | One double step left. |
| 7-8 | One double step back passing right shoulders, ending in place. |
| 9-16 | Four double steps on the spot. |
Chorus (BB)
Top Hey (A) |
|
|---|---|
| Count | Moves |
| 1 | Clash sticks forehand with partner on 1. |
| 3-4 | Middle couple turns and go diagonally right between the couple they are facing, towards the outer shoulders of the first corners (4 towards 1, 3 towards 6). The rest take one double step back. |
| 5-16 | wo three-man heys alternating left and right shoulders: 1, 2 and 4, and 3, 5 and 6.
Return to place on 16. |
Chorus (BB)
Mirror Hey (A) |
|
|---|---|
| Count | Moves |
| 1-2 | Clash sticks forehand with partner on 1. Top couple turn to face down, rest face up the set. |
| 3-16 | Starting with top couple passing inside the middle couple, two three-man heys alternating inside (i.e. the couple moves together to go between the next pair) and outside (i.e. the couple break apart to go around the next pair) shoulders, turning in at the end of the line.
Return to place on 16. |
Chorus (BB)
Rounds and Dance Off (A) |
|
|---|---|
| Count | Moves |
| 1 | Clash sticks forehand with partner. |
| 2-16 | Turn left into rounds and follow dancer 1 as they leads out of the set. On the last beat raise stick in the air and shout. |
